[Sca-cooks] length of time for feasts etc.

[Robyn.Hodgkin at affa.gov.au]

I gather that things are done a little differently here in Lochac than in much of the known world, but three and a half hours is not an unreasonable length of time.  Mostly our feasts would start around 7 with the first course being served at around 7.30 or so.  Second course probably around 8.30-8.45, third at about 9.30 and if there is a dessert platter as well it could come out as late as 10.30.  Lights tend to go on at about 11.30pm, so everyone can be packed up and cleaned up by midnight. As it is, dance and entertainment is usually distinctly squeezed by having food come out with such short periods in between. Trying to serve the food in a shorter time would leave you with no time to do anything at all but eat!

In the case of a ball, my preference is to serve a sit down meal early in the evening (say 6pm) for an hour or two, then go on to dancing.  When the dancers start getting that lean and hungry look I send out servers carrying platters of nibble-able desserts to keep them sustained.

I am curious to hear how others manage these sorts of events, or do you hold them in a completely different manner?

Kiriel