[Sca-cooks] Castellan Feast, 2003...LONG

[Amanda Blackwolf]

Well, the menu was:

1st course: Sodde Eggs, Olives
2nd course: Savory Toasted Cheese, Potato Bread (Lady Liadan from
Moonschadowe baked this)
3rd course: Roast Pork, Garlic Sauce, Carrots, Sautéed Mushrooms w/ Spices
4th course: Roast Chicken, Saffron Rice
5th course: Pear Tart

This was a feast that had mostly period or period-like dishes. My aim was to
feed everyone well, and with as close to period food as I could manage. This
was my first feast. Based on all the complements, I'm guessing it won't be
my last. Contrary to most feasts I've heard about, I did not stress on how
well the food will go over. I *know* I'm a good cook. In the week before the
feast I was caused more stress from not being able to print and therefore
proofread my feast token (recipes and documentation) than anything else. My
husband ended up bringing home the printer from his workstation Thursday
night, and hooking it up for me as I was at gymnastics w/ the kids. Thursday
night, a little after midnight, I delivered the feast token to the printers
to get printed up.

Overall, feast went very well. I had done a test feast for the autocrats and
the baron and baroness about 2 weeks before, just to determine timing and
make final recipe adjustments, and to ease my mind. It was my first feast, I
have only been playing about 21 months, and wanted to make sure that it
would be well received.

One popular medieval ingredient was conspicuous in it's absence: cinnamon.
I'm allergic to it, and that allergy has progressed to a point bordering on
dangerous. Since I cook by taste, it was determined, and so ordered by her
Excellency that cinnamon should just stay out, even when called for.

All the tarts were baked Friday night, and put in the cooler. I considered
re-heating them for service, but under advice, did not. I did have them
sprinkled with vanilla sugar prior to them being sent out, for presentation
purposes, but it made for a wonderful aroma as well. This was the most
blatantly non-period dish. I knew I wanted to serve a tart for dessert, and
apple tarts/pies are a dime a dozen, not to mention that cinnamon plays a
major part, for most Americans. Pears were available, tasty and a period
ingredient. Vanilla is not, I know that. But at a feast last fall, a very
understanding feast steward adjusted an apple pie recipe so that I could
have dessert. She used vanilla sugar, and cream to create one very tasty
dessert. So, I took that experience, used pears instead, and sent heavy
cream out with the tarts. These were well received.

Saturday morning found me awake and unable to go back to sleep...so I got
up, cooked the mushrooms, and roasted the garlic. I learned how to use the
sites dishwasher, and kept things washed as we went along.

I had the onions sautéed for the mushroom dish well ahead of time, so that
when it came time to put that dish together it would be fairly
straightforward.

Carrots and rice were prepped and put in the ovens, followed by the pork. As
the carrots were done, they went into the steam table, as did the pork,
which, as usual (for me) got cooked way faster than all the books say. The
chicken was exciting, as defrosting it became something of a challenge. We
resorted to the lukewarm method, and got it defrosted and into the oven as
fast as it would defrost. Thank goodness for convection ovens.

Savory Tasted Cheese: Crockpots and an 18 qt roaster were the order of the
day! That and having someone else whisk the big roaster--I did about 1/2 and
an assistant finished.

Issues:
1. My foot. Friday morning, I woke up w/ the
turn-your-calves-inside-out-upside-down-hurt-for-the-rest-of-the-day-if-you-
are-lucky-cramp in the right calf, as a result of that I spent most of
Friday on my left foot, loading and unloading vehicles, and getting things
where they belonged in the kitchen. My husband, unfortunately, had to work
and was unable to assist with that. I did have some great help when I got
there. I knew by about 10 am Saturday morning, that it wasn't going to last
the day, and indeed, it didn't. Thanks to the friendly chiurgeon for
wrapping it, and which gave it enough support to last the day.

2. Staff. I had offers of help from the lists, and thankfully, they were
there EXACTLY when I needed them. It did get hectic for a bit, but that was
because we were doing the final push w/ the sauces and the mushrooms and
chicken at the same time. Mostly, we were relaxed and took breaks when
needed, and drank lots of water. I had an appointed Cook's Keeper....but she
left site Friday, without informing anyone, didn't show up till 11 Saturday,
bailed at dish up time, and didn't show up till 11:30 Sunday to help get
stuff out of the kitchen to come home. I now know who I can tap to do what
duties, and trust in those positions, and what crew I need in the kitchen. I
had designed the feast so that if absolutely no one showed up, I could still
get it done.

3. Cut crusts off bread. Makes it much easier to puree the sauces.

4. Staff.

5. Drinks. I completely forgot about them until we were serving the servers.
Thanks to my husband for stepping in and taking care of it. He makes tea. I
don't. It worked.

6. Get a better Cook's Keeper.

7. The pork course took a while to dish up and get out. After some
discussion, after about 1/2 is dished up and ready to go, it should go, and
the rest as it is dished up. This will give us room to put everything, and
still give the appearance that we are serving w/o too much time between
courses.

8. The rice was sticky, which in and of itself wasn't a problem, but getting
it all turned and fluffed was a bit of a hassle. I cooked too much, but I'll
know better next time.

9. I made too much sauce. Only a problem because the don't keep very well,
as they were a bit on the thick side. Made with less bread, they would be
thinner, and could be kept and reheated as leftovers.

Things that went right...

1. Liadan's Potato Bread. I got so many compliments, and I did make sure to
tell everyone that Lady Liadan and Krystal Blackwolf and Lord Ulliacc's
children were completely responsible. (My daughter was still kneading bread
at 1:30 am....and for those of you who don't know her, she's 8.)

2. Savory Toasted Cheese. Gee, and I thought people didn't like weird food
around here!

3. Budget. Fortunately, there was left over butter from crown, so that
didn't have to be bought! And the Barony had all of the spices I needed in
stock. Saved much money. I *did* go buy some better saffron that what we
had. I haven't totaled up receipts yet, but suffice it to say that we are
under by quite a bit. I am quite practiced in getting a lot for a little,
feeding a family of four on the food budget we have prepared me quite well.

4. Timing. Everything was cooked and ready to eat by feast time.

5. Leftovers. Not much. I feel this is successful planning. Everyone was
stuffed. Portion control was key for me. I think the last count for feast
was 127 adults sold, and at least 20 children...I don't know how many
children's feasts were sold, just that we ran out of children's feast
tokens.  Servers, & musicians were fed for free.

6. I didn't get overly stressed. It was organized, and ran fairly smoothly.

7. When I needed the bodies, they were there. Some I drafted, some showed
up. I would still prefer to have the crew, and round it out with volunteers
that show up.

8. I got asked to do it again. And I will.



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