[Sca-cooks] Newspaper reporter/SCA member seeking help for story

[PATRICK O'DONNELL]

Greetings. My name is Patrick O'Donnell/Mael Patraic mac Domnaill and I am a reporter for the Plain Dealer in Cleveland, OH, and the author of the recent book about the SCA and reenactors, The Knights Next Door: Everyday People Living Middle Ages Dreams. (Deatails at www.knightsnextdoor.com)

I will be doing a feature story for my paper's food section about medieval feasts, using this past Saturday's feast at Midrealm coronation as the basis.

I have a few questions that I am seeking some concensus from this group on:

1) What do you consider the most incorrect assumptions mundanes make about medieval food?
2) What do you consider the most important differences between medieval food and today? (not the growing process or distribution but in terms of preparation and appearance/taste at a meal)
3) Is there anything crucial to a good medieval feast?

For reference, I have interviewed Cariadoc and tasted some of his dishes, attended about 30 SCA feasts, and included sections on two Atlantian chefs/scholars in the book, Thomas Longshanks and John le Burguillin. 

Thanks,

Patrick/Mael Patraic