As a royal child in 1540s–1550s Scotland—first at Linlithgow Palace, then Stirling Castle, and later in France—Mary Stuart's diet reflected the seasonal, hierarchical, and heavily preserved nature of Renaissance aristocratic cuisine. While no daily menus survive, historical records of the Scottish royal household and contemporary cookbooks (e.g., The Complaynt of Scotland, French court records) allow a detailed reconstruction.
Staples and Daily Fare
Grains and Bread
- Oatmeal Porridge: The dietary foundation. Made from stone-ground oats simmered in water or milk, enriched with butter, honey, or cream. Often served as a morning "pottage."
- Bannocks & Oatcakes: Unleavened flatbreads baked on a girdle (griddle) over the hearth. Made from oats, barley, or bere (an ancient barley variety).
- Fine Wheat Bread (Manchet): Reserved for the highest table; a status symbol. Mary would have eaten this; her attendants ate rye or barley loaves.
Proteins
- Meat: Beef, mutton, venison (from royal forests), pork, and poultry (capon, goose, swan, peacock for feasts). Fresh meat was a luxury; salted, smoked, or dried (cured) meats dominated winter stores.
- Fish: Critical due to Catholic fast days (Lent, Fridays, vigils). Salmon, trout, herring, cod (salted), haddock (smoked for cullen skink), eels, and shellfish (oysters, mussels, scallops) from coastal and river fisheries.
- Dairy: Sheep and goat cheese (crowdie, caboc), butter, cream, and fresh milk (less common for children due to spoilage risk; often watered or made into possets).
Vegetables and Fruit
- Root Vegetables: Turnips (neeps), carrots (purple/white varieties), parsnips, skirrets. Boiled, mashed, or in stews.
- Greens: Kale (colewort), cabbage, leeks, onions, garlic. Often cooked long with meat.
- Pulses: Peas and beans (dried), thickened into pottages.
- Fruit: Apples, pears, plums, cherries, berries (wild strawberries, blaeberries). Eaten fresh in season; dried, preserved in honey, or made into conserves for winter. Orchards existed at royal palaces.
Flavorings and Luxuries
Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, pepper, saffron) were expensive imports, used lavishly at the royal table to display wealth. Sugar (imported from Madeira, later Brazil) appeared in marchpane (marzipan), comfits, and sweetened dishes. Herbs (parsley, sage, thyme, mint, hyssop) came from palace gardens.
Beverages
- Small Beer / Ale: Low-alcohol, nutritious, safer than water. Standard daily drink for all ages.
- Milk / Whey: Fresh or fermented.
- Wine: Imported French (claret, white) and Spanish sack (sherry). Diluted with water and spices (hippocras) for children.
The French Influence (1548–1561)
From age 5, Mary was raised at the French court (Henry II and Catherine de' Medici). Her palate shifted to sophisticated French cuisine: delicate sauces, pâtés, pastries, artichokes, asparagus, melons, and far greater sugar/spice use. This French foundation shaped her tastes for life, clashing with Scotland's plainer fare upon her return in 1561.
In summary, Mary's childhood diet was a high-status version of the Scottish seasonal round—rich in oats, preserved meats/fish, dairy, and root vegetables—elevated by French refinement during her formative years abroad.
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