Event

Galen and the Four Humors Historical Dinner

Galen was a roman physician first to gladiators in the arena and then private doctor to the Emperor Markus Aurelius. Galens distilled ideas of the four humors came to dominate medical thinking for the next 1600 years. Ayurvedic medicine is based from his ideas and is still practiced in India to this day.
The principle behind the humors was that our bodies are made of four elements each with their own heat, or cool, dry or moist, all correlating to a season, color and temperament. It was thought that illness was brought about when these elements are out of balance. Foods with opposing qualities of the dominate humor were recommended to bring the body back into equilibrium.

This dinner will consist of 5 courses
Each plate represents an individual humor and its qualities based on Galens idea about the quality of different food ingredients and some more modern liberties Ive taken.

I
The cure all
Pearled barley broth

II
Choleric- Bile/Yellow, Hot/Dry, Fire, Summer, Ambitious
Grilled peach, Hazelnut vinaigrette, spicy sprouted seeds, Arugula, fried chickpeas

III
Melancholy- Bile/Black, Cold/Dry, Earth, Fall, Depressed
Duck Aspic, Tea Poached pears, Wild Mushrooms, Ink Fruit and Seed paste, Fried Brussels Sprout leaves

IV
Sanguine- Blood/Red, Hot/Moist, Air, Spring, Hopeful
Roast Lamb, Rhubarb Cherry mousse, Pomegranate, Red Wine Reduction, Mustard Greens.

V
Phlegmatic- Phlegm/Blue, Cold/Moist, Winter, Calm
Compressed Melon, Mint jell, Watercress

No substitutes, and ingredients are subject to change due to availability. The dinner will be served out side in the garden on a large communal table. In case of inclement weather it will be served in the house. I hope to see you there!