ANST - Othar's Feast-far too long.

[Michael F. Gunter]

Good day all,

I just found out today that I haven't been on the list so I missed the 
specifics of the posts about this topic. Please forgive me if I go
over well-trodden ground.

There are a couple of angles of this issue that I would like to approach.

First, although I do agree with Mistress Gunnora's sentiments about having
more period feasts, I have no problem with Othar's meal. In fact, I'm planning
on eating it this weekend. Othar never advertised it as anything other than a
"good ol' Texas dinner". In moderation these things are fun and can be very
tasty. 

Now to take Gunnora's side. What we are trying to do is recreate a Medieval
atmosphere to a greater or lesser degree. (If the good Mistress has already
stated this, please forgive me as I haven't read any of the posts.) As Duke
Cariadoc says, and I paraphrase, "Why go to all of the trouble to have banners
and period armor and period clothing. To have period Heralds and period lighting
and then eat non-period food?" Othar's wonderful dinner notwithstanding, I can
have a steak anytime I want. Just about any of us can go to the corner restaurant
and have a damned fine steak dinner but how often can you get good period foods?

I saw that there was a defense of steak as something like "well they had meat
and they had fire so a grilled steak should be period". The answer is "yes". 
They did grill a wide variety of meats in period. And if Othar had approached
me and told me he wanted to do a period steak dinner we could have worked out
a very nice menu using grilled steak as the centerpiece. But they used different
spicing and a variety of sauces with their grilled meat. To have steak and potatoes
and salad with Ranch dressing and say it's period because they grilled meat is
totally missing the point. Othar never did this but I have attended feasts where
they announced how period the feast was and my first thought was "Oh really?
And just what's the documentation?" Not being snarky, but with my acknowledged
limited education in period cookery some things didn't add up. As an example:
I now wear a nice coat of plates. It's made of leather with kydex plastic inserts.
It looks nice and wears wonderfully but if I went up to a fighter and told them
I was wearing a period coat of plates I'm sure I would be questioned.

Now I am speaking as a convert here. I used to feel that I didn't care if a feast
was period as long as I made people happy. I, too, had eaten the "horror period
feasts" and didn't want to be known as a stuffy purist who made that inedible
period food. But then I found out that sometimes inedible period food was created
because it was prepared by a bad cook or someone who used dubious recipes.

Period food is a different cuisine. The spices and some of the presentation are
different but it is no better or worse than any other ethnic cuisine. By serving
mashed potatoes and corn on the cob at an event trying to duplicate Medieval Europe
is the same as holding a Mexican Fiesta and serving fried chicken and stir fry.

For those who feel that Medieval food is all awful or that it can't be served to
200 people, you should check out the efforts of Mistress Meadhbh, Baroness Clarissa,
myself, or a half dozen other period cooks in this Kingdom. We strive to bring these
recipes to everyone. Why is it that things period are appreciated in every aspect
of the SCA except for cooking and music?

Othar, the meal sounds wonderful and I plan to be there with napkin tucked firmly
about my neck and a utensil in each hand. And thank you and all the others who cook
feasts for hundreds every weekend. Our aim is to lead by example, not by force.

Yours,

Gunthar
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