[Sca-cooks] Yet another post mortem.

[Vincent Cuenca]

This past weekend, I headed up the kitchens at the 13th Gathering of the
Chieftains here in the Barony of Three Rivers (St. Louis, MO)  The day was
cold and snowy, and the hatchback on my van refused to lock, but in the end,
I managed to get everything out the door.

Here's the menu, taken mainly from the Manuscrito Anonimo:

sliced oranges
marinated olives
apples
raisins
almonds
feta cheese
Relishes served with pita and naan
Badinjan bi-laban (eggplant-yogurt dip)
Shiraz bi-buqul (leek, celery & mint in yogurt with mustard)
Qar bi-buqul (cucumber-yogurt dip)

First Course
Tabahajiyya Maghmuma (Beef Braised with Onions & Vinegar)
Jannaniyya (Vegetable Tagine)
Arruz (Rice)
Couscous

Second Course
Muruziyya (Chicken Braised with Dried Plums and Almonds)
Muzawarra (Lentil Pottage)
A Winter Dish (Lamb Braised with Spices and Nuts)

Third Course
Sukkariyya (Almond Candy with Sugar & Honey)
Irnin (Date cookies)
Grapes


Beverages:
Sikanjabin
Yansoon
Water

In planning the menu and compiling the recipes I owe a great debt of thanks
to Lady Anahita and Master Giles of Lochac, both of this list, for their
help and guidance.  Master Giles even sent me a tape of period Andalusian
music.  This meal would not have been nearly as tasty without you.

I selected meat dishes that could be assembled and then stuck in the oven
and ignored while I worked on other things.  The relishes and olives were
prepared early in the day and then put in the cooler to develop their
flavors.  The meats were cut up, browned, spiced, and then put in roasting
bags to cook.  The vegetables for the tagine and lentil pottage were cooked
separately, then assembled and spiced at the last minute so the dishes went
out warm.  The candy and cookies were made ahead and frozen.  The bread was
from a local bakery.

Things to remember for next time:

1. Label the things you send back to the cooler.  I mistook a pot full of
tamarind punch for leftover vegetable stock and dumped half of it down the
drain.
2. ONE case of apples and SIX cans of olives!  I bought two and eight
respectively, and there were lots left over.
3. Bring a first-aid kit.  There were a couple of minor cuts and one burn,
and no way to treat them.
4. Get as much of your food as possible from one supplier.  I ordered meat
and some veggies from a local wholesaler, then went to a farmer's market for
the rest.  With one thing and another, I ended up way off schedule and
didn't start cooking until nearly 10:30 that morning.
5. Make sure the hall steward and butler have a copy of the menu.
6. Delegate, delegate, delegate!

Of course, next time isn't going to be for a while.  At least a couple of
months. I've been tagged to help at the next Coronation feast: all six
Baronies in Calontir will each donate a course, and they want me on the
team.  I may just act as a consultant, but it's a bit flattering to be
sought out like this.


Again, my thanks to Master Giles and to Anahita.

Vicente

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If you get into a jam, you can always eat something, blow something up or
throw penguins. --Jim Henson




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