SC - Re: SC: After Feast

[grasse at mscd.edu]

I can no longer keep my zwei pfennig to myself.

When I volunteer to coordinate and cook a feast (I hate the feastocRAT 
phrase) I make it clear with the Autocrat that I consider my "title" of 
"Koch" to mean that I:
1) Will be working on the menu and budget (either on my own, or in 
cooperation with the Autocrat
2) I will be responsible for my own shopping
3) I will responsible for checking out the kitchen before I finalize my 
menu and time table (If I only have 1 oven I will not plan to roast 
chickens, and bake bread and pies all at the site.)
4) I will be responsible for providing recipes, lists of ingredients (for 
possible allergens),  time tables for food prep.
5) I will be responsible for making sure I have all the equipment I need to 
prepare, cook, and serve my feast.
6) I will be responsible for recruiting my kitchen (fest preparation) crew.
7) I and my crew will be responsible for preparing/cooking and plating 
(arranging on serving platters) a tasty, satisfying, feast.

I am not coordinating servers, though I will meet with their coordinator, 
or directly with them to answer any questions I might have about what we 
are serving and any special needs or arrangements they need to know about.

I try to arrange for a dishwasher during the prep and cooking of the feast, 
since clean as you go is my preference. (though I will coordinate this with 
whoever is coordinating clean-up crew)

After the last course is served I have probably been on my feet for 12-14 
hours almost constantly, plus I have spent many more hours on the previous 
day or 3 walking/driving around shopping for my ingredients, and doing 
prep/pre cooking.  At this point I am fried.  I physically need to sit and 
rest, though I will sit in or near the kitchen and answer questions (That 
is a Baronial platter; that belongs to the site; No, the towel is from my 
personal stock...)  

I also know there are folk who for some reason or other can not 
(physically) do clean up, so I try to engage them to entertain the crews, 
or to provide back or foot rubs (those are much appreciated after a few 
hours in a kitchen. I also bring goodies (chocolates, mead, bath salts (for 
after)) for the kitchen and clean up crews.  And there are munchies and 
music all through the day and clean up.

We have also offered discount or free feast for clean up crew, but have had 
to make it a ...fee will be refunded at the end of the evening... because 
of incidents where people took advantage of the discount, but were nowhere 
to be found when clean up time came...

I am told I am a good cook, and I know how to organize the food part of a 
feast, but I am not an Autocrat, I am not an organizer.  I will gladly 
spend hours redacting, planing, shopping, slicing, dicing,  stirring, 
kneading, straining, smoking, baking, boiling, garnishing... the list is 
almost endless... but I know my skill is in the preparation.  When I am not 
Koch I will work in anothers' kitchen doing any of the above or washing 
dishes, cleaning up, but If I have been working in the kitchen since the 
site opened I feel it not unreasonable to have someone who has not been on 
their feet since opening do clean-up (ideally someone who slept in, watched 
the game, and arrived in time for court and feast, or someone who sat and 
watched the tourney, in other words someone who is not totally exhausted 
from working to provide the feast that was just enjoyed.

I enjoy working in a kitchen (my own or others), though I don't always 
offer to help (not wanting to interfere, assuming it is all under control, 
assuming my none too small body would be in the way...) I am almost always 
willing to help out if asked.

Sorry this is getting long, I will post a good experience in a separate 
post.  

Gwen-Cat  (hopping off her soap box.)  
Caerthe

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