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Gourmets were not the target audience for the conclave diet. The 135 Catholic cardinals who are imprisoned in the Vatican during the voting process to choose Pope Francis' successor aren't exactly eating like kings or even the King of Kings.
In a May 7 article, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi of Italy told the New York Times, "You don't eat very well." Cardinal Lüdwig Miller added, "It's not so good."
The bland meals the prospective new pope is currently consuming may actually have something to do with Francis, who passed away in April at the age of 88. After all, for the past 12 years, his straightforward taste has curated the Vatican's menu, which includes what cardinals have described to the New York Times as less-than-rich pastas, vegetables, and leftovers that were gifted to the pope—such as dates from the Middle East.
In the meantime, some menu items have been outright prohibited.
Previously, conclave consumption of whole chickens and stuffable pastas like ravioli was not permitted because of the ease with which messages could be hidden within them. In fact, around the 16th century, food at the conclaves started to be checked for hidden notes, and the kitchens where meals were prepared were subject to strict security monitoring.
Cardinals who perished during the conclave were thought to have been poisoned by their food at about the same period in history. According to Chef Bartolomeo Scappi, a well-known Vatican cook, in his writings from the time, the cardinals started taking turns serving as poison testers. Once one cardinal ate food without any problems, the others followed suit.
Any food is better than none at all, of course. Pope Gregory X instituted a rationing rule in the 1200s because of the protracted conclaves, according to the BBC. His electing conclave is still the longest to date, lasting three years. The cardinals would only be able to eat one meal a day if they couldn't agree within three days. They were only permitted to eat bread and water after eight days.
The cardinals participating in the current conclave, however, are well aware that they will not be treated to anything exceptional during their gathering.
The New York Times quoted Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo as saying, "We will eat whatever they give us."
