[Sca-cooks] Serving and High Table

[Huette von Ahrens]

--- Elise Fleming <alysk at ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> Greetings.  I wonder if we could start a discussion
> about the
> "couth" way to serve High Table, especially with
> Royalty seated
> there.  What have folk done?  Several areas to
> comment on would be
> the following.
>
> 1) Who is served first, especially if all the Royals
> are present?

When you say "all the Royals", do you mean of that
Kingdom or of the Known World?  Usually the current
King gets served first and then his Queen.  Unless the
Queen is regnant.  Then she is served first and then
her consort.  If more than one pair of royals are
attending, then the K & Q of that kingdom get served
first, followed by their guest royals in order of
which kingdom is highest in prescedence.  Then the
Royal Heirs [if there are any at that moment] then
followed by any Princes/Princesses.  After that any
guests at the head table.

> 2) As a server, do you serve them or put the dish in
> front of them for them to pass?

Usually, the server offers the item to them and they
take what they wish.  Passing dishs is really too
informal for such an august occasion.  The only time
that the server offers portions is if it is an item
that needs carving or a soup.  We here in Caid have
several Knights who have studied carving and love to
show off their skills to their monarchs.

> 3) How many of each dishes is ideal?  (One?  Two,
> one for each side of the table?)

Usually I make a special presentation of each dish for
the head table.  This is the first dish out of kitchen
and is paraded around the hall.  First for the head
table to see and then for everyone else to appreciate.
This will be served to the head table.  Everyone else
will get a dressed down version of the same food.

> 4) Should the meats, chicken, etc., be presented
> whole or cut up?
> If whole, who do you think should cut them up?

That depends on if you have someone skilled in carving
or not.  If you have someone skilled, then they should
be allowed to add to the presentation by showing off
their skills.  But if you don't, then it might be
better to have the meat already cut for the head
table. The rest of the populace can fend for
themselves.

> 5) What about having one or two "servitors" standing
> behind High
> Table to assist those Head Table folk in retrieving
> dishes that are
> out of reach?  (Would solve the dilemma of having to
> say "Your
> Majesty, would you please have the Baron pass the
> pickled
> mushrooms?")

The dishes for the head table should always be
available for the monarchs and their guests until the
end of the course.  Usually the monarch is served from
the front and the leftovers should be put on a side
table so that the monarchs and their guests can have
more at will.  More like "Lackey!  Bring me more
pickled mushrooms.  I think the Baron would like some
more chicken."  No monarch should have to pass food.
That is for their minions to do.

> 6) For serving the populace, how many of your groups
> provide serving
> utensils for each dish?  (Or do we expect folk to
> dip in with the
> spoon/fork they've already had in their mouth?!?)

I always provide serving utensils for all dishes, with
the exception of items that need carving.  Most people
have sharp knives for carving, that usually don't
touch their mouths.  It would be too expensive to
provide carving knives for each table.  And the knives
you can buy from the 99Cents store aren't sharp enough
brand new to be worth anything.  Their cheap spoons
are another matter.

> 7) Anything else?
>
> Years ago I "specialized" in serving Head Table and
> partnered with a
> young man who had flair for shtick.  We either
> brought one bowl out
> (the server led, the bowl holder followed) and
> served in order of
> precedence, or we brought two bowls and each of us
> took one side of
> the table, starting with the two highest guests and
> working down the
> side we were assigned.  We offered announced the
> food item and
> offered to serve.  (Your Majesty, pickled mushrooms
> with garlic and
> anchovies.  May I serve you some?)
>
> At some events, the young man (whose knees worked
> better than mine),
> knelt with raised bowl while I served.  Sometimes we
> offered the
> guests to serve themselves.  We usually asked the
> end folk if they
> wanted us to leave the dish there.  We often found
> that the
> decorations and place settings left little room for
> bowls to be
> left.

This is usually how I do things.  But always made sure
that there was a side table for the head table for
leftovers until the end of that course.

I hope that this helps you.  And my heartfelt best
wishes for you in your coming reign!

Huette


=====
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they
shall never cease to be amused.

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