SC - alcohol revisited

[Robbin Long]

I agree that posting the ingredients list is our best insurance against causing folks real harm; if we try to eliminate all those ingredients that people can have allergic reactions/intolerances/religious prohibitions/aversions to, we would be left with mightily skimpy feasts.  

It is then up to the feaster to be sure to CHECK the lists and take them seriously.  As a cautionary tale in this vein, it is important to note that one of the few deaths that has occurred at an SCA event was from just such an allergic reaction.  The attendant Chirugeon was a good friend of mine, and even though the person checked the list and knew he was allergic to the ingredient (mushrooms as I recall), he underestimated either his sensitivity or the amount in the food.  As a result, he went into anaphylaxis and died at the hospital after being rushed there.   She administered Benadryl, which kept him alive until the ambulance arrived, but it was not enough.  Unfortunately, few chirugeons carry epi-pens, and sites (at least here in Meridies), are often quite a stretch from the nearest hospital (or anything else, for that matter).  So for folks who do have allergies - come prepared.

While I tend to roll my eyes myself at how paranoid we have become in general, this can be pretty serious stuff

Back to cheerful lurking.

Broinnfhionn
(Scombroid toxicity survivor, so slightly paranoid myself)


Robbin L. Long, Plant Physiologist
USDA-ARS, SRRC
1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd.
New Orleans, LA  70124
(504) 286-4352 phone
(504) 286-4419 fax
rlong at srrc.ars.usda.gov 


>>> owner-sca-cooks at ansteorra.org 01/31/01 05:39PM >>>

Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 15:45:54 -0800
From: lilinah at earthlink.net 
Subject: Re: SC - alcohol revisited

>I think it is fair to say that the best way to deal
>with it is to inform your guests as to which dishes
>contain/contained/may contain alcohol, and move on.
>If they keel over after that, the sin is upon their
>head, not ours. 
>
>At all future feasts I host, I will place a large sign
>outside the door, which should warn all of those with
>allergies (either real or imagined) what to expect:
>      "Caution:  Food Contains Ingredients"
>
>Balthazar of Blackmoor

I realize that your last paragraph was meant in jest. But the fact 
remains that, besides the annoying people who claim allergies for 
mere dislikes or obsessions, there are people with real problems with 
certain substances. There are some on this list. People for whom 
eating certain things will do them physical harm.

I have a friend who is not a fussy eater. But if she eats beans she 
will go into anaphylactic shock. It's not a fantasy. While travelling 
to visit relatives, she happened into a restaurant and saw they had a 
bean-free meat chili. She mentioned her allergy and asked if it were 
truly free of bean-related substances. They assured her it was. It 
arrived at the table and she brought a spoonful up to her lips. The 
second the spoon touched her lips - and fortunately did not enter her 
mouth - her lips swelled up! She asked the waitress what was up! 
Well, it seems that they thickened the chili with peanut butter. 
Peanuts are not nuts but beans.

The solution is to make sure that there is an ACCURATE list of 
ingredients posted in a prominent place in the hall - or placed on 
every table - so diners can verify that the foods served will not 
injure them. I suggest placing it on a wall in the hall. That way 
people who just have mental food weirdnesses might eat something they 
normally wouldn't and like it. At the same time, people with real 
serious issues can check the list and make sure they don't eat 
something that will do them harm.

Anahita al-shazhiyya