[Sca-cooks] How meals are served in period

[Maggie MacDonald]

I've been curious about how meals are served in period. I"ve always 
been told that it was served in courses/removes, with each being a 
miniature meal in itself.

Was this always done?

Recently I noticed a feast that was served apparently an item at a 
time, not in "courses/removes" and was done really really well.

Is there a document somewhere that describes a _simple_ meal? (I tend 
to doubt that because why would anyone write about a meal that wasn't 
unusual in some sense?)

I'm trying to plan a meal that the event steward has asked be themed 
in late period Italian, so that will play a part in it too. (I've 
been reading "The Stars Dispose" and "The Stars Compel" and getting 
lots of inspiration from their interpretations of Apicius).

Thanks in advance!
Maggie MacD.