This isn’t just a recipe—it’s a royal illusion. Capons in Quinces, inspired by a 14th-century English manuscript, was more than a dish; it was a display of wealth, storytelling, and cunning. We’ve reimagined it with chicken breast and a clever twist: egg yolks shaped to look like golden quinces, in honor of medieval cuisine’s love of edible deception.

Rooted in medieval England’s most famous cookbook, The Forme of Cury, and shaped by the culinary traditions that arrived after the Norman Conquest, this dish is your ticket to a banquet fit for a king—or at least a very clever cook.

The Forme of Cury: A Royal Manuscript of Flavor

Compiled around 1390 by the master cooks of King Richard II, The Forme of Cury (meaning “method of cooking”) is one of the oldest known English cookbooks. It includes over 190 recipes, many of which blend sweet and savory elements and feature now-unusual ingredients like almond milk, verjuice, and… quinces stewed with capon.

In one version of the dish, capons are roasted and then served with a syrup of wine, sugar, and quinces, enhanced with cloves and saffron. It was luxurious, fragrant, and extravagant—a signature of late medieval courtly dining.

The Norman Influence

The Norman Conquest of 1066 didn’t just change who sat on England’s throne—it revolutionized its kitchens, tables, and palates.

When William the Conqueror defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings, he ushered in a new elite class of French-speaking nobility. These Norman rulers brought with them Continental tastes, sophisticated culinary techniques, and access to a broader network of trade that introduced England to new ingredients and styles of cooking.

Among the major shifts:

Fruit-meat pairings (like poultry with quince, apple, or grape sauces) became a hallmark of elite dining.
The use of spices like cinnamon, cloves, and ginger expanded through connections to Mediterranean and Levantine trade routes.
Sauces were no longer just gravies—they were infused reductions, often sweetened with honey, thickened with breadcrumbs or egg, and perfumed with exotic flavorings.
The table became a place of performance and spectacle, featuring not just nourishment but culinary showpieces.

Capons in Quinces is a direct result of this Norman fusion. Quinces had already been cultivated in Roman Britain, but it was under Norman influence that they took on courtly, performative roles—used in sweet-savory sauces and laid beside roast fowl to create a feast of contrast, elegance, and balance.

The Normans also laid the foundation for the court cuisine that would eventually lead to works like The Forme of Cury, which preserved many of their techniques and flavor profiles. By the 14th century, English cuisine—once hearty and rustic—had adopted the sophistication of Normandy, and dishes like this were considered marks of status, refinement, and cultural worldliness.

“Thus with sauce of wine and spice, the capon was made fit for a king, and England’s kitchens no longer boiled, but simmered with art.”

Dupe Quinces: The Art of Deceptive Food

Medieval cooks were not only chefs—they were illusionists. From fake fish molded from meat to gilded birds reassembled post-roast, “dupe” foods were centerpieces at elite banquets.

In our version of Capons in Quinces, we embrace that spirit by using egg yolks to mimic cooked quince. With a little shaping, seasoning, and shine, they resemble glossy golden fruit slices. It’s a nod to form over reality, and exactly the kind of culinary mischief a medieval cook would love.

Modernized Interpretation: Chicken Breasts with “Dupe” Quinces

While the original would have used whole capons, we simplify by using chicken breasts—light, elegant, and easier to portion.

The quince illusion is made from gently cooked egg yolks, seasoned and shaped to mimic tender, honey-glazed fruit. Paired with a wine reduction and warming spices, this dish captures the heart of the original while inviting your guests to guess what’s real.

Recipe: Capons in Quinces