SC - Bidding for Feast - Winner's comments

[Morgan Cain]

Hello, y'all:

I was away this weekend, and have been catching up on the digests.  I was interested to see Liadan's query, because I don't think she realized that I am a (albeit very quiet of late) member of this group.  For those who don't know, I was the person whose bid was selected for Northern Regional Warlord.

I do not know any more than Liadan how the winner was chosen, but I do not think it was merely on expense, as she does.  From the questions I was asked, and the timing of the choice, I think they were also looking for someone who has experience in doing feasts.  Not only have I frequently helped in kitchens, I have done a dozen or so feasts as head cook or co-head cook, and several others as a major member of the staff.

So let me give y'all a bit more background on the situation before I answer Liadan's questions from MY standpoint.

The particular event, called colloquially NRW, is in THREE WEEKS.  Yes, three weeks before the event, they chose the head cook, on the basis of three proposals.  Mine went in with not only the dishes outlaid, but a bit of introductory schtick, and at the autocrats' request, the rough costing worksheet.

The event website is at http://northern.ansteorra.org/warlord/

This is NOT the usual experience I have had, that many others have noted, where the head cook is chosen at about the same time as the autocrat, either as part of the bid or at least temporally in conjunction.  I have no idea why they waited so late to make the selection.

Now, to answer the questions Liadan originally posed to the group, from my perspective.  And I would suggest that if she has questions about how the bids were selected, to ask those who did the selecting.

>>> What happens if you underbid the costs of the feast?
>>> Who pays the overage?

It depends upon the group and the reason for the overage.  When I was exchequer of a group in another Kingdom, someone decided to have a Cooks' Retreat sort of event.  Unfortunately, the date she selected -- and insisted upon holding -- was the same as a MAJOR event in the next large group north, less than two hours' drive.  I warned that we would be hurt because so many people would be at the other event, even the cooks she claimed would be willing to come to her event -- and I was correct.

So we took a financial bath on the event and the feast.  I think she did scale back somewhat on the meal when it was clear there would be barely any attendance, but it still went seriously in the red.  Even though I thought it was extremely poor planning on the autocrat's part, the group paid the entire bill.

>>> Does your group cover the cost of the non-paying feasters
>>> (you know Royalty and their entourage)? Or do you figure
>>>  your budget on paying feasters, and try to feed everyone
>>> for that price?

I always factor in a certain number of non-paying feasters.  I include the cooking staff and Royalty, and a couple extra slots for the winners, who may or may not get comped.  I have a certain amount of "fluff" in the numbers to cover any last-minute issues about numbers (some Royalty assume their entire entourage eats for free, or you get visiting Royalty you had not known were attending).  I also try to choose dishes that allow some flexibility in the cooking and serving.

>>> Do you plan to feed the servers and kitchen help for
>>> free, or do you charge?

Kitchen staff, free, but they have to be WORKING.  Someone who drags in a sullen ten-year-old because she wants to help and doesn't want to leave the child unwatched should not expect the child to be fed.  (A quiet child who sits in the corner reading, or better yet lends a hand as age- and skill-appropriate, is quite another matter.)  Someone who mostly hangs around talking is lucky to survive five minutes in my kitchen, much less getting fed.

I have never liked having servers eat for free, partly because they don't always show up.  I also HATE the practice in some areas of offering a simple meal to the servers an hour or two before feast, sometimes in the middle of the afternoon, and that's all they get.  MY servers may get the first course a bit before the hall opens, but they get the other courses when the feasters do.  This way they get all the different foods, do not feel as much like servants, and it doesn't disrupt my schedule.

>>> What about meals while you’re cooking feast? Bring
>>> a sack lunch?

I admit I am bad about eating when I am working.  I try to bring munchies and have a "staff box" of things like fresh and dried fruit, sandwich makings, and so on.  I really do NOT like having someone go to a fast-food restaurant and bring in food, I don't eat that stuff very much and it puts me off.

>>> How do you plan for price fluctuations in ingredient costs?

