Revealed: The diet of the Scots army that defeated King Edwards II's troops at ...

TO mark the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, researchers have found out what lined the bellies of Scots troops as they rallied against the English in 1314.

Stills from a production for the History Channel, filmed in Canada, show bloody scenes at the Battle of Bannockburn

THEY say an army marches on its stomach.

And to mark the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, researchers have found out what lined the bellies of Scots troops as they rallied against King Edward II's men in 1314.

As part of the 2014 Food & Drink campaign, food historian Catherine Brown has penned a revealing insight into one of the lynchpins of the medieval armed forces - the cook.

The research reveals that Scots had a healthy diet based on cereals, dairy and meat.

In contrast to our modern menu of at least three meals a day, they would only have a morning and evening meal. In summer, breakfast was often cold leftovers to save on vital fuel.

Bread was made from ground barley oats and rye and pottage - which was the precursor of the porridge and broths that we enjoy today - combined stock, meat, fish and vegetables in cauldrons cooked over open fires - sometimes thin but other times so thick it could be sliced.

Livestock was kept for its milk and only eaten when it had died of old age. When the time came cooking was not for the faint hearted with 'nose-to-tail' being the norm - 'everything but the squeal' was included in dishes from innards cooked and stuffed into stomach bags (haggis) and blood being used to add flavour (black pudding).

Fish, shellfish and seaweed were plentiful and in the Highland and Islands wild game such as rabbits, deer and boar were trapped. Herbs were foraged or grown to add flavour including fennel, mint, rosemary and wild garlic.

Scots from 1314 also enjoyed a tipple with a weak form of home-made ale being drunk by adults and children alike along with spring water, goat, sheep and cow milk.

Entities 0 Name: Bannockburn Count: 3 1 Name: Canada Count: 1 2 Name: Catherine Brown Count: 1 3 Name: 2014 Food & Drink Count: 1 4 Name: King Edward II Count: 1 5 Name: Scots Count: 1 6 Name: Islands Count: 1 7 Name: Highland Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1wNFgLr Title: Spiced Beef Tagine | Beef Recipes | Jamie Oliver Description: Looking for a beef tagine recipe? Look no further than Jamie Oliver's money saving meals recipes for a delicious recipe for a spiced beef tagine