SC - Guilty conscience - Queen's dinner party

[Michael F. Gunter]

> I can understand your feelings. A couple weeks ago I was helping in our Shire's
> tavern at Steppes Warlord. I mentioned that I felt rather strange because I've
> gotten so into period cooking and preaching it everywhere I go and now I'm
> cooking shish-kabobs, sausage on a stick, bbq chuck sandwiches and breakfast
> burritos. But these are dishes the tavern has sold for the last 10 years and
> it was the last year for the tavern. Making a tavern of period foods would
> be interesting but we just didn't have time.
> ----------
> 
> We had a recent discussion here that seemed to point to a fair amount of
> evidence that shish-kabobs were period, if not a fancy feast meal. I will
> be making a file with these sometime. Now, perhaps some of your ingredients
> would not be period but the idea seems to be.
> 
> And I would expect the sausage on a stick to have period equivalents, although
> again, not a fancy feast item.

I'm quite sure there are many period recipes for skewered meat, but using marinated
sirloin, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and pineapple could be considered
"perioid" at best. 

The sausages could be construed as such.

But this tavern was active long before I came along. The people at Warlord rely on
the tavern and we weren't going to mess with success, especially since this was 
the last year the shire would be running it. Perhaps someday in the future I may
think about doing a tavern with period foods but not in the near future.

> How difficult would it be to add Persian mint drink or some other period
> non-alcoholic drink instead of/with the tea and such? This still gives
> folks who want the old standbys while introducing some period items. It
> also could be done with a minimal extra effort and cost.

I tried to get them to do this or even serve tea but the rest of the group decided
that it would be too much work and instead sold sodas. Hey, it wasn't my tavern,
I was just the help.

> 
> Stefan li Rous
> stefan at texas.net
> 
> (who wishes he were in the select group getting to eat Gunthar's period
> meal.)

Well, if you are at "Rogues and Rapiers" come by that evening. I'm cooking for about
12 - 15 people. Basically I'm cooking for the Household and, since the Queen's a
pretty good sort we think she's good enough to eat with us.  :-{)}

Here's a basic rundown of the meal:

Since it will probably be rather warm during the day I chose items which can be eaten
either at room temp or easily heated. Also I tried for refreshing dishes and fairly
rich so people would be satisfied with smaller portions.

The meal will start out with roasted chicken stock with some thinly sliced green onion
and mushrooms in it. Also I'm going to use the stock to cooks some greens which will
be served later.

I'll then be serving French Biskit, roasted pork, lamb pate' on pitas, Ruzziage Bread,
the greens w/poudre douce, mushroom pastry, and peach custard.

All of the dishes, except the broth and greens, have been posted to the list and are
period so far as I can tell. I'm going to have to double check on the pate' and I don't
know of a source for the chicken broth.

I did a pre-test last night and loved everything. Tommorrow is going to be the real
stress test. I'm bringing it in to work and let my co-workers try it out. I work with
engineers so they can be a rather picky group.

You're welcome to come by for some. I always cook too much.

Yers,

Gunthar
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