SC - rare foods at feasts-rant

[Catherine Deville]

I said:
> << While this may not be a problem for many, for others (I started as a
poor
> student, so my perspective often comes from that place) >> >>

and Lord Ras replied:
> Hmmm// you must have been a poor student more than 18 years ago and you
> definitely did not come to any of my feasts if you weren't because I
always
> feed beggars who show up at the back door.

Actually, if you add up the dates that I've given since my introduction it
*was* more than 18 years ago and I don't recall being to any of your
feasts, but how is that relevant to the discussions.

Forgive me, mi'Lord, but I also note that you have taken my comments
*considerably*  out of context and lost the whole gist of the conversation.
I never said, nor did I ever intend to imply that one should not serve
period feasts.  I simply stated (in not so many words) that one should not
have the coarse attitude towards serving the populace that I felt were
implied by your statements.

Your original statement was that people should not expect to be fed.  My
rebuttal was simply that if they had *paid* to be fed, then of *course*
they should expect to be fed and that further more, if they had paid to be
fed, then they should be able to expect to be served a quality feast.  I
further clarified that in 'my day' the custom was to include the feast fee
with the event fee and paying "off board" rates was very rare.  Others have
since clarified that the latter is the common practice and that, indeed, in
the kingdom where I reside it is now required by Kingdom law.

None of this was intended to imply that one should not serve period feasts.
Even "more than 18 years ago" we *expected* period feasts.  However back
then we considered the feast an integral part of the SCA experience, and
the idea that if they didn't like the food then they should go somewhere
else would not only have been (as you so aptly put it) absurd, it would
have been an insult to the cook.

But as has been pointed out since I made the comment, my if-then assumption
was based on something which no longer occurs... people no longer are
required to pay for the feast as feast fees and event fees are almost
always seperate.  Therefore the whole discussion becomes moot and one based
upon an old and no longer valid premise... which you would have noted if
you had not taken the statements out of the context of the discussion.  I
deeply regret if created that context in a way which caused it to be
missed... I thought that it was relatively clear but I could certainly have
been mistaken.  I also apologize if I have in some way caused offense by my
position, but I believe that if you will go back and re-read the entire
conversation in context and in order that you will see that no such offense
was intended.

Of course we should be serving period feasts!  That is a large part of our
purpose.  Part of our purpose, as cooks, is also to provide food which is
enjoyable, and from the amount of respect you have on this list I am sure
that you do that, mi'Lord.

I said:
> It's not reasonable to expect them << to pay for an event which includes
> feast and then hop out to McD's.>> >>

and Lord Ras replied:
> I agree, But it is reasonable to expect them to expect a period feast
> especially if they are paying feast fees separately.  If a period feast
is
> presented in the best presentation the cook can manage and NO MATTER WHAT
IS
> ON THE MENU so long as it is period, I would say that to not expect a
period
> feast paid for or to find the feast not tasty is the result of ignorance
in
> the first part and a bad cook in the second part.

hmmmm... again, I must respectfully disagree with you on only one point...
not finding something tasty is not necessarily a matter of ignorance *or* a
bad cook.  personal tastes differ and something can be perfectly prepared
and presented and yet it might not be to the palate of the person eating
it.  while I would expect it to be very rare indeed for any period feast to
not offer enough variety that even the pickiest palate should find
*something* tasty, it is certainly possible for you to simply hit upon the
wrong combination for a specific diner by chance.

*however*, and this is a *big* howerver, my disagreement resides more in
the fact that I'm a bit anal-retentive (o.k., *stop* laughing so loud!) and
hate absolutes than in your being wrong.  :-)  I'm sure that it would be
very rare for a diner to find the *feast* not tasty rather than simply some
portion or specific dish, but it could occur and not be attributible to
either the cook's performance or the diner's ingnorance.

I remain, in service to Meridies,
Lady Celia des L'archier