SC - serving whole chickens at feast

[Lorix]

Bonne of Traquair wrote:

> 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.

I am not commenting on the periodness of whether the bird was served hole, but
more on the practicability of same.  I have served whole birds & portions of
chickens & been at other feasts where whole chickens were served as opposed to
pieces.  It has been _my_ experience that often, because the diners have to work
at cutting up a whole chicken rather than picking up a couple of pieces of
sliced meat or pieces, they simply don't cut up the chicken & much leftovers are
returned to the kitchen.  Some tables haven't even touched the whole chook.

Whereas, if stuff is in piece that are easy to pick up or serve, it is more
likely to be gobbled.  This appears to be the case with other foodstuffs:  ie
the easier it is to pick it up or serve or eat (provided it tastes OK ;-) the
more likely it will be completely eaten.

YIS
Lorix