SC - Lenten feasts (Selene's fish feast)

[Laura C. Minnick]

On Sat, 23 Sep 2000, Karen O wrote:

> 
> > Susan Fox-Davis wrote:
>  > Hmmm.  Just how often do you find SCA people [Catholic or otherwise] who
> acknowlege  period Lenten customs in their SCA menu planning? <<
> 
>     Lainie replied:
> > I know of no-one who has presented a banquet of Lenten fare during Lent.
> Mostly they ignore the issue, with the excuse that most Americans seem to
> have a thing about eating fish. But considering how important Lent and
> Lenten customs were to the lives of Medieval Europeans, I am always
> surprised at what short shrift we give them... <
> 
>     Gotta find the docs,  (re working my file cabinets has them lost!!)  but
> "Feasts" as joyous occasions didn't happen during Lent,  or they happened on
> Sunday  when the penitents were allowed to celebrate.  (that's my
> understaning)   So,  we aren't neccessarily disrespecting Lenten customs for
> our Feasting,  they just happen on "Sunday"  ;*)

I need to clarify myself again. *SIGH*

There were saints' days that fell during Lent. What they did on them, I
don't know at the moment (and the books are In The Basement). The feasting
or not feasting was not my point. The fact that by and large our choices
of foodstuffs for a Lenten meal are grossly inappropriate *was* my point.
And Sunday or no, flesh or dairy products were RIGHT OUT. I once sat at a
feast in early March and was served pork roast, not to mention the
quiche-oid pies. Nobody mentioned that we still had two weeks left of
Lent, and I must presume that no one (but the two practicing Catholics)
cared. I think this is sad, because Lent and Lenten fare had a great
impact on Western European lives- heck, they whined and complained IN
WRITING about the fish (especially the herring). Frankly, _not_ observing
Lenten diet restrictions at a feast during Lent is really not period, and
is about as useful to our purpose of re-creating the Middle Ages as would
be serving chili and beans with Pepsi and chocolate pudding for dessert.

Ok, I'm tired and cranky and the gas gauge quit on Friday- we found the
out the hard way, naturally miles from civilization. So maybe I'm just a
mean ol' Lainie. But here's an idea:

Hold an event during Lent. Do some poking around and find out some small
village customs for blowing off steam (one account I've read talks of all
the boys in the town tying strings to red herrings and dragging them
through the streets, heaping abuse on them and generally making a scene).
Serve a dinner of Lenten fare (we have LOTS of recipes for Lenten foods)
and ADVERTISE IT AS SUCH. Runs teasers of recipes you know people will
like, it you much. But let them know there will be fish, and lots of it.
And then do it WELL. (I have heard many tales of bad feasts, and the
proportion of them that center around badly done fish is alarming.)

For just one day, to observe a tradition that lasted weeks, and to learn
about it in the doing- how hard and awful could that be? If it were
presented right, I'd buy a ticket, and I'm really burnt out and don't want
to do much of anything right now.
 
Off to unpack the cooler and go crash,

'Lainie
thanking the gods that my dearest is not the Tanist tonight...