[Sca-cooks] Just A Feast report (part 1/2: general report)

[UlfR]

Kirrily Robert <skud at infotrope.net> [2003.04.07] wrote:


> Early feedback included a report that the Baroness was worried that
> we've given the newcomers unrealistically high expectations, and they
> may now expect other feasts to be as good as this one.

Funny enough we did the same in my canton (Aros, in Nordmark) about a
month ago. We had a recruitment drive, and decided to have a "newcomer
event". Classes during the day, where people could learn about
everything from garb by way of woodwork and dance to SCA heraldry. Then
a feast (cooked by yours truly and -- most of the time -- 2 staff) was
13 dishes in 3 courses[1], all from Forme of Cury except the
cuskynoles[2]. I did get the comment from someone that this was better
than most feasts, which was my intent.

> The Baron, whose
> favourite food is KFC and who often has a burger stashed under the high
> table so he doesn't have to eat that weird medieval stuff, was seen to
> be digging into our food with gusto.

Is this catching? The local prince had only good things to say, and he
is not usually seen as someone who prefers period food (he has demanded
a modern banquet at an earlier event).

> Some of the canton and baronial
> officers have warned me that I can expect to be asked to cook for more
> events in future.

I'm hoping that this will be my fate as well, since I actually prefer
cooking a banquet to eating it.

> Downsides: too much food, but not *way* too much.  I can probably reduce
> quantities by 10% safely.  And I think I should have arranged specific

I allways overcook, but I stay under budget so I don't worry too much
over it, even if it is irritating. We found a cache of left over plastic
containers in the kitchen, and most of them got used, so there was very
little waste.

Most popular dishes was cawdel of saumon and mounchelet (made from
lamb).

UlfR

[1] Full doc are available (but all the modern parts -- redactions, etc
-- are in Swedish) at
http://www.hunter-gatherer.org/medcooking/kristoffersmass2003.pdf

[2] I worked after the hyphothesis that they were "palm-sized" and
diveded into several smaller squares. I can't remember right now which
one of Adamantius and Cariadoc will now declare me anathema for this...

--
UlfR                                             par at hunter-gatherer.org
Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of -- but do it in private
and wash your hands afterwards.
                -- Lazarus Long (R.A. Heinlein)