[Sca-cooks] Source information for the make-up of removes?

[Sue Clemenger]

Thanks for posting the link! We were just discussing this very topic at 
a Estrella War Pity Party in our barony last weekend.  I was trying to 
explain to someone why it was more accurate to use the word "course" 
than the word "remove" in reference to SCA feasts (at least).  But I 
couldn't put it nearly as well as Dame Alys <g>.
My friend, though, had an interesting question re: the use of "course" 
in reference to modern dining.  Specifically, we were both thinking of 
the recent Appleby's? TGI Friday's t.v. ad promoting a "3 course meal," 
which comprises an appetizer, a main dish (with some sort of side), and 
a dessert. But I've actually seen this used a lot in restaurants--a 
7-course meal will be 7 dishes, separately (and sequentially) served.
If, during earlier times the word "course" referred to a *number* of 
dishes, at what point did it reduce itself to the modern "1 dish equals 
1 course" usage?
--maire

Phlip wrote:

> Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...
> 
> 
>>Hi Everyone
>>
>>So sorry for being silent lately - I'm 93 digests behind on the list and
> 
> not
> 
>>finding much time to get any cooking research done due to work and health
>>pressures
>>
>>What I actually need help here with is trying to explain to a friend (a
>>member of a Viking/dark ages group that does very little food research)
> 
> why
> 
>>the idea of separate "soup/appertiser"; "main" and "dessert" courses is a
>>modern invention.
>>
>>I'm trying to explain that a standard medieval remove would consist of a
>>variety of dishes meant to bolster the eaters "humours"
>>
>>Am I totally off the beam on this?  Can anyone flip me a well worded
>>explantion (including source) that I can pass one?
>>
>>Thanks!
>>
>>And Huggles
>>
>>Marion
> 
> 
> Well, for starters, "It's course, of course- remove removes" as Alys K says-
> please read her article on the topic. In short, "remove" is a Victorianism,
> referring specificly to a section _within_ a course.
> 
> http://dialup.pcisys.net/~mem/course.html
<snipped>