SC - Marzipan

[Gwendolen Lambert]

hey from Anne-Marie

we are asked:
FIRST: Last year there were plenty of industrial size spoons and 
>ladles in the kitchen. This year... there were two industrial size 
>spatulas. We managed to make the feast with small spoons we found in 
>drawers and a couple wooden spoons that some of my helpers had 
>brought.
>
>Do frequent feast cooks own a fairly extensive collection of BIG 
>industrial style spoons and ladles? I've got average home kitchen 
>stuff, but you need a big implement to stir 40 cups of frumenty to 
>keep the eggs from curdling.

here in Seattle our local Culinary Guild has a huge garage of stuff that
we've accumulated over 20+ years. We charge a "dish tax", ie a small amount
of change per diner if funnelled into our account to cover breakage and
wear. if there's any left over, we buy toys. Also, our cookbooks help fund
stuff. We have enough kit to cook and serve for easily 150, and more if
we're careful.

>SECOND: 
>
>How do you frequent feast cooks apportion the food?

this I find varies greatly from region to region. Here, we have our
carnivores, but folks tend to be more egalitarian in their food choices :).

figure 1/2-3/4 pound of cooked meat (without bone) per person TOTAL (ie if
you have more than one meat in the feast, dont do 1/2 lb per meat).
traditionally 1/4 pound is considered a single serving. Precarving, or
using chops, cutlets or single chicken thighs helps folks portion correctly.
figure out what the whole meal looks like if you pile it on your plate. 1/4
cup of this, 1/4 pound of that and 1/4 cup of this other thing adds up
quickly!
having servers dish stuff up helps control portions, ie making sure that
everyone gets everything they want. Also it helps to describe what that
brown gloppy stuff is :) (ie folks are more likely to take some if they
know what it is and can ask questions...I know I am!)
figure your first course will be inhaled. your second course will be eaten
and your third course will be nibbled on. If you try to pace it, folks
think they're being cheated when they only get a smidgeon in that first
course.

you cant make folks eat their veggies. Fortunately, they're cheap and so if
you're gonna get something back, that's a good thing to get back.

also, it depends on your philosophy. Some folks want to see EVERYTHING get
eaten. Me, I want to see 15% come back. that means everyone got to eat
their fill. Its never a problem getting rid of the leftovers (bring clean
yogurt containers and ziplocks to make this easier). If you dish up in the
kitchen the stuff still wont get eaten probably, you just wont be able to
send it home because it will have been on folks dinner plates.

The meal is planned as a work of art in its entirety. If folks dont choose
to partake, there's nothing you can do, but knowledgable servers who can
answer questions, and a well balanced plate will help.

oh, and frumenty NEVER works right...I figure 1/2 cup per serving and I
ALWAYS get some back (and the stuff is very yummy...it gets requested all
the time). *sigh*....

sounds like you got great ideas for next year!!! Next year skip the cheese
and bread. Serve the rolls in the second course with the sauces, or skip
them altogether (they can use the frumenty, etc to soak up sauce). Figure
out what your per person serving of each dish is and add it up. Imagine it
on a plate and I think you'll find that you're serving plenty :)

- --AM