Bad period Feasts (was SC - Re: Distress in Trimaris)

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Adamantius wrote:
>...and to top it
>all, the approximately 30 whole, unchined pork loins carefully butchered
>single-handedly by yours truly, the one dish that might have saved
>things had they not been incinerated on the outside by a cook who didn't
>know the difference between roasting and an auto-da-fe, were the subject
>of loud complaints because I insisted on cooking them to the point where
>they still had some juice in them. Yes, after taking the internal
>temperature of each one separately and pronouncing each one safe to eat
>but still juicy, I discovered we were being accused of serving raw pork.
>Seems it wasn't the dull grey plywood some people had been expecting.

Aaargh! From someone raised on grey meat but who has educated herself...

Not related to SCA feasting, but to people's expectations:

Back in the 1970's, i went to dinner with my grandmother (she was 
born about 110 years ago and has been dead for about 15 years or so) 
at a very nice restaurant in Chicago, The Pump Room. She ordered 
fish, something like turbot, in any case a white fleshed fish.

When it arrived at the table (a bit overcooked to my mind, but i like 
my fish flaky but moist), she sent it back because it wasn't *brown*.

I grew up eating beef that was nearly black outside and quite brown 
inside. Not the slightest pinkish tinge anywhere in the center. Had 
to be *thoroughly* cooked clear through.

When i eat out with my mother now, she often asks if i want to send 
my meat back because, although i don't like rare, i generally order 
medium with some pink, not well done. I learned that a little less 
cooking means more textural and flavor varieties with in a single 
piece, than when it has been cooked to death.

She thinks of sushi in horror and wouldn't consider eating it (she 
doesn't eat cooked fish, either. She says it tastes fishy, although 
if i cook it she'll usually eat it). Squid, octopus, eel, are things 
she wouldn't even taste just once. She won't eat pork, but thinks 
bacon, ham, Canadian bacon, or sausage made of pork meat are fine. Go 
figure.

Anytime i find something i don't like, the first thing i assume is 
that perhaps it isn't the item itself, but merely how it was 
prepared. That is how i discovered i do *not* like tripe. I have had 
tripe a la mode de Caen, Thai, Peruvian, Mexican, and Indonesian 
tripe, just in case i didn't like the way it was cooked. I think i 
can conclude that i just don't like tripe. But i am still willing to 
taste it in a new preparation.

I don't care for liver prepared in standard American ways. But i 
enjoy Indonesian liver (cooked in coconut milk with spices and chili) 
and German lebensauer (i'm sure i'm slaughtering the spelling - i had 
it in Germany in 1973 - it was in a liquid that was similar to 
sauerbrauten).

So, even if i think i don't like something, i'll give it a taste. 
It's fun, it's a challenge, and, goodness knows, i might *like* it! 
Heaven forefend.

I guess i'm writing this to avoid ranting about how non-period food 
has to be served at SCA feasts because *real* period foods upsets 
peoples stomachs and evolved palettes. Harumph.

Anahita th' eata