Andrew Jotischky provides a very readable introduction to how food was thought of, used, and prepared by monks from Late Antiquity through to the time of the Reformation. He draws on monastic rules, saints' lives, herbals, and so on to explore self-denying asceticism and the origins of the late medieval idea of the gluttonous monk. It would have been nice to see the incorporation of women into the book (there's no reason why this needed to be confined to monks, and given what we know of religious women's attitudes towards food in the Middle Ages, the inclusion of holy women would have provided a useful gendered contrast/corrective), or the use of more archaeological/osteological evidence (the bones can tell us a lot about the diet). Still, a useful, quick primer that I think would easily find a home in a lower-level undergraduate course. ( )

What did the diet of a medieval monk include? Jotischky has researched this subject and written a readable, but documented narrative that both scholars and everyday people will enjoy. His sources include the rules under which monks lived (such as the Benedictine rule) as well as other written sources to make his conclusions. He gives the reader an idea of what life might have been like in a monastery in the Middle Ages and in the communities which often sprung up around these religious institutions. In some monasteries, responsibilities rotated while in others, one person or a group of persons might be in charge of duties. Many monastics considered it part of their duty to also feed the poor of their area so food was often prepared for more than their own community. He explains that some herbs were grown not only in kitchen gardens but also in infirmary gardens for the treatment of ailments. He discusses the medicinal properties of each herb that might have been grown. A few recipes are included throughout the book, but history is the book's main focus. Recommended for those who have an interest in medieval society or church history. ( )