SC - Re: New World Food Rant / Counter Rant
LrdRas at aol.com
LrdRas at aol.com
Wed Feb 9 22:11:43 PST 2000
In a message dated 2/9/00 9:24:40 PM Eastern Standard Time,
ringofkings at mindspring.com writes:
<< However, a lot of expensive and unfamiliar 100% pre-New
World period food gets scraped into the garbage can. >>
Not at my feasts, THL Thorstein's, Master Huen's, Master Adamantius', or any
of a dozen other cooks I can think of. I have served rabbit (2 per table),
venison a whole animal, bear (35 lb.), eel, lamb, beef, etc., in feasts
consisting of at least a dozen and up to 21 dishes and always come in under
budget over the last 16 years with little or none scraped into the garbage.
In my personal experience the arguments along those lines are entirely
invalid for this area. I suppose I am lucky in having lived in 2 kingdoms
that encourage and expect period food prepared in a period manner to be
served at feasts. Relegating the feast to merely 'filling the bellies' of
hungry fighters certainly is never a criteria for menu planning but, rather,
it is encouraged that the feast become an integral part of the recreation
experience. Most, if not all of the fighters in several shires here would be
offended and very disappointed if the cooks did not make as much of an effort
to practice their craft within the guidelines of the SCA as any other
craftsman.
The only exception I have ever made to 'period' ingredients/'period' recipes
only was the time I served emu which was served in a period manner, using
period seasonings and served as 'A Roc Which Feedeth Her Young With
Elephants. That particular feast was sold out weeks in advance as have all
the others which contained so called exotic foods. At that same feast I
served whole rabbits at 2 per table and my co served eel pies. I came in 175
dollars under budget. The feast was restricted to 104 onboard. The only
complaints I had were that the roc should have been served sooner and there
was too much food.
Obviously, this is not the way of things in certain isolated groups. Mores
the pity. :-(
Ras
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