[Sca-cooks] Highland River Melees feast report

[Olwen the Odd]

>Food content-Highland ford feast went great despite the rain the mud and no
>kitchen. (4  burners >and a smoker) The most primitive of conditions.
>Olwen can give a better run down soon.    From Chirhart

The day began gloriously albeit quite humid.  Our crew came in sporatically
beginning Friday night in the rain with Chirhart, Bec and the
cooking/serving supplies coming in mid-day Saturday.  The crew had already
put up the 20 x and some prep tables.   The feast was prepared on the ring
burners and the one bullet shaped smoker.  We were unable to bring the pig
cooker because the ground was completely saturated.  Driving on the
grass/dirt was completely out of the question for any reason.  All the
supplies had to be carried in from the parking lot.

The menu: (*prepared ahead)
First Course

*Spiced Olives
*Pickled Mushrooms
*Butters (plain, herbed, honey)
*Bread
Sodden Eggs with Mustard Sauce
Blanc Mange

Second Course

Roast Pork* with Sauces (sauces made onsite but don't know which)
Served on Noodles
Asparagus (with Sauce Bob)
*Spinach pie
Sallet

Third Course

Beef (served on rice)
Sprouts (brussel)
Roasted Onion Sallet
*Tea leaf eggs
Apple fritters

Provided Beverages: Water; Sekunjibin; Tea

Dessert

As always, special dishes were prepared for High Table.  The two I recall
were the Small Birds and the fresh oranges that were spiral sliced through
the peel, the whole fruit removed, cleaned, sectioned and returned to the
peel and made whole again.  I know there were others but do not know what.

No sooner than the beef got put in the pot to boil than the sky opened up
and the downpour began.  We laughed and asked if Countess Mary Grace was
onsite.  Oh.  Did I mention the ground was saturated??  Within minutes we
were making sallat in ankle deep water which quickly turned to mire (yes I
have pictures I will eventually get up).  A small pavillion was quickly put
over the cooking area and the sides attatched.  When the rain quieted down a
second pavillion was put up on the high side of the first and as much
prepwork as could be was scooted there but the cooking area could not be
relocated.

As usual we had lots of extra helpers.  Newbies at their first event, kids,
folks rained out of whatever they were doing, an extra Baron or Baroness.
Chirhart (as well as the Bright Hills Cooks Guild) has the philosophy that
if someone asks to help they should not be turned away without at least
either giving them *something* to do right then, no matter how small, or
told exactly when to come back to work on a specific task.  We often end up
with new guild members that way.  Or household members...

Great fun was soggily had by all.  Rave reviews.  This incredible
presentation of a small chocolate treasure chest and a hundred-fold overflow
of guilded chocolate coins and booty was given to Chirhart and the cooks.
The Baroness told me the name of the name of the woman that did it but I do
not have it written in front of me to pass on at this time unfortunately.

We wowed em.

Thanks for letting me play Chirhart!
Olwen

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