[Sca-cooks] weird idea... medieval restaurant

[Michael Gunter]

I think many of us have dreamed of opening a
restaurant serving real period food without the
"Medieval Times" atmosphere.

My suggestion would not be to advertise it as
"Medieval Food" but more along the lines of
"the root of European cuisine" or somesuch.

Keep the ambience of a Great Hall or something
along the lines of (urk!) Steak and Ale. With
touches of period decor. No tunics. If you want
to keep the proper elegance the waiters should
be tuxedoed.

The food would be served on plates with chargers
underneath. The period titles of the food would
be featured with English translations below as
in many ethnic cuisine places.

>I would highly recommend a separate bibliography and
>footnotes on the back of the menu for those who (and
>they _will_ be out there) would object to mandatory doses
>of edjumukayshun.

True, but the people going to an elegant continental
cuisine restaurant would enjoy edumacayshun. But keep
it to the back of the menu or in a booklet on the table
for diners to enjoy while waiting for the food.

>Dish names in Middle English
>might be fun.

Middle English, Old French or however the recipes are
named in the research. e.g.  "Cuskeynoles" (Fruit and
almond grilled ravioli)

> > I'd also have my own sort of alcohol drink
> > distillary as well as selling non alcoholic medieval
> >drinks in supermarkets.

Having in-house brews would be nice but somewhat impractical.
Serving mead would probably not work. But a dessert honey
wine would be great. Fine wines, hyppocras, ales and good
beer would do well. Also serve coffee, tea, sodas or whatever
the customer wants. This is to be a public enjoyment facility
and therefore give them what they want. But make sure the
waitstaff is properly trained in the food and drink to be
presented. As such they could recommend that customers try
the lemonade made with syrup and served warm if need be.
Samples of exotic drinks could be made available.

> > It would be like a chain of elegant, medieval style
> >restaurants all over the country.

Nope. One or two. Probably in New York City and L.A. Since
most revolutionary dining places seem to have a good client
base there.

>1. What is the correct servers' response to requests for
>ketchup on your carefully crafted medieval meal?

As in a good continental place, the customer gets it. Although
the waiter may recommend another sauce or something. And the
ketchup would be served in a dish and not the bottle. The chef
may rant but the customer gets what he or she wants.

>2. Will you serve coffee and tea as a nod to modern
>expectations? Or for another reason?

Certainly! This is to introduce the common populace to the
idea that period food is food and not a theme park.

>3. Will you assume people will have and employ certain
>minimum standards for table manners of a modern sort,
>or will you try to briefly explain proper table behavior
>to your guests, using, say, the Babee's Book? How will you
>deal with people who assume medieval people threw food, vomited
>at or near the table, ate from their neighbors' bosom, etc., and who
>feel entry in your place of business is license for this behavior?

By maintaining a decor of elegance. No wenches, no swords
on the walls, or tin knights standing in the hallway. If
someone decides to throw food he will be escorted to the
door. We're selling cuisine here, not jousting.

>4. Can you envision anything the local health department
>might take issue with?

No more than any other ethnic restaurant.

>Adamantius,

The man that, if I won the lottery, would
head up my restaurant in New York City (New York City!?)

Yers,

Gunthar
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