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

[Mercedes/Stephanie]

I can't begin to tell everyone how proud of Amanda we are here.  When my
husband and I were getting ready to go to her house two weeks ago for the
test feast, Ainar asked me what we were going to do if it sucked???  LOL - I
hadn't even let myself think that it might.  It could not have been farther
from sucking though.  The test feast was magnificent!!!!  At one point,
though, I noticed that Amanda was itching a bit and asked - she said the the
cinnamon in the the ginger sauce (which I believe got left off the menu
below) and in the mushrooms had gotten on her a bit (or maybe she inhaled
it....)  I was apalled!!!  When she bid on the feast I assumed that being as
allergic to cinnamon as she is, it would not be in the feast.  The fact that
she was trying to cook with it frightened me and I forbade her to use it in
the feast.  When we were actually eating the feast Saturday night, Ainar
assured me that the mushrooms did not suffer for lack of cinnamon!

As Amanda's friend, I'm thrilled for her that her first feast went so well
and was so well received.  As her Baroness I am grateful for all her hard
work and for helping our Barony keep it's reputation for feasts that are not
only bountiful but delicious.

Mercedes
Baroness of Northkeep

----- Original Message -----
From: "Amanda Blackwolf" <amandablackwolf at cox.net>

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

(snip)
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.