[Sca-cooks] Period birthday party

[Susan Fox-Davis]

Lady Elena  wrote:

> Greeting to good gentles,
>
>      First let me say HUZZAH to Lady Selene, i stayed up to see your 
> segment of the Secret life of. Pies. It was wonderful. 

Thank you very much.  

>     I am hosting a 1st birthday party for my son at a local event. As 
> I do not want to disrupt our event with a heap of mundane food and 
> such on display i am asking for you assitance in what to serve. After 
> doing a bit of research on my own on period birthday traditions.  I 
> have decided on a several gingerbread cakes to be served in lieu of  
> store bought birthday cakes. (plus i am addicted to them since our 
> shire's birthday feast last year) Specifically i am looking for a 
> non=alcholic beverage that would compliment the cakes and be 
> refreshing on a warm day. I remember hearing that carrots sticks were 
> documentable, any other inexpensive, simple to prepare snack type food 
> ideas and recipes would be greatly appreciated. If any of you have 
> interesting period birthday customs or traditions lurking about the 
> corners of you mind please share them with me. I thank you all in 
> advance for your help.

This might be tougher than you think.  Many people in Catholic culture 
celebrated their Saint's Day instead of their Birthday.  The New Advent 
website <http://www.newadvent.org/> has a good search engine by which 
you may look up your son's name to find out his Saint's Day, or else 
look up which saint is celebrated upon his Birthday.

Fortunately, lemonade and other fruit-syrup based drinks fall within the 
SCA time period and geography.  You can make your own syrup by cooking 
fruit juice with sugar to taste until well dissolved, or else buy some 
of those nice Italian syrups that are usually sold in the US to go into 
fancy coffee drinks.  In Italy, they are also mixed with cold water or 
carbonated water for a cool refreshment.

"Today In Medieval History" can supply you with an appropriate 
background for your son's birthday.  Maybe he cannot read it yet but the 
elder guests might enjoy it.

Just some ideas... Selene