[Sca-cooks] Beverages, was Royal authenticity

[Sue Clemenger]

This serving of beverages for a feast must definitely be a regional
thing. I can probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of
times I've been to a feast in the last 15 years of living in Artemisia
where the beverage has been part of the feast. Folks here usually bring
their own (pop or wine or whatever), although water pitchers are
common.  Since I drink alcohol very rarely, and only in small
quantities, I've taken to keeping a small decanter (well, an old, glass
"mystic beverage" bottle) of sekanjabin syrup (which I adore) in my
feast basket.  I'll drink it hot or cold, and I'm always willing to
share <g>.  Not a period beverage for my persona, who would have been
drinking things like small beer, but it's what I consider a reasonable
compromise.
And for cold-weather events, it's common for my barony, at least, to set
up a table near the kitchen where folks can help themselves to hot
coffee, tea, and cocoa. And for Harvest Court, it's become traditional
for us to offer hot spiced (non-alcoholic) cider, as well.
We've had a wide range of emphasis on matters authentic from our
Royals.  Generally less, than more.  Sometimes they'll go to great
efforts for really good shtick, though, especially when they're not some
variety of mid-period, bland European something.
My two euro worth on the what to serve Royals, especially at a private
luncheon, would be to focus on the ideal of hospitality, and serve them
what makes them most comfortable, even if it causes me to groan and roll
my eyes in private.  And to make available easy ways to cover up the
mundanities (mugs to put cokes in, and that sort of very basic thing).
--maire, combining responses....

WyteRayven at aol.com wrote:
> 
> I understand the need....and honey butter was just the example I could think of at the moment.
> 
> I dont have any problem with either of them being served, just whether we can legitametly call it period. And the only reason I brought it up is from what I have learned on this list. :) This really is a wonderful resource.
> 
> I too look for things that I can drink. I have made sekanjabin, but I am not very fond of it. It's ok once in a while, but not something I wont very often.I would rather just put a couple of mint leaves in my water jug. At the moment I am still drinking water or soda that I have brought, because I havent found anything yet that I care for enough to drink regularly.
> 
> Ilia
> 
> In a message dated 9/27/2003 12:42:39 PM Eastern Daylight Time, AEllin Olafs dotter <aellin at earthlink.net> writes:
> 
> >I suspect that part of this is the driving force of need...
> >
> >We don't *need* honey butter, or any other sweet spread to put on bread.
> >Yes, people expect it, but they expect it because we give it to them,
> >and the only way to break that cycle is at our end.
> >
> >We do, however, *need* a beverage we can serve other than ale, beer,
> >wine, mead, or hard cider. And there are many reasons that this is a
> >real need, not just a "It would be nice if" sort of thing. I mean, we
> >can just serve water, but, as was pointed out, that's not really period
> >for many places either... sure, peasants might drink it, but not anyone
> >who could afford anything else. And fresh cider might be served at this
> >time of year, but not in March...
> >
> >Even if sekanjabin was served as a beverage, it wasn't served in
> >Northern Europe. So it's a stretch already, for many of our feasts.
> >Lemons weren't readily available either. I've actually been wondering
> >about this - not just for feast service, but for my own use, at least in
> >theory - what would I (my Norwegian persona)  drink that isn't alcohol?
> >Personally, I'm not authentic enough to face a cup of ale in the
> >morning, though I know it was done...
> >
> >AEllin
> >
> >****************** wrote:
> >
> >>I must have missed something somewhere....but isnt the argument " I havent found anything specifically saying that it wasnt" the same argument that has been used before with other things, and we have been told that just because you cant find anything that says it wasnt used, doesnt mean that it was.
> >>
> >>In short that it isnt a good argument for saying that something is period?
> >>
> >>For example I seem to remember something about honey butter. We have evidence that it was used as a medicine, but no evidence to say that it was used as a spread. But we dont have any evidence to say that it wasnt either, and it is used in modern cuisine as a spread.
> >>
> >>Isnt that the same argument as is being used below?
> >>
> >>Ilia
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
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