SC - was: Alcohol as ingredient--OT

[L Herr-Gelatt and J R Gelatt]

>
>This is the ultimate "secret" to successful feasts> Make sure that there is a
>variety of flavors, smells, tastes and textures. Do not use the same spices,
>etc. in every dish. Provide enough balance so there is enough for all no
>matter what their food preferences and/or food restrictions may be. 
>
>If you are careful in menu planning then it will be a rare person that cannot
>find some things that they can eat at a feast in enough abundance so that
>those with personal restrictions/dislikes will leave the feast table filled
>and satisfied.
>
>Ras

Egads, you've twigged onto my secret formula! Being the laziest cook on
earth, and a true sybarite to boot (it ain't easy to reconcile the two),
naturally I make the feast as widely appealing as possible. That way I
rarely have to specialty cook. In fact, last weekend was the first time in
about 8 years! Even then, I sent the "Special Diners" an electronic menu
ahead of time, and indicated which dishes I thought would NOT meet their
critetia. In each case they decided there was enough food there that met
their criteria that they would go onboard (one wanted reasonably kosher, the
other wanted no dairyfat, another low-fat. I only special-cooked two dishes,
the meat dishes. And, I cooked them "specially", all in the same way in the
same pan, meeting all their criteria at the same time in one dish. All the
other dishes were passed on or eaten as-is).

I have an unspoken rule----those who ask for menu deviations nicely are
accomodated IF IT"S EASY TO DO SO. Those who are rude or demanding are sent
packing. And, if it's a really huge event, I decline to cook special dishes
for individuals. In those cases, special catering requires a special
caterer. I'll be happy to point the special cook in the right direction and
supply the basic recipe, so long as the diner brings that cook with 'em. In
13 years of SCA cooking, no one has ever brought their own cook or
volunteered to cook their own dinner in the feast Kitchen, so it must work!


Aoife

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