Leonardo Da Vinci is known for being a visionary, with all the gadgets, machines, and buildings he could invent out of his mind and from his notebooks. One aspect of Da Vinci that is not always covered is how he was eating, the food he enjoyed, and how he helped transform the cuisine. Only historians may have precise answers but our Teuko Kids had the chance to visit the Clos Lucé Castle, in France, where Da Vinci spent the end of his life as he was invited by his good friend king Francis I of France.
Enjoy this virtual visit to Da Vinci’s kitchen and a few creative food ideas and kitchen designs to inspire a new style in your kids’ lunch boxes – young creative kids will surely enjoy this!
Leonardo Da Vinci’s Kitchen
As mentioned earlier, Leonardo Da Vinci received an invitation from Francis I to come live in France. He arrived at Clos Lucé, a beautiful pink brick and tufa stone house in the Loire Valley near the Royal Castle of Amboise, in 1516.
The cook to Leonardo Da Vinci was Mathurine, and the kitchen at Clos Lucés was her domain.
The very first thing we could notice when entering Da Vinci’s kitchen was the massive high stone fireplace. We could imagine the roasted game that Mathurine suspended in it! A fragment from the Song of Roland, a 15th-century tapestry, was hanging on the wall, and, in front of the chimney, the wooden table where fake food was displayed, suggesting the type of meals that were prepared at that time.
Food Ideas Inspired By Da Vinci
Francis I and nobles liked to hunt. Thus, it was pretty normal to see on the table some pheasants, hares, ducks, and other games. By seeing the huge fireplace, we guess that these games were mostly roasted, but, as displayed on the table when visiting Clos Lucé, the games could be “en croûte”, meaning they were baked in a pastry crust. For the sides, Mathurine was simply using what was available in the garden! Of course, she may have been cooking some fantasies sometimes, like associating a pheasant en croûte with… dates and pomegranates! But thinking about Da Vinci, a person who had an engineering mind and became vegetarian at the end of his life (so the legend is), extravagant meals were done mostly for his friend Francis I or other guests. Speaking of the dinner extravaganza, we could not miss the opportunity to let you know that in June 1518, Da Vinci organized a delightful “Feast of Paradise” for thanking the king for his kindness. Yes, Da Vinci was not just imagining machines or drawing! The feast was so beautiful that an ambassador, Galeazzo Visconti, wrote in a letter:
“The king gave a banquet at a wonderful feast […]. The place was at Le Cloux, a most beautiful and grand palace. The courtyard was covered with sky-blue cloth and then there were the seven principal planets, with the sun one one side and the moon opposite […] There were four hundred two-branch candelabras, so illuminated that it seemed the night was chased away.”
For Da Vinci-inspired kids’ lunch boxes, we suggest some roasted chicken, duck, or a pork tenderloin en croûte (use the leftovers of the weekend for instance). On the side, just use seasonal products. In Spring, you can add green beans, asparagus, or peas. In Summer, your child can enjoy tomatoes, eggplants, and zucchinis. In Autumn, pumpkin is a must but you can also add Brussel sprouts or cauliflower. During the winter season, cook carrots, beets, or endives!
Want to see how to assemble these foods in a bento box? Have a look at Teuko.com, use the Search tool, and you’ll find many ideas by filtering with the food tags!
Themed-Lunch Ideas for Kids Inspired By Da Vinci
Leonardo Da Vinci was a genius. When he was not preparing an exceptional feast for the king, not only was he able to realize wonderful sketches and paintings, but he also invented many machines! Here are a few themed lunchbox ideas that pay, somehow, an homage to Da Vinci.
The major inventions of Leonardo Da Vinci were showcased in the garden of Clos Lucé along a beautifully landscaped trail. Here, two of our Teuko Kids enjoyed playing on The Propeller, which was considered as anticipating the helicopter. But the Italian Master also created a tank, a “car”, a swing bridge, the parachute…
How to add these Da Vinci vibes to your kid’s lunchbox? The @Bradylunch added lovely spiraled carrots next to salmon sandwiches, kiwi, mango, blueberries, and a granola bar. @Silkes Bentoboxes created a helicopter-sandwich cutting out bread and salami. @Making Lunches Fun created a “transportation lunch” cutting out mini sandwiches representing a train, a helicopter, and cars. Food picks helped too, and that’s also the way @ArtInlunchbox chose for making her son’s lunchbox. We particularly like the red sign created with a Babybel cheese!
It’s not complicated at all to prep your kid’s lunch when you have the right accessories. The Teuko Boutique is where you can easily find these by theme, brand, or category. In the category “Vehicles/Transportation” for instance, you’ll find all the lunchbox accessories you need for making lunch with cars, trains, planes, or space. In the category “Imaginative Minds”, make your kid’s lunchbox fun with robots or construction-themed food picks, sandwich cutters, and other easy tools!
Bonus – Advice from Da Vinci
When walking in the castle of Clos Lucé, the Teuko Kids noticed the many quotes of Leonardo Da Vinci beautifully framed and hanging on the walls. This one made us think it was a pretty good advice:
Veux-tu rester en bonne santé, suis ce régime: ne mange point sans en avoir l’envie.” In English: ” Do you want to stay healthy, follow this diet: do not eat without wanting to.”
Leonardo Da Vinci
This quote is a good reminder for all the parents who pack lunches for their kids of the importance to focus on the food our children like to eat. Of course, it’s great to encourage our kids to try new foods. But thinking about how long the day can be, with school, homework, and extracurricular activities, it’s essential that our children feed themselves correctly during lunchtime and that the lunchbox comes back home mostly empty.
Roasted chicken, duck, vegetarian lunch… did the Da Vinci kitchen inspire new food ideas for your kid’s lunchbox? If you pack themed lunches for your child, would you try a fun lunch with cars, planes, or robots? Discover the many fun and easy lunchbox ideas in Teuko, and don’t forget to show us what you pack by uploading your photo!
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