SC - Period serving practices

[Laura C. Minnick]

Aldyth at aol.com wrote:
> 
> Is there a particular time or place where serving feasts all day long came to
> be?  It seems that for the past 6 months a couple of our groups in the
> Outlands are insisting on this "period" practice.  I am referring to the
> feast starting at noon, with a course every two hours or so, until 8-10 in
> the evening.  The feasts have not been well received, nor have they been
> particularly "good".

Generally when folks start saying that feasts in period were along these
lines, they are thinking of the accounts we have of Royal Coronation
feasts, and such other VERY FANCY feasts. Remember- they did not have
Royal Coronations as often as we do! Every thirty years or so might be a
nice round number. So we are talking about a serious, blow-out of a
feast!

A feast that is a little closer to what we are doing might be something
such as a feast to honor the local bishop as he is passing through on
pilgrimage or on his way to a conclave. Or the very nice family dinner
we put together when great Aunty is visiting, or the dinner party to
honor a new pastor at church or a banquet to honor the Senator when he
is in the area to look at the dam and fish ladders. They are fancy, and
they will be longer than an ordinary dinner- maybe three hours as
opposed to 40 minutes (15 if teenagers are involved). And there may be a
pause between courses. Speeches, singers etc happen. Little Jennifer
plays 'Fur Elise' for Aunty. Little Jason will recite his memory work
for Pastor. A high-school girl with a wobbly soprano sings a patriotic
song and the Senator pretends to be deeply moved. And we... serve a meal
somewhat longer than usual, with breaks between courses,
entertainment...

I must suggest though that two hours between courses is excessive and I
haven't seen any evidence for it.

The only difficulty I can see with the very long feast is the modern
attention span. I AM NOT GOING TO MAKE THE 'MODERN PALATE' SORT OF
ARGUMENT HERE! I think though that like a modern palate, we have trained
outselves to have MUCH shorter attention spans, and we must learn to
appreciate the more leisurely pace. Having enough entertainers helps.
Not letting time lag between courses...

Also, the arrangement of dishes is important. Start with bigger, more
filling dishes, when people are hungriest, and then go to smaller, more
delicate courses when people will take time over the more subtle flavors
and not just wolf it down.

Does any of this help?

'Lainie