SC - Feline Suprise {Tasteless Idea?}

[Philippa Alderton]

I have encountered this myth that real period food is yucky.  I have made
it my mission at camping events and potlucks etc. to try and dispel this
myth by making good tasting period food, cooked in mostly period manner,
and in context (meaning pomegranite chicken with other dishes of that time
and place).

I just finished doing an elizabethan feast for a Barony south od Seattle.
This was in conjunction with an effort to encourage research and
construction of clothing for the period and for the socio-economic
situation we had planned.  Since we were planning this event 6 months out,
we picked the mid to late elizabethan period and also what we would
classify today as middle class, not court and not peasant.  This was an
event that was based around encourageing the performing arts.  While it was
not required to "be" elizabethan or for that matter "middle class"  we did
encourage it.  This was chosen because the sources (primary and other wise)
are reasonably accessible.

So we had classes and workshops all sumer to complete smocks, corsets,
shoes, belts, bodices or doublets and skirts or pants.  We held some
classes on dessert making and played with sugar plate.  We made many little
marzipan and sugar plate things.  I dis covered that event in a humid
climate, a food dehydrator which has separate air and temp controls works
great.

So Any way - here is the menu.  This was for a Barony which usually does
putluck feasts.  Thanks to Anne Marie who allowed me to pick her cold
wracked brain at teh last minute for a few more dishes.  ( I don't have the
sources at the ready)

First
Pottage of Peas
Pickled Mushrooms
Savory Mince pies (no fruit in these)
Spinach tarts

A soletie of Marzipan bees with gelatain wings hovering around a bee skive
with honeycomb shaped Shrewsbury cakes with more bees

Second
A Grand Sallat that was really pretty with some carved lemons with rosemary
flaggs and lots of stuff
Roast goose with a fuit and quince stuffing that was supposed to be made
into a sauce (the kitchen staff was running out of time and the diners out
of tummy space so we didn't do the sauce)
The other sauce was a green sauce
Buttered Onions (really buttered apple slices with some onions)
Leeks in Almond milk ('cos the autocrat asked me to make them)

Banqueting table (the source for this course was "Banquetting Stuffe")
marzipan & sugar paste things including some plates
candied peels, fruits, and roots (orange and lemon peel, ginger, dates and figs)
Marzipan coins (made with a hand carved wooden coin die)
Knots and Gumballs
Plum Cream      (from Eleanor Fettiplace, and some other sources, they
called for Quinces, but the week before the event we were gifted with about
a bushel of italian plums)

We had a feast handout with information dispelling some standard food
myths, and talked about what food and feasts of this period and location
were like.

There were few leftovers, we came in under budget $6/pp, $10 if you dawdled
in making reservations. It was well received and accomplished our goals.





Maeve d'Maas
Barony of Madrone, Kingdom of An Tir
Seattle Washington

Kingdom Newsletter Editor
(Don't ask me to do anything between the 28th and the 5th of the Month!
That's when the silly thing gets put together)


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