Positive News for Old Text

The world has gone digital - there’s no doubt there! And sometimes it can seem overwhelming, being bombarded by tons of useless information online (except for this of course!) But the Internet can also be an amazing tool that gives you rare opportunities to experience, research and learn about topics that otherwise might be impossible.

Take the book Forme of Cury. It is one of the 40 rare and ancient manuscripts that’s getting a digital treatment thanks to the hard work of University of Manchester’s John Rylands University Library.

What is Forme of Cury? An ancient cookbook used by master chefs in 1390 when preparing meals for none other than King Richard II.

Digitisation has made it possible to review these complex and unusual recipes (like blank mang - a recipe including meat, milk, sugar, and almonds) and also to preserve the physical text, which is inherently fragile. So if you want to “eat like a king,” remember, its just a keystroke away.