Ancient wisdom and modern science: interview with Marietje van Winter

Professor Emerita of Medieval History Johanna Maria Van Winter (1927) is a distinguishedexpert in the field of food history. In the 1960s she became known forher column ‘Van Soeter Cokene’ which was published in the popular Dutch historyjournal Spiegel Historiael. In her columns, she introduced Roman and medievalcuisine to a wide audience by unfolding recipes which she, together withher students, had prepared in the authentic way at her home. Van Winter is notonly specialized in food history, but also shows a great interest in the history ofmedieval nobility and urban history. In her volume Spices and Comfits: CollectedPapers on Medieval Food (2007) she brought many of her most important articlesand lectures on food history together. In this respect, Van Winter continues tocontribute to the scientific and public debate in her numerous publications andlectures, in the Netherlands as well as internationally.