[Sca-cooks] Re: Feast Ambience

[Elise Fleming]

Mari de Paxford wrote:

>Over here in Lochac we always use Candles for lighting our event
halls...
>Gives it that "ambient glow" (and soft lighting is soooo forgiving
on age
>lines ;-p)
>
>I understand that some US states have laws regulating against that?
(or is
>an insurance matter??)

May a senior citizen put in a comment about "soft lighting"?  There
is a point of dimness that is actually painful for those of us who
have dimished vision.  There just isn't enough candlepower, if all
the modern lights are turned off, to adequately see.  My guess is
that we are influenced by what we call "romantic" (dinner for two,
candles...).  However, the low light level frequently seen at feasts
(I believe) would have been seen as "niggardly" to the medieval
guest; the host would be seen as trying to pinch pennies by not
making his hall as bright as possible.  We forget that there were
torches as well as candles, and possibly large candleabra on the
sides of the room.  You really can't light a hall well enough with
just a few candles on the table.  This isn't a rant against candles,
but is a caution that using just candles may not provide a "period"
light level.

Alys Katharine