SC - serving whole chickens at feast

[Laura C. Minnick]

Bonne of Traquair wrote:
> 
> the best prices are still for whole chickens when I buy fowl for
> >feasts, but sometimes it's more economical to get parts. I know that the
> >parts are generally more appreciated at the feast table, since people don't
> >have to hack their meat off the bird in the dark...But the whole birds LOOK
> >a lot more Medieval. It's a tradeoff.
> 
> Is it really more Medieval to send the bird or roast out to table whole?

Yes and no...

> I've read that
> A. People ate with spoons and/or fingers and also had small personal knives
> with which to cut their own food smaller

Spoons and fingers, yes. Small personal knives, yes and no. They are
mentioned in the manners books (instructions on keeping them clean,
etc.) but in the illuminations they are neither small nor personal. Take
your pick.

> and
> B. the squires and servants have great big knives and a duty to make the
> food ready for the table.

Also yes and no. The service staff have great big knives and are
supposed to use them. That is part of their job- particularly the
carver. HOWEVER...

In the earlier illuminations, you see pictures of whole birds on the
tables, but no one tearing or cutting at them. They appear intact. They
might have 'just' been served- I don't know. In the later illuminations,
you see specific scenes of whole birds on the tables, and the carver
(with the towel over his shoulder) kneeling before the table and carving
the bird right there ("They'll make the guacamole right at the table!"
*grin*). What we don't see is the other tables. They usually only show
us the high table. And the manners books really don't address the issue.

What I can say for sure, is that it is likely that birds, joints, etc.,
are carried to the high table, served whole, and carved at the table. We
have pictorial evidence, and there are instructions in the manners books
to teach young men to do this carving.

What we don't know is what went on in the rest of the hall. I would
guess that they haven't the personnel to carve at table for everyone.
Maybe the smaller pieces are served there.

What we did at Investiture was made the whole pieces (whole chicken, big
joint of meat, etc.) for the high table, and I cajoled, er, sweet-talked
one of our knights into serving as carver. The rest of the hall got the
other portions, pre-cut, etc.

> I've combined these bits into the idea that by the time the food is placed
> in front of the guests, it has already been divided into portions, if not
> bite-sized pieces.  Makes for more elegant, less messy eating and serving.
> Sending out a whole bird for the diners to have to WORK at getting their
> serving from seems not quite the thing.  Perhaps it would stay intact from
> kitchen to the sideboards where someone cut it before serving it.

Well, as I noted, if it was carved at table, it was not done by the
diner (that I know of). 
 
Does that help any?

'Lainie