[Sca-cooks] --Multiple Replies to Feast Procedural Question

[Jim Fox-Davis]

Thank you all for your comments.

As this happened, I didn't prepare the bid -- Mistress Huette did,
having first asked me to be Chef de Cuisine.  That was the bid, with the
French theme of "Tres Riches Heures" that was submitted to the Kingdom
Seneschal.  It wasn't until the bid was accepted by the Kingdom that the
Baron decided to "make sure" every angle was considered.  I fully
believe he means well; he is a conscientious man and has been burned in
the past by people taking an office in his Barony and not doing their
job.  I understand his concerns.  I also happen to be Baronial
Seneschal.  (okay, so I'm a masochist -- he really is easy to work with
most of the time -- that's why this really took me by surprise)

It's just that the procedure that has emerged has seemed backwards to
me.  Always before, I have been given a budget, and left to my own, not
inconsiderable, devices to devise a menu.  As a courtesy, I have usually
released the menu, recipes and ingredients shortly before or on the day
of the feast so that people with food allergies knew which dishes they
couldn't eat.  Anyone who approached me ahead of time with special
requests we've managed to satisfy.  This idea of having me submit
variant menus ahead of time for review struck me as . . . odd.  I have
agreed to prepare the three menus -- the variants will essentially be
differences in the meat selections for the courses -- that's where the
highest cost is. (I took to heart Muirdeach's comment about the
potential liability of serving hunted game -- I'll stick to farm-raised
venison).

As for people 'jumping at the bit' to be cooks:  not really.  There were
two bids for next January, and -both- of them had asked me to run the
feast.  12th Night this year was catered, as required by the facility in
Starkhavn in which it was held.  Last year's Calafian feast had to deal
with any number of problems, including the -removal- of the onsite
kitchen from the facility, necessitating all -sorts- of shuffling.  The
2000 12th Night feast was headed up by my wife, Selene, with my earnest
cooperation.  I have lots of offers to -help- cook this feast, and I'll
be taking LOTS of people up on advance prep help, too.

One of the things I hope to be doing with this feast, is giving some new
folks some insights into 12th night prep, and what considerations go
into a Kingdom feast.  These are folks who've helped us on smaller
feasts, and who I trust not to burn the rice (as happened to one dish in
2000's 12th night).  I'm trying to build up the number of experienced
large-feast cooks in the kingdom.

Thanks again for all the comments and advice.  I really appreciate
knowing I'm -not- being out of line.

Jared


Nancy Cox wrote:

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>
>Does your local tend to have lots of people jumping at the bit to be cooks?
>How nice for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>Guess what-if I prepare a feast bid..I decide what I'm cooking and how much it
>will cost-knowing about what the barony prefers and taking that into
>consideration, of course! I don't HAVE to cook the feasts......It's my kitchen
>or it isn't..it's that easy!   Enough said.
>
>mdr
>