[Sca-cooks] Re: Arghhhh feast Service

[Mark.S Harris]

Morgan said:
> We DID have problems because Her Majesty was on a diet, and didn't think
> that the food needed to come to the table, so cut off service after the
> first course, but that's a completely different aggravation, er,
> story.......

Ooooh!!! That was rather rude of HRM. Both to the rest of the folks
sitting at the headtable and to the folks that had worked so hard to
prepare the feast, perhaps even preparing special versions for HRM
and party. Unfortunately, I suspect I know who this is, as you are
in my kingdom.

Unfortunately, I think there are period examples of such behavior.
I believe it was England's Queen Elizabeth who decided that the
meal was over, when she was through. No matter if the other folks
were finished or not.

In the SCA, Her Majesty should have had the food continued to be
brought to the table, and passed on to the rest of her party
and guests. She didn't have to take any she didn't want. Perhaps
a quiet word to the server(s) that she was on a diet, and that
although the food looked good, she couldn't eat more, would have
helped assure the feast workers that she hadn't stopped eating
because she thought the food was awlful. She could even leave
off the bit about the diet if she didn't feel like explaining
that. If she lacked sufficient willpower to stop eating then
she could have excused herself from the hall temporarily or used
the time to wander the hall, perhaps getting to know some of
her subjects.

I think some of this goes for ordinary feast goers as well. Telling
the server to stop serving the table or to not bring a particular
dish, perhaps because you are allergic to it or simply dislike it,
is rude unless you have gotten the agreement or at least mentioned
this to the rest of the folks at your table.

Stefan li Rous
(my, my isn't he grouchy today...)