a new spin on Potlucks Re: [Sca-cooks] Medieval cooking for non-cooks

[Mercy Neumark]

>We host a Yuletime potluck in our march (Tirnewydd). During the day, >we
>have a set amount of tokens that we receive at the gate to be used >for
>gaming or what have you. We also received *extra* tokens for >bringing a
>period dish our persona would have eaten. At the end of the >day, the
>tokens are used to determine the order of precedence in the >Gift battle.
>It worked out nicely last year.

Gift Battle?  Sounds almost like an iron chef referrence. ;)

So, this gift battle...does everyone bring a gift and then, people with more
coins go first in picking stuff?  How do you do it?

Our Barony is doing a Potluck for Yule, and they assigned people by their
last name what they are supposed to bring (example: a-e salad, etc).  Then
we have contests running on best use of winter veggies (I believe) and best
period dishes.  I know the autocrat asked a few experienced cooks to make
main dishes.  I don't know if I like people telling me what to bring, but I
see what they are trying to do (i.e. so we have different items, not
everything is a side dish).

Last year, my best friend Wolfe and I made a viking helmut out of bread
(basically a sourdough loaf with two croissants for the horns) then filled
the bread with some sort of soup.  Our Baron is a viking and of course, he
went for the horn!  While the soup and the helmut wasn't period, it sort of
looked cool (and it was yummy...not much of it survived).  Can presentation
make up for the lack of period-ness?

It's been very interesting to read what other people have been doing with
their potlucks.  I'd really like to come up with a new spin on them, to make
them a bit more interesting, actually.  Thanks for everyone responding to
the original post. :)

With all the experience here, has there been a specific food event that you
felt was the coolest to be at?  And why?

--Artemesia

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