SC - Cooking for special requests

[Margo Hablutzel]

Aelfwyn asked:

	Sorry, no suggestions to your question, but I did find it
interesting that the
	post in my box just prior to yours was from the reservations person
for
	Northern Lights saying she has 2 folks asking if the feast will be
Kosher. 
	An earlier person had asked what items will contain any member of
the lily
	family which she went on to list as onions, leeks, chives, etc. And
asked if
	the same cutting board would be used to slice other items that had
been used
	to cut the onions, etc., as that could be enough to cause her a
problem.
	My thoughts about 10 days prior to cooking this 4 course feast for
100+ are
	around how far we should be expected to go in accommodating special
requests.


When I cook, I set a deadline beyond which special requests will not be
honoured.  And I do tell people that (1) their request may not be honoured,
(2) ingredients will be posted in case they have questions, and (3) there is
off-board seating in the hall if they want to watch the meal but not
partake.  The third lessens ill feelings from persons who cannot eat but
don't want to feel shut out of 2-3 hours of entertainment and visiting.

As to the others, if it is simply too difficult to handle, I tell the people
that we cannot accommodate under the circumstances, and ask if they prefer
to bring their food and eat off-board.  At one event many years ago, I was
not the cook but was assisting, and she told me that they received a LOT of
flak from a group that sent in reservations with about a quarter-page each
on allergies and food restrictions.  The cheques were returned with a
pleasant note that their needs were too extensive to be met, and if they did
not feel they could eat enough by avoiding ingredients as shown on the menu
(which I believe was published in the ads, not just available onsite) they
were welcome to eat off-board.  Apparently the group felt their needs should
be met, although the book said there were only two dishes that would not
have to be totally redesigned for them.

You might want to find out how kosher the people feel they need to be.  Yes,
to ensure that forbidden foods do not mix, many Orthodox and Hassidic Jews
have different sets of dishes and cooking utensils: One for meat, one for
milk, one that is neutral AND MUST BE KEPT SO.  And more sets for Passover,
so there is no chance of chametz being introduced.  As Franz and Fiondel
pointed out, the Jews attending Calontir Coronation are reform for the most
part, so just want to avoid foods that are not kosher-for-passover.  Truly
observant Jews would not attend an event on a Saturday.

Franz and Fiondel have the advantage that at least some of the Jewish
persons attending have offered to help advise them on the proper foods,
cooking, etc.  I have skipped events in places where they were openly
hostile to my concerns (in one case deliberately setting my class session at
a time I told them I could not be present due to my evening observance and
the driving time between home and site.  They coped without me).

The issue of the person who asked about lillies might be a food allergy, and
those can be pretty severe.  I would take that one quite seriously.  I know
of people who have had horrible anaphylactic reactions because a knife was
used to cut something, wiped off, and cut something else; they were allergic
to the first, ate the second, and enough residue was transferred to trigger
an episode.  So don't blow that one off, and if you cannot guarantee the
food's safety for this person, tell her.

I agree with Sindara: cook for the majority, provide for the vegetarians,
list ingredients, and be reasonable.  Don't make a whole course with some
key ingredient that is a recognized trigger point for people, I have seen
this done (never done it myself) and you have a lot of unhappy and hungry
people!  And if someone asks about cutting board usage and other picky
questions, realize that instead of a preference this may be a true allergy
and could have medical consequences if you do not answer honestly and
seriously.  I think that someone would prefer being told, "I don't know who
will cut what, although we do try to wash off the cutting boards in between
things, I cannot guarantee anything" and offered the chance to eat
off-board, than to spend the meal worrying about how the food was prepared
and where is the nearest emergency room.


								---= Morgan


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	                      Morgan Cain * Steppes, Ansteorra


	                     May God have mercy on my enemies
	                     For they shall certainly need it.

	      For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.

                I intend to live forever -- so far, so good!

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