NR - Soup Kitchen

[Nathan W. Jones]

On Monday, September 11, 2000 1:54 PM, Decker, Terry D. 
[SMTP:TerryD at Health.State.OK.US] wrote:
> While I often use modern foods and recipes at events, the idea of leaving
> period food for feasts or A&S competitions begs the idea of recreating 
the
> Middle Ages.  Period food can feed people fast and can be quite tasty.
> Period food is not necessarily difficult or expensive to make.  In fact, 
the
> only objection I can see to period food is if it is badly done, an 
objection
> which should be raised for any poorly prepared food.

I don't particularly think of myself as an A.Maven (cute...BTW), I am of 
two minds about doing period recipes for feasts.

1.  More historical accuracy is good.  Period food can be good.  Yea!

2.  Consider the audience when planning a menu.  If my local group has 
given me money to spend on the food for thier event, you can be sure that 
every dish I make will be great tasting and appeal to as many of the people 
buying the feast as I can.  If I can slip in period recipes, I will, 
however, I will not sacrifice "appealing to as many people buying the feast 
as I can" just to do a documented recipe.  If I have done a fabulous well 
documented feast, but most people only ate half of the dishes prepared, I 
think I would have failed and let down my barony.  However, if I have a 
small private feast, I can better tailor my guestlist and the menu for 
those who truely appreciate the finer distinctions of period food and I 
would go all out.

This doesn't mean that I would plan a "Luby's" feast (ham and pineapple, 
green bean cassarole, cornbread, pinto beans....your general "Lou-Ann 
Platter").  But, I would try to stick to "less modern" preperations and the 
more familiar and easily accessible of period recipes.

Gio...who really needs to cook more.

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