Fwd: Re: SC - Planning a German Feast

[Huette von Ahrens]

My comments:
 
The first thing that struck me about your menu was
all the pickled items you were planning to serve.  The
pickled mushrooms and vegies in the first course,
the sauerkraut in the second course, the sauerbraten 
in the third course.  This strikes me as being a bit
too much in the sour category.  You might want to
balance your tastes out a bit.  My suggestion would be
to keep your your first pickled items, change the
bratwurst and sauerkraut to the third course and make
something else for the second course.  One suggestion
would be Rouladen, which while I haven't documented it
as a period German dish, I have documented it as an
English dish within period, called Olives of Beef, or
Olaves of Beef. There are several recipes available. 
And the English version matches what my Prussian
Grandmother made ingredient for ingredient, technique
for technique.  They are a bit labor intensive, but
they freeze very well and taste just a good whether
eaten fresh or reheated.  I have made rouladen for
several banquets, the largest being for 300 people.  I
made them gradually and froze them in batches.

As for your dessert course, don't make strudel.  It
is not period even remotely.  While apple pie is
period, it isn't particularly German.  I also have a
problem with the concept of a dessert course in that I
have yet to see a period menu that contained a true
dessert course.  But if there is one, I hope that
someone will tell me where to find it.  From what I
have researched, the concept of a dessert is not
really
period.  While they did have sweet dishes, they were
always part of the regular course and not segregated. 
The closest to a "dessert" that I can think of is
the spectacle dish or the subletie, but these usually
were served between the courses.
 
Another idea, not particularly period, would be to
serve vegetarian sausages to those who are
vegetarians. They are made the same way that "garden
burgers" are, and are pretty tasty.  This way, the
vegetarians can have a similar item to what you are
serving.
 
I hope that you find my comments helpful.  I wish
that I lived much closer so that I could attend your
feast.
 
Huette

> --- Diana L Skaggs <upsxdls_osu at ionet.net> wrote:
> > All, I'm formulating a German Feast for next
> > September.  I want to be able
> > to "bid" it by April 1, 2001. Since this will be
> my
> > first SCA feast, I'd
> > like to keep it as period as possible. I will need
> > to be able to estimate
> > cost per person, and I've been told we plan for 96
> > reservations with
> > additional meals for royalty, servers and
> musicians
> > for a total of 116 to
> > 132 meals altogether. Tables are based on 8 per
> > table. I have already
> > enlisted the help of an experienced co-cook, and
> > have a head server. My
> > menu thoughts so far are:
> > 
> > 1. Have pickled vegetables, bread and soft cheese
> > with herbs on the table.
> > 	I have period recipes from the list for pickled
> > mushrooms, and my own
> > pickling recipes for other vegetables.  I would
> like
> > documented pickling
> > recipes to try, I haven't checked Stefen's file -
> > yet. I'll make or
> > delegate the bread, but I'd like at least a white,
> a
> > wheat, and a rye. I'll
> > mix cream cheese with a little cream and minced
> > fresh herbs, either singly
> > or blended. I'd like to plan 1/2 lb. of two types
> of
> > cheese spread for each
> > table. Breads to be refreshed throughout the meal.
> > 
> > 2.  I'd like to do Ruzzige Cakes for the first
> > served course. I'm planning
> > to use the crepe recipe from "Joy" as the base,
> > filling with "A Good
> > Filling" then placing them in baking pans and
> baking
> > to heat through just
> > before serving. Sorry, no soot. Would this be ok
> for
> > ovo-lacto vegetarians?
> > Any suggestions as to something to serve with
> this?
> > Should one per person
> > be enough?
> > 
> > 3.  Second serving: Bratwurst & Kraut with baked
> > buttered carrots.  I want
> > to make a couple of the mustards I've seen on the
> > list, one fairly spicy,
> > the other more tame.  Perhaps make one 6 to 8
> weeks
> > ahead, the other 2 or
> > 3? For my vegetarians, I'll bake a pan of
> sauerkraut
> > with onions and spices
> > separately from the bratwurst. I'll probably use a
> > commercial bratwurst,
> > due to time restrictions. Looking at 2 brats, 1
> cup
> > kraut and 1/2 cup
> > carrots per serving.
> > 
> > 4.  Third serving: Vision of Sauerbrauten with
> sauce
> > and buttered noodles,
> > need to research a bit, and would change to roast
> > beef with some period
> > sauce.  Also need a veggie to go with.  3 oz
> cooked
> > meat, 1/2 cup sauce and
> > 1/2 cup vegetable. 1 cup cooked noodles per
> serving.
> > 
> > 5. Dessert:  Apple pie or apple strudel with cream
> > or whipped cream
> > topping. 1/8th of a 9 inch pie.
> > 
> > OK - additions, suggestions, etc.?  Thank you in
> > advance for your help.
> > Leanna


=====
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they 
shall never cease to be amused.

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