The COOK Poem by Geoffrey Chaucer

The Cook’s Tale in Middle English These guildmen had their own COOK with them for their journey, to boil their chicken and marrow bone with seasoning powder, sweet root, and sharp spice. In judging London Ale his taste was nice. He knew very well how to roast and broil and fry, to mix a stew, and bake a good meat pie,or prepare fish or chicken pudding with almond, rice and egg. It is a great pity that he had a cancerous ulcer on his leg. THE Poem Of Cook in middle english A COOK they hadde with hem for the nones, To boille the chiknes with the marybones, And poudre-marchant tart, and galingale. Wel koude he know a draughte of London ale. He koude rooste, and seethe, and boille, and frye, Maken mortreux, and wel bake a pye. But great harm was it, as it thought me, That on his shyne a mormal hadde he, For blankmanger, that made he with the beste.                                                                                                                                                  Geoffrey Chaucer