[Bryn-gwlad] SCA feast gear

[elizabeth@crouchet.com]

What you need Right Now is enough feast gear to get by at an event.
Make improvements to it as you learn what you want. 

You need at plate, a bowl, eating utinsils of all types: a sharp knife
and spoon at least. 
Napkins, paper or cloth, no one can tell by candlight. I often use
"flour sack" dish cloths or "good" paper Dinner Napkins. 

You need something to drink out of. And maybe another one to carry
around just for water. A large ceramic mug is great and 
cheap and easy to replace. Check walmart, resale and dollar stores.
Some acrylic stuff looks great and like period glassware 
and doesn't break as easily as glass. It is great for kids. 

You need something to light your eating space with, electric or flame
as the situation permits and you prefer. Choose candles, 
oil lamps, shaded fixtures with at bulb and battery inside.

You need a table cloth to delineate your space, to hide stuff under
the table, to let others know where you are and how many 
seating spaces you intend to use. 

You need something to carry it all in. It can be as simple as a
plastic tub that is shoved under the table or coverd with a cloth 
after the feast gear is removed, or a beautiful wicker basket or
wooden chest that does not need to be covered. (however, if it 
has a flat surface and you set it down anywhere nearby it will ALWAYS
have stuff on it, like everyone elses mugs full of water!)

You need a plastic bag to put all the dirty dishes in to transport it
home. 

You may wish to add a serving platter for the center of the table to
put breads, butters or collect bones and extra foods. Extra 
lights or candles to share. Salt and pepper containers since this is
not on the table like at a restaurant. Snacks and extra dishes 
to serve those in; sometimes it takes longer than expected to actually
get to the eating part of "feast time". Mabe some simple 
table games such as cards, pick up sticks or dice. 

Always bring your own drinks for dinner. Often only water and maybe
some lemonade are provided with dinner. 

As for materials, what do you LIKE?
What seems RIGHT to you?
What do you just want anyway? Like a fork. 
What can and will  you clean? 
Remember most feasts are served in near dark anyway. The piece most
often seen by others is your drinking vessel. Spend 
your effort on that. 

Start cheap and don't get too attached to it all. Trade up as you get
ideas and save up funds. 

I have some feast gear I would never take to a camping event but do
take to Candlemas because it is an indoor feast in a hall, 
and vice versa. 

I hope that helps. 

Claire 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: WPM$1A64.PM$
Type: application/octet-stream
Size: 2624 bytes
Desc: Mail message body
Url : /pipermail/bryn-gwlad-ansteorra.org/attachments/20060905/f96f478c/WPM1A64-0001.obj