Richard III's bread recreated - as battle over his bones continues (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Richard III's bread recreated - as battle over his bones continues

2:22pm Monday 11th February 2013 in News

SPICY FLAVOUR: Sonja Crisp, councillor for York Holgate, with an example of medieval mayne bread that would have been enjoyed by Richard III

A MEDIEVAL bread once enjoyed by Richard III has been recreated – as the battle over the long-dead monarch’s remains continues.

Mayne bread was a rich and spicy loaf unique to York and a sample was presented to Richard when he visited the city in June 1482.

It was made for special occasions and traditionally presented to Royal or noble visitors – but the art of making it was lost in the 17th-century.

However now a German academic, Dr Almute Grohmann-Sinz, working with the local council’s archives service, has managed to recreate it.

Drawing on evidence from the archives, it uses a yeast and egg dough, enriched with sugar and flavoured with coriander, caraway seeds and rose water.

Meanwhile, following the discovery of Richard’s remains under a Leicester car-park, the battle over where he should be buried continues unabated.

One on-line petition calling for the burial to be in York now stands at well over 19,000 signatures, while a rival petition in Leicester’s favour has more than 7,000.

At Middleham, where the king spent much of his childhood, local councillor Honor Byford is now challenging York Minster’s agreement that Leicester Cathedral should have the remains.

She said: “If you really don't want his remains reinterred in the Minster, which is surely the most appropriate place, well then we will be very happy to welcome him back to his own church of St Mary and St Alkelda’s.