Food Restrictions and Feasts

[Mark Schuldenfrei]

  	How do you handle getting people with dietary restrictions to notify
  	you *before* you start buying food?

I would let grown-ups be grown-ups.  If they fail, they fail.

My wife (the frequent cook for events) usually prepares a feast that is
quite edible for vegetarians, anyway.  We have quite a few of them here.
Many of them come prepared to supplement the meals, anyway.

I guess the real question is, what is the role of the cook at an event. In
some places, it is to feed everyone, no matter what, no questions asked.
Around here it appears to be to provide an authentic medieval dining
experience that will satisfy the senses and nutritional needs of the guest.

Just as we wouldn't expect all present to be able to partake in authentic
dance, we cannot expect everyone to partake of an authentic feast:
especially if they don't call ahead.

On the other hand, anything and everything feasible should be done for those
that plan ahead.  My wife once made kosher versions of a feast for a table
of observant Jews, except for the chicken: she asked them to purchase a
kosher chicken, and furnished recipes to them so it could be cooked in
advance: and included their costs in the feast budget, in fairness to them.

	Tibor	(Whose dietary restrictions are legion, so I no longer eat
		feasts)