SC - Help!!!!

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Christina Nevin wrote:
> 
> Saluti everyone!
> 
> Due to various catastrophes, I have just this week accepted position of Head
> Cook for Drachenwald Coronation on March 18. Yes, two months - eeeep!
> 
> The 'theme' of the weekend is to be medieval courtly love, especially the
> importance of one's own consort, not just those of the fighters in the royal
> list. So I have said I'll do it as though it were a feast at Queen Eleanor
> of Aquitane's court (i.e. latter half of the 1100s). Now comes the fun
> part...
> 
> I know very little about that period (Tudor England/Renaissance Italy is my
> thing), medieval courtly love (again, "The Courtier" is a tad late) and the
> type of feast this will entail - both in structure and typical dishes.
> 
> So if anyone has any relevant feast info or URLs they can send me online,
> and suggestions about feast structure and appropriate recipes or in-season
> foods, I will be most humbly grateful. Things which have worked well for you
> at past feasts especially.

You might check the Valais manuscript of The Viandier (roughly 1250 C.E.
in spite of being identified with Taillevent), which is what Pichon
worked from in his edition. Also the Anglo-Norman collections published
by Hieatt in Speculum in 1986. Also from the mid-13th century.

Appropriate dishes for the period (if we can believe Alexander Neckham)
might include

hens stewed in cumin sauce (usually almond-milk based)
fish or poultry in green sauce
joutes or worts (any of several greens stewed with ham, salt pork or
bacon, or 
	vegetarian versions might involve butter or almond milk)
any of several variants on the custard tart theme
fried rissoles filled with dried fruit, mixed fruit and possibly nuts
any of several rice dishes
possibly lamb or veal roast or boiled with a sauce
ditto rabbits or possibly in "gravy"
you _might_ get away with a salad of baby greens and herbs in March

There's lots more; right now I'm away from the part of my brain that
consists of printed material.

What I suggest is that people on the list suggest more dishes, then you
can tell us what you think you'd like, and we can compare recipes and
help work them out with you for 80-100 servings. You'll need somebody at
your end to cost them, unfortunately, since I have no idea what prices
in Drachenwald are like. That's all right, though: if you have a lot of
money left over and not enough food, add another dish. If too much food
and over budget, subtract one. If over budget and still not enough food,
we'll find something cheaper. If under budget and still too much food,
sit back and laugh.  
 
> Also any suggestions for subtilties, illusion foods or 'nice touches'. I
> know this is cheating a bit, but I really don't have the time to research
> like I usually do (i.e. no time to read the Capellanus book or others, but
> thanks for the suggestion <smile>), as I need to start working out costs,
> quantities and drumming up appropriate recipes for the (as yet non-existent)
> assistant cooks.
> 
> In terms of relevant cookbooks I have Take 1000 Eggs, Maggie Black's two,
> Pleyn Delit, To the King's Taste, The Medieval Kitchen and The Original
> Mediterranean Cuisine and online access. This should be French, rather than
> English medieval though???
> 
> Other problems include the fact the feast will be held somewhere in Wales -
> whereas I live in London and can't drive (one of my New Years resolutions -
> learn!). So kitchen facilities are currently unknown. Dishes which require
> large amounts of on-site preparation are therefore Not A Good Idea. Easily
> pre-prepped dishes would be ideal. The feast will be for 80. And just to
> liven things up even more - HRM Elffin is a meat kind of guy, and HRM
> Melusine is a vegetarian (of the non-fish/chicken but diary OK flavour).
> 
> So, any suggestions?

All right. I think you need to find out as soon as possible what the
kitchen facilities are, or failing that you'll need to assume there's
virtually nothing to be taken for granted, so plan for a sort of camp
kitchen. Knowing what's actually there would be preferable. Is there
anybody in the area of the site who can give you a detailed
description/drawings/photos of the kitchen? 

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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