Author: Abbey Perreault / Source: Atlas Obscura
In Medieval Europe, all dinner parties were BYO-knife. Except for the occasionally-provided spoon, guests were responsible for bringing their own cutlery to the table. Showing up without a knife would be an awkward, if not outrageous, predicament—one that could leave the ill-prepared diner both hungry and vulnerable.
But it probably never happened. Personal eating knives were en vogue.During the Middle Ages, forks weren’t really part of the picture in Europe. Until the 17th century, sharp, dagger-like knives were used to slice, tear, pierce, and poke whatever was on the plate—from soft cheese to sturdier meat. The first knives to touch meat dishes, in particular, typically belonged to the carver, a professional whose prestige surpassed even that of the cook. According to Bee Wilson, food writer, historian, and author of Consider the Fork, carvers had their own sets of specialized knives, which they selected based on the weapon with which the animal was hunted.
The initial carving and serving of the beast was deemed to be so important, it was given an office in court, known as the Carvership. In Consider the Fork, Wilson includes an eerie 16th-century book excerpt detailing the somber “terms” of an English carver.
“Break that deer
Slice that brawn
Bear that goose
Lift that swan
…Dismember that heron”
But knives weren’t just for professionals. In fact, while carvers made preliminary cuts, broke up large bones, and arranged the dish, the rest of the slicing was up to the diners. This was hardly an odd ask at the time—almost all food was prepared so that it could be picked up by hand, spoon, or…
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