[Sca-cooks] Andalusian feast

[phoenissa at netscape.net]

Stefan li Rous <stefan at texas.net> wrote:

>> First course:
>> Garlic chicken ["thumiyya" A8], or chicken with garbanzo beans ["safarjaliyya" A30]
>
>I vote for the garlic chicken.

Cool :-)  I'm gonna try both recipes anyway, but I must admit, the garlic one looked more enticing.

>> Second course:
>> Couscous ["kuskusu fityani" A55] with lamb and chicken [one of the "tharidas,"not sure which] and  vegetable stew ["jannaniyya" A52]
>> Fried fish ["samak maqlu" B11], or fish cooked with fennel ["basbasiyya" A52]
>
>Yes! There's not enough fish at SCA feasts.

So I gather :)  I personally love fish (in fact, given the choice, I'd usually rather eat fish than meat or chicken...)  I'm told that if there's salmon people will eat it like there's no tomorrow, but any other fish will barely be touched... :-/

>
>Two eggplant dishes? :-(

Yeah, but at opposite ends of the menu :-)

>
>Although I guess the lamb meatballs can be eaten without the eggplant.

Exactly!

>
>Okay, so I don't like eggplant.

You're kidding. ;)


>>  If anybody has suggestions about such things, I'd be vastly appreciative :-)
>>
>
>Is there an experience feast cook in your area who might be able to act
>as your advisor for some of this?

Yes, I've been in contact with some wonderfully helpful folks.  But I liked the idea of getting input from a wide variety of people, too...which is why I always plague this list with questions :-)  I always love the diversity of replies, especially about customs in different kingdoms/regions...

>
>Some of the answers to your questions are likely to be pretty specific
>to the kitchen facilities you have available, the traditions in your
>area and maybe even Middle Eastern feasts.

That's true.  One of the autocrats is also doing the bulk of research on feasting traditions, in the Middle and Near East in general but mostly in 12th-13th c. Andalusia.  (Since we're getting some funding from the university for this, we're trying to make it as academic - but still lots of fun! - as we can.)

>
>There is some general suggestions and notes of things to watch for in
>this file in the FEASTS section of the Florilegium:
>headcooks-msg    (155K)  5/17/01    Advice for SCA headcooks. Planning feasts.
>http://www.florilegium.org/files/FEASTS/headcooks-msg.html

That was one of the first places I went fo r information after I signed up to do this feast.

>
>If nothing else, looking through this file might be reassuring since
>might see a bunch of things pointed out which you've already planned for.
>
>This file might have some useful stuff specific to the Middle East
>that might be useful:
>ME-feasts-msg     (20K)  5/19/99    Middle Eastern feasts. sitting, serving.
>http://www.florilegium.org/files/FEASTS/ME-feasts-msg.html

Haven't checked that one out yet; thanks!

>
>> I'd also like to have a little pamphlet available
>
>A good idea, especially with guests coming from outside the SCA. No,
>I don't think it is done enough. Unless the redactions are done by
>you, or you have permission, be careful of copyright infringement
>when publishing other's redactions.

I don't know if I will publish redactions at all, actually.  If I do, they will certainly be mine, or just possibly another student's (several of us are testing out recipes).  The problem is, though, I have barely any exact redactions for any of the historic recipes I've tried.  I spice things almost entirely by taste, and I don't always keep track of proportions of meat and vegetables...I just do what looks and tastes right to me.  Hardly exact, but then again, it is what most of the recipes say to do ;-)  Anyway...maybe publishing a pamphlet will force me into good and consistent redacting habits :-)

>
>After you are through, if you are interested, I might be willing to
>consider such a booklet for addition to the Florilegium.

Oh, wow - that would be awesome!  Thanks :-)  But even if there's no space for it in the Florilegium, I think we'll probably put it on our college website, so it will be accessible either way.

>
>I would recommend a list of ingredients for each dish. Not necessrily
>in this booklet, but available for those who have allergies to be
>able to check.

Well, if the redactions go in the pamphlet, then the ingredients are listed in there by default.  But if they're not in the pamphlet, I'll probably post them outside the kitchen door or someplace like that.

>I also like to have the menu available, preferable on
>the table or in the booklet if it is available during dinner. This allows
>folks to pace themselves. I like to think that this also helps to keep
>folks from stuffing themselves on the first course since they know
>there will be more.

Yeah, good idea.  I was thinking the pamphlets could be provided at the entrance, so peole know what's going on before the meal even begins.

>
>Is the bread that you mention being on the tables, a flat bread? It
>appears that such bread is often used in the Middle East to scoop up
>many of these dishes. Or is this only done in some areas of the Middle
>East? Anywsy, flat bread seems to be much more useful for this than
>a raised bread.

I was planning to use pita bread.  There is another kind of bread that resembles foccaccia (it's made from leavened dough, but it's pretty flat), which I've seen at middle eastern bakeries and groceries, but I haven't the faintest clue what it's called.  Does this sound familiar to anyone? :-/  Anyway, if I find some of that I might put it out in addition to pita/flatbread.  I don't know if it's period, or how to find that out, but it's unusual and tasty.

Vittoria
--




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