Feast stewart at the crossroads was Re: [SCA-cooks] Pulled sugar

[Leah A. Montgomery]

Lorenz said:
> > Perhaps more significant, though, is the Prix Fixe nature of most
>feasts.
> > People who do many events on a tight budget can't decide to save a few
> > bucks
> > and order just burgers or salad at a feast the way they could in a
> > restaurant.  It's an all-or-nothing proposition.  Perhaps something we
> > cooks
> > should consider more for large events...

To which Generys responded:
>I guess it just bothers me when people complain about an 8 dollar feast -
>when they're getting a 5 course meal with 6 different meat dishes,
>including
>lamb and venison (I had this happen to me recently - so it's kind of on my
>mind), when I have seen them cheerfully go to Ruby Tuesday's or something
>and pay more than that for chicken tenders and fries.

And Phlip said:
>Sorry, but I have very little sympathy with people who think that we should
>provide them with a free ride. If they're that broke, they can stay home-
>that's what I did, until Rob and Margali decided to help me out, and now
>I'm
>busting my ass to get in a position to pay them back.

   I'm sorry, but I agree. You get to try tons of food that you wouldn't
otherwise be able to try. You guys aren't a restaurant, your motto is not
the customer is always right. We are not your customers. We are your friends
and fellow playmates that are just helping you cover the cost of the dinner
that you are fixing us. And I know of a great way to get a free feast if you
are on a budget and can't afford anything past the site fee, and that's
stretching it. Volunteer to serve or help with clean-up. The people that are
doing the feast always(that I have run across) provide a free meal for you,
and usually there are leftovers that they are so sick of they don't ever
want to see again and are going to happily throw away if no one takes them.
They will force them on you! (Shucks, darn, oh, no, I couldn't. Well, since
you insist.) Basicly, make it clear to everyone that while you want to
participate in feast, but have no money, you are willing to earn your keep,
so to speak. I went to an event just recently where I timed it so I would
arrive after feast was over, as I wasn't able to get a reservation in time.
I forgot about SCA time. I was just in time for feast. So I decided to
volunteer to serve, not having anything else to do. I got a wonderful meal
with tons of leftovers, and a very thankful cook that was short one server.
   Another suggestion. If you've got a special diet due to allergies,
religion, philosophical differences, being picky, whatever, why don't you
offer to help the head cook with that portion of the meal, and find out how
many people are going to be there that eat like you do, and fix things that
would be appropriate. Or not go to the feast. Instead of complaining your
head off and having a huge chip on your shoulder and acting like it's their
fault that they won't cater to you. Prove to them that this is a valid menu
option, and do so by putting yourself out to fix something. They are putting
themselves out to do the same for you. They can't help it that you don't
like it. It's not personal.



Leah A. Montgomery
SCA: Mahvash bint Wahib al Marakeshi called Samira
Head of Byat Al Hirrar
mog_bane at hotmail.com
ICQ#: 83404701

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