Special Needs and Allergies at Feasts (was: Re: SC - Good Broth)

[Bernadette Crumb]

LrdRas at aol.com wrote:

> The best way would be to simply follow and use period recipes that fit the
> criteria. At the Weekend of Wisdom, I had only one person contact me in
> advance concerning an allergy to almonds. Since only one dish contained
> almonds, I did nothing to change the menu or recipes. At the fast sight,
> there were several people who came to me with this 'food problem' or that
> 'food problem.' Again I listened to what they were saying and pointed out the
> ingredients list posted outside the kitchen and at the troll. I did not
> change the menu or the recipes and the feasters were able to go away with the
> satisfaction of knowing that the feast was an event happening and NOT a
> restaurant offering. 

My lord, I certainly wish you had been feastocratting the
Candlemas event that pushed me out of SCA activity for years.  

I have a serious allergy to mushrooms.  Emergency room serious. I
had notified the feastocrat not only once, but three different
times in advance of the event: when they announced the event,
when they told us they were devising the menu, and once more a
week before the event.  Feast tickets were $10 per person, my
husband and I had arranged for babysitting since the shire had
let it be known that small children really wouldn't be welcome
(which is another major pet peeve of mine but I won't go there)
so we had quite a bit of money invested into coming to the feast.

We get there and I politely reminded the feastocrat that she'd
told me that she would make sure there would be ample dishes that
were not fungi infected so that I could make as good a meal as
those others without the allergy I suffer.  I was curtly informed
that the King who loved mushrooms was in attendance and that all
the removes had mushrooms as in integral part of themto honor him
and that I could "pick the mushrooms out."  

Needless to say, I was outraged. Firstly, because I'd been
PROMISED that my allergy would be taken into account. Secondly,
"picking them out" was not an option as I DO react to any food
that has been cooked with the mushrooms (yes, it's that
sensitive). And thirdly, the "lady's" rudeness in dealing with my
concerns.  I sat at the feast table able to eat only bread and
drink some juice while everyone else was stuffing themselves with
seven removes.  I was desperately looking forward to the final,
dessert, remove as I'd not eaten anything for lunch that day due
to outside influences--only to find out that they'd
underestimated the amount they needed and by the time the servers
go to my end of the hall, there was NONE left.

I was so upset that I almost went up to the king to demand
justice for the outrage but my husband who doesn't like scenes
(and who had been able to eat everything served) talked me out of
it.  I was so upset I was crying and the autocrat essentially
told me to "deal with it" and refused to give me a refund for my
feast ticket.  Most expensive piece of bread and cup of grape
juice I ever ate...  I never went to another event there during
the remaining years I lived in Colorado. I wondered what had
happened to the courtesy and kindness and thoughtfulness I'd
experienced in the Midrealm, the East and in Drachenwald.

My intent is to become active again, now that many years have
passed and I'm living in Pennsylvania.  The people I've met here
in my few visits to shire meetings have been wonderful and are
reflective of the SCA I loved before my bad experience in
Colorado. I'm just sorry I let one "bad" feastocrat push me away
from all the wonderful people that are out there, like the cooks
on this list.  Thank you all for restoring my faith!

Bernadette
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