Ancient wisdom and modern science: interview with Marietje van Winter

Abstract

Professor Emerita of Medieval History Johanna Maria Van Winter (1927) is a distinguished

expert in the field of food history. In the 1960s she became known for

her column ‘Van Soeter Cokene’ which was published in the popular Dutch history

journal Spiegel Historiael. In her columns, she introduced Roman and medieval cuisine to a wide audience by unfolding recipes which she, together with her students, had prepared in the authentic way at her home. Van Winter is not only specialized in food history, but also shows a great interest in the history of medieval nobility and urban history. In her volume Spices and Comfits: Collected Papers on Medieval Food (2007) she brought many of her most important articles and lectures on food history together. In this respect, Van Winter continues to contribute to the scientific and public debate in her numerous publications and lectures, in the Netherlands as well as internationally.