SC - Side dish suggestions needed

[LrdRas at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/2/98 7:55:29 AM Eastern Standard Time,
Deanna.Knott at GSC.GTE.Com writes:

<< 
 I was reading Le Menagier from Cariadoc's web site.  In it is discussed
 several dinners.  Now my question is this, are these typical big celebration
 feasts?  While I want to do and all out feast,  it seems that variety of
 meats AND fish in these are just a bit much.
 
 Thank you for your time,
 Avelina >>

Except for a couple of medical manuscripts, the recipe collections that have
survived from the Middle Ages are without exception those written for the
nobility or wealthy. The menus do show a lot of meat variety but remember that
not all dishes were meant to be eaten by everyone. Think of it in terms of
'that person got roast goose and this one got venison, I wonder what I'm going
to get'. SCA feasts generally provide the same dishes to all participants is
not period but is the only practical method of service in today's 'equal means
everyone gets the same' society. It avoids a lot of conflicts and provides
feasters with the a false sense iof equality. The only way around this is to
provide variety on a side board and allow feasters to pick and choose or to
provide above the salt/below the salt type feasts.

Vegetables are for the most part lacking in these meus not because they
weren't served so much as that vegetables were most likely prepared and served
simply (e.g. roasted or boiled). If you study the menus closely you will
notice that the dishes listed are the dishes that recipes are available for in
that manuscript. with a few exceptions. It is generally excepted that
vegetables were served though so adding vegetable side dishes is , IMO, a
desirable thing.

The standard side dishes served at today's re-creation feasts include Carrots
Apicius, Cabbage, Armored Turnips, Sallats, and the many variations thereof.
Other vegetables could be celeriac, fava/garbanzo beans, lentils, rutabaga,
radishes, parsnips, salsify, spinach, beetroot, beet greens, Swiss Chard,
dandelion, etc. Friut dishes such as stewd apples, pears, quinces,
strawberries are also appropriate. As are assorted grain dishes such as non-
maize based polents, gruels and frumenties.

Hope this helps.

Ras
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