baklava recipe (was Re: SC - Help with Cooking period Italianfood.)

[upsxdls_osu@ionet.net]

>I will be running an Inn for lunch and dinner during a
>single day at the War of the Lilies this year.  I have
>only done feasts before - never any Inn's.  So, I have
>a bunch of questions.

I've run taverns before for long weekend events and it is
both a lot of work and a lot of fun.
We started a discussion similar to this after Pennsic from
a conversation I had with Cariadoc and Elizabeth at the
potluck. I think a further discussion is very warranted.

>I will have a large (commercial-sized) grill available to
>cook on.  It may be hot and humid, or it may be cool
>and rainy.  What is best served under these conditions?

Sausages are always a good bet. Also meat pies or pasties
(although I don't believe pasties are documentably period)
are good choices and can be made ahead. They are good at
ambient temps. If you get a Coleman oven that really helps
as well.

Are you going for period dishes or general perioid foods?

Grilled chicken, portabellas, pots of stew, vegetarian pasties,
fruit pies or tarts, stir-fry, flavored ices, shish-kebabs,
pickles, "plowman's lunches" (cheese, fruit, bread, maybe
a bit of meat in a napkin), wafers on a griddle, hanony,
lotsa stuff.

>I will be hauling the food in that morning.  What can
>be made ahead and easily stored?  What has to be
>made on site?

Many things can be made ahead. Shish-kebabs can be marinated
and frozen, pies and tarts can be made ahead, stew can be
frozen, pickle vegetables or eggs, cukskynoles can be frozen.

Hanony is as easy as scrambling eggs, wafers are like
pancakes. Plowman's lunches are cut and assembled quickly.

>What kind of prices would you pay for a lunch?

Have various dishes. Going from 50 cents for fruit or pickles
to up to $5 for shish-kebabs or larger dishes. It depends
on how much food you wish to provide. Basically if the dish
will fill a person $3 - $5 is reasonable.

>For an evening meal?

It could be identical to lunch or you could have dinner
specials with rice or additions for around $6 - $7. That's
the average cost for most food stands at the major Wars.
Basically figure out how much the dish costs to make and
then add around 10% - 20% profit margin. That is if you are
basically covering costs of food and other expenses like space,
napkins, dishes, time, etc...  For a profit making enterprise
you can up it to 25% or even higher if you feel the market
will bear the cost.

 >I would like to stick with period foods. Since my feasts
>tend to be country and time specific.  I would like to
>do that for the Inn also.  I'm thinking 15th either French
>or English. Or, I could do both and call it Norman cooking.

Well, I would need my books to help with that. But the suggestions
I made are things I've done or similar.

>I would appreciate any help, hints or commentary.

I would also appreciate commentary. I could be way out of line
or there are other dishes that people could come up with.

>
>Thank you
>Kateryn

Yers,

Gunthar
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