SC - With a Curtsey to Their Majesties: An Introduction

[Seton1355@aol.com]

Jadwiga asked: 
> Ladies and gents, I've got a question for you all...  In a moment of
> madness, I offered to do a dayboard for an embroidery event. The Person in
> Charge recently gave me the stipulation that the food has to be
> 'non-messy' to eat, so that the embroiderers don't have to worry about
> washing their hands.
> 
> *sigh* I'm flummoxed. Everything I can think of (other than apples,
> pears, dry bread, prince's bisket, candies, gingerbread, and MAYBE hard
> cheese) sounds to me as if you might want to wash your hands before
> touching cloth unless you used a spoon or fork to eat with.  

I'm not sure you can do it without some arrangement for helping the
feasters clean their hands. Embroidery and textile arts are subject
to being easily stained, even with "neat" foods. Even the ones you
suggest are subject to problems. Apple and pear juice probably stain
cloth and things like beef jerky often have salt or other seasoning
which could then be a problem.

I think the best solution would be to keep to the neater foods, but
provide boxes of the moist towelettes and paper towels. I would expect
folks would take a break, get something to eat and then go back to
their arts, anyway. Not eat while trying to do embroidery. Thus they
could simply wipe and dry their hands before they go back to the
textiles.

Even soup or stew should work this way, provided they are not served
or eaten near the textiles. If someone chooses to eat stew while
sitting next to their artwork, then they need to take some responsiblity
for themselves. If you've provided the facilities to clean up after
eating that should be sufficent. Since this appears to be an indoor
event, things are eased further in that you do have the usual restroom
facilities available for those who consider the moist towelettes
insufficent.

- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****