SC - re: Tasting Dinners

[Michael F. Gunter]

> I felt that Lord Stefan was refering more to those times when the
> Crown and dignataries were served a special meal and no one else was
> invited, not to feasts where we all ate together, and they got special
> presentations at the head table.

That could be. I remember attending an event where there was a "Special
Feast" prepared for Peers and Royalty (there weren't a lot of Peers and
Royalty around at the time) consisting of several courses of very nice 
food. Meanwhile all of us peasants got a pot of stew and bread. It was
all very period and such but it did build resentment. The next day the
leftovers of the feast were served for us peasants. In defense of this
I do admit that it was so long ago that I can't even remember if there
was a feast fee. Still, the bad taste it left in my memory continues
to this day.

Usually at our feasts we may have one or two dishes reserved for Head
Table (rarely) or someone may bring in a special presentation but usually
the muckety-mucks get the same thing as the rest of the populace, only
prettier. Another incident along similar lines was a rather memorable
12th Night feast in which the populace's food was barely edible and
what was edible was so tiny as to be insulting. The Head Table feasted
on basically the same foods but cooked with proper care, served hot
and often with better ingredients. This was much touted as a "period
feast". Yet another nail in the coffin.

> I have seen several of these
> "luncheons" and not known who funded them, or if they were something
> privately donated by the presenter, much as Gunther's tasting table
> for Master Robin's vigil.  

This was actually paid in part by Master Robin and by Lady Alys and
myself.

As for "luncheons", I believe in the East many events host dayboards
that are part of the event budget.

> The issue is those special dinners where you have to have some "pull"
> to eat, and where public money is spent on rather private
> entertainment. (Am I getting this right, Stefan?)  These to me are not
> appropriate.

I don't really see a problem with one or two "special" dishes presented
to High Table as being part of the feast budget. But seperate meals 
should have seperate fees.

> Tyrca

Yers,

Gunthar
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