By overpricing the ingredients.  I know I can probably get food item A at 99 cents a pound, but the usual cost is $1.79 a pound so I will put that into the costing worksheet, just in case.  I also price a lot of the staples at warehouse clubs and so on.

>>> Are cleaning supplies part of the cost process, or is
>>> that handled by someone else?

Generally, it's elsewhere in the autocrat's budget, but I tend to have a few critical items in my kit just in case they are not available at site.  Dish soap, scrubbing pads and clean sponges, towels, etc.  Things I use at home and don't mind tossing in a couple dollars' worth to the kitty (I do get receipts if I remember to buy them instead of just collecting from my cupboards, and can slip them in if there's room in the budget).

>>> Is the feast expected to “make money” for the event?

For that, ask the autocrats, as ever event is different.  I know that there may be intangibles in the feast cost, things that are not on the grocery list but, for example, an extra fee from the site to use the kitchen, or charcoal for the grills.


                          ---= Morgan


PS:  For those curious, here is an edited version of my proposal:

OPENING:  “It has come to our attention that this event occurs during two great religious festivals, that of Lent for the Catholics and Passover for the Jews.  We have investigated the food restrictions for each group and will be able to accommodate them in our preparations.  Please note that for each course, we offer the Lenten dishes and the Passover dishes separately. However, we leave it to the diners to choose those dishes which are most appropriate to their religious requirements, and for those not under any restrictions, we invite you to sample all the dishes as you will.”

ON TABLES:  Unleavened bread (purchased matzoh), whole-grain bread, butter (for non-Lent observers), olive oil (if possible), hard-boiled eggs (ditto).  Colouring the eggs (done as they boil).  Dried fruits and nuts if possible.

FIRST COURSE:
LENTEN:
Greyn Pesen – peas, bread, herbs, vegetable broth or almond milk
	[for Lent, based upon a recipe in Epulario, 1598]
Salade – lettuces, parsley, herbs, vinegar, oil
	[Forme of Curye, 14th-Century]
PASSOVER:
Chicken in Hotchee (made as soup) - Chicken, grapes, garlic, herbs (NOTE: I did this to great acclaim at Gulf Wars X.)
	[Forme of Curye, 14th-Century]
Livyre Puddings (chicken liver pate) – chicken liver, crumbs, eggs, fat, currants
	[Good Hous-wives Treasurie, 1588]

SECOND COURSE:
LENTEN:
Onion or Cabbage Soup – cabbage, onions, fennel, etc., plus herbs
	[several sources, depending upon which vegetable(s) is/are available]
Cariota - roasted carrots – carrots, oil, herbs  [from Apicius]
PASSOVER:
Stewed Beef – beef, carrots, prunes
	[Good Huswife’s Jewell, 1596]
OR:  Stewed Lamb – lamb, lemon, currants, vinegar, spices, sugar
	[A Book of Cookrye, 1591]
Funges (mushrooms and leeks) – mushrooms, leeks, veetable or beef broth
	[Forme of Curye, 14th-Century]
BOTH:
Roasted apples and pears [Elinor Fettiplace’s Receipt Book, 1604]

THIRD COURSE:
LENTEN:
A Cooked Dish of Lentils – lentils, onion, spices
	[Andalusian Cookbook, 13th Century]
Fried Wortes or Spinach – spinach or greens, oil, spices
	[Baghdad Cookery –OR-  Harl 4016 of Two Fifteenth-Century Cokery Bookes]
PASSOVER:
Braised Beef – beef ribes, herbs, currants, onions, vinegar
		[Harl 4016 of Two Fifteenth-Century Cokery Bookes]
OR Corned Beef and Chestnuts [Le Viandier de Taillevent, 14th-Century]
Buttered Rootes (baked sweet potatoes) – sweet potatoes, orange juice, rosewater, spices yes, I am leaving out the butter, but people can add it at table if wished)
		[Elinor Fettiplace’s Receipt Book, 1604]
BOTH:
Berries with almond cream (“trifle" done for Lent after Good Huswife’s Jewel, 1596) and nuts

BEVERAGES:  Limonadas, water, grape juice if possible


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"There is more to life than increasing its speed."
                           ---= Mohandas K. Gandhi