SC - Re: [Trimaris] Highnesses, Lownesses, and Period Cooking. (fwd)

[Linda Peterson]

    What can you do, other than to post ingredient listings? If someone
approaches you, states a concern, you do what you can to accommodate them as
a matter of courtesy. But given the proliferation of allergies, if you
eliminate the 10 most common food allergens from feasts entirely, you'll be
very restricted as to what you can serve, which will as a result be pretty
bland. And even then, there's going to be someone else who's got another
problem completely. If there is a request for a non-alcoholic dish to be set
aside, the feastcrat should make an attempt to comply, but if circumstances
are such that it's not possible, that's life in the feast hall.
    I've got a friend who cooks in a hospital, and she's told me horror
stories of off the wall dietary requirements, like the Santeria priest (?)
who tried to con them into cooking his food with Ganja. Threatened to take
'em to court and everything. Got nowhere, of course. (personally, I'd have
chopped up a hemp doormat and sautéed it for him, then added the cost of a
'Z' to his bill, and watched the insurance company go up in a ball of flame)
    I hate to take the 'Caveat Gustor' point of view, but we can only do so
much. It's up to the allergic person to monitor their diet, much as a
diabetic must. But for them to do so, they have to know what's in the
dishes, and that's our job to disclose it. Basic hygienic practices have to
be observed to prevent cross contamination, but that's about all we can do,
realistically.

    Sieggy