SC - Price of Feasts (was butter)

[Stephanie E Rudin]

At 00:34 19/11/1998 -0500, Ras wrote:

>> For instance, whole pork but is less expensive than pork loin. Whole chickens
>> less than deboned, skinned chicken breast. Oftentimes fresh vegetables in
>> season are less pricey than frozen vegetables, as well as tastier. An olive
>> opil blend is just as suitable as extra virgin olive oil for many purposes.

With the exception of peas (which are more expensive in their pods plus a
lot of work to shell) I find it hard to imagine that anyone would even
contemplate buying frozen vegetables - are you serious??

For a big feast (the only sort I seem to do these days), dry good are
purchased in advance from Campbells (with the Barony's discount card). For
fresh food I get up at 6am the day before the feast, collect my partner in
crime (Gabrielle and I do a lot of feast together) and drive out to the
wholesale markets, where we hire a cart and spend the next 2 hours
bargaining for vegetables by the box, herbs, cheese, olive oil, etc amid the
professional providors. Then we have breakfast, drive home and cook. Meat is
ordered in advance from a wholesale outlet and collected, birds (chicken,
quail etc) come from a game wholesaler, or the supermarket on special (often
cheaper).  Bread is ordered in advance from a bakery and collected on the
day, fish comes from the harbourside fish markets on the morning of the
feast (another 6am start).

Mistress Gabrielle is a professional chef, a great cook and likes to run the
kitchen. She's not that keen on period food (does not like meat and fruit
together, for example!) but I am gradually winning her around by sourcing
the recipies, doing the redactions and taking her shopping (so she doesn't
buy a box of red capsicum because they are great char-grilled and real cheap
today!). We are putting on an Italian Renaissance feast in 2 weeks - I'll
post the menu when I get a chance..

Rowan
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