Of pickyness and allergies. Also attractive presentation (was Re: [Sca-cooks] Vegetarians)

[Gorgeous Muiredach]

>>I know that for people with allergy situations not having the food 'touch
>>one another' is a good thing but it does make arranging platters difficult
>
>Not all "fussy" people are just being prima donnas - sure, there are
>plenty of them, but some folks have quite genuine reasons for extreme
>caution around food.

Thank you for reminding us of this.  The food not 'touching one another' is
more than a good thing, it *can* be life or death.  This is no
exageration.  I, for one, have anaphilactic reaction to crustaceans
(lobster, crab, scampi, shrimp, etc).  Funny enough, I can handle and cook
it, but not ingest it.

I'm somewhat lucky that I'm not likely to find crustaceans at SCA feasts,
due to cost.  Yet, I ask, usualy *ahead* of feast day.  Reactions range
from the cook actualy taking the time to talk with me, to the cook shrug
and say "ya ya ya".

So I'd like to ask all of us to keep in mind that indeed, not all "fussy"
peole are being assh*les, some genuinely need to know for health reasons.

Take the time to create an ingredients list.  Post it outside your
kitchen.  Stick to it, dont' improvise at the last minute with this or that
fancy ingredient.  As you cook, think of avoiding cross
contaminating.  Don't use one spoon that was just used to stir the mushroom
sauce to plate the barley dish.

Personally, I'd rather listen to someone who is simply picky than take the
risk to make someone who has a genuine allergy sick.

That being said, most folks I know who have anaphilactic reactions to food
stuff won't trust food at feast and will bring their own.  That's come from
being told "Of course there are no peanuts in the dish" by a cook who
didn't think about her peanut oil, or other similar reason.  Like the
kitchen helper who thinks a dish would taste better with a touch of garlic,
adds the garlic to it without letting head cook know about it.

>Few of the feasts i've attended in my 2-1/2 years have been arranged
>attractively. <SNIP>I'll confess that at the Boar Hunt i
>was just concerned with getting the food out so it didn't look
>particularly nice,

Granted, I haven't been to many feasts at all, but none seemed to have had
an effort made for attractive presentation.  I suspect it's often the rush
of serving that limits things.  Perhaps it's arrogant of me, I think that
with proper planning, the majority of the last minute problems can be
avoided.  Of course, there *are* always unforeseen problems.  It has been
said that "the best laid battle plan never survives first contact with the
enemy".

If I may be so bold as to offer a diagnosis as to the last minute (hour)
mad rush, a potential reason to it?  I notice that many people cooking for
themselves and a couple friends, or family at home tend to do things in
"reverse".  By that I mean, you try to get everything ready at the same
time.  Reverse timing.  Don't think it terms of:  "The roast will be ready
at 7pm, so I start the potatoes at 6:30 and the beans at 6:45."

In general, start the longest items first.  Then while those cook, do the
rest.  Start the roast, don't worry what time it's gonna be done at.  Cook
your potatoes right away.  When they are cooked, put them aside and plan on
keeping them warm for a little bit, or rewarming before serving.  Same with
the beans.  This gives you a little more elbow room at serving time.  Time
to put in a few branches of fresh herbs here, a tomato skin rose there, and
other small easy items to enhance presentation.  Just food for thoughts :-)



Gorgeous Muiredach
Rokkehealden Shire
Middle Kingdom
aka
Nicolas Steenhout
"You must deal with me as I think of myself" J. Hockenberry