Sunday 30 March 2014

Miniatura at Birmingham, England

Medieval Morsels' miniature dollshouse food, authentically modelled to portray the Medieval and Tudor era, is represented at Miniatura, Birmingham, UK today.

One of the biggest miniature events in the world and renowned for showcasing the most varied and best quality miniaturists under one roof, Miniatura is celebrating the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth (in nearby Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire).

Go and take a look at  "Abasketof" stall which showcases Victorian, Edwardian and more contemporary one inch scale dollshouse food ranges - second to none in their breadth and artistry. Here, courtesy of (my sister) Lucy and Gillian, a small selection of one inch scale dollhouse miniature Medieval and Tudor foods are also on display!



Many Medieval food items including bread, herring, oysters, pastry and pie-crust pies continued to be popular beyond the Middle Ages, well into Tudor and later times. The foods I have modelled would have been a familiar sight to Shakespeare, who lived at the end of the Tudor era (in Elizabethan times) & at the start of the Jacobean era. Shakespeare lived in London from the age of 22 but did not run his own household, so he would have dined at alehouses, more "up market" taverns, and as a favoured guest of wealthy merchants, Guildsmen, or even nobles. We know that Shakespeare's company also performed for Queen Elizabeth I, who enjoyed drama, at court on more than one occasion. Probably some fine foods would have been laid on, including "cates" - choice morsels.

A happy day to all those miniature enthusiasts at Miniatura today!