SC - Period cookshop at Pennsic?

[Michael F. Gunter]

"E. Rain" wrote:

> Heck if they went the whole 9 yards & had a period kitchen too  me & my
> flesh hook would be right up front helping plan, cook, etc!

Although I think a period kitchen would be an interesting project for a small
group, feeding around 1,000 or so people a day would be just a bit too
labor intensive for this project. At least not without a very large staff.

> I would rather see it run as a medieval inn, cooking the
> whole week from one period/corpus.

I like this idea but we have to remember that this isn't an A&S entry but
a business. If we could find a single corpus that had recipes to satisfy the
various tastes of possible consumers, I would be all for it. But I would
guess there would have to be some trial and error dishes to find out
what the general public would best appreciate and it would most likely
encompass several areas/times.

> would it really be that much harder to do a medieval kitchen vs. a modern
> one with a whole year in advance to plan?

In my expirience. Yes.

> If you didn't want to build them
> onsite, you could make your brick oven(s) at home & transport them carefully
> to site along with your other gear.

Sorry, I ain't transporting a brick oven from Texas.

> you could round up some folks to loan
> their firedogs & spits & pots etc, and plan your menu around the available
> equipment. Offer to feed a few strapping lads in return for dishwashing
> service, and voila!

I still feel that you don't truly understand the scope of the project. Food
stands
have nearly continuous business at Pennsic from the early a.m. to sometimes
past midnight.

> you'd have to choose whether to have disguised coolers
> or cook foods that don't require them of course.  I could go either way:
> pickled chicken (lords salt) is great for making henne in egyrdounce and
> Cured hams can be de salted on site & used around day 3 etc...

It is worth discussing and those items could definately be used. But I
would certainly go with the modern conviences. As well as a full-time paid
staff. There could be volunteers of course but this project would most likely
entail a core group of people dedicated to the tavern and not much else for the

war. This would be a job, not a vacation.

> this would be a lot of fun to plan!

I agree. And I believe that His Grace's idea was slanted at least for the
time being as an exercise in what dishes to prepare, the needed equipment,
logistics, etc....and not an actual project.

> Eden

Yers,

Gunthar