[Sca-cooks] Documentation for Presentation

[Colleen McDonald]

When I entered my Condoignac from Le Mesnagier in our Kingdom A&S
competition in 2004, I documented my table setting and service in an
appendix to the main documentation.  Here's a quick listing of the
details.

For the handwashing at the beginning of the entry, I used this recipe from
Powers' translation of Le Menagier (The Goodman of Paris):  "To prepare
water for washing the hands at the table.  Set sage to boil, then pour our
the water and let it cool until it is just warm". (Powers 299)

I documented my white table coverings using Powers' translation (page 242)
and pictures from the Queen Mary Psalter and Giotto's The Marriage at
Cana.

My judges had individual bread trenchers, based on this passage from
Powers' (page 242):  "Item, two knife-bearers, whereof one is to cut up
bread and make trenchers and salt-cellars of bread and they shall carry
the salt and the bread and the trenchers to the tables."

I used pewter plates for serving dishes in line with what _The Goodman_
directs his young wife to use for a wedding dinner (Powers 243).  "And he
shall likewise purvey the pewter vessels; to wit ten dozen bowls, six
dozen small dishes, two dozen and a half large dishes, eight quart [pots],
two dozen pint [pots], two almsdishes."

My judges were provided with spoons and ewers (Powers 243):
"Two other esquires be needed for the service of the dining hall, and they
shall give out spoons and collect them again,..."
"The office of the steward is to purvey saltcellars for the high table;
hanaps, four dozen; covered gilt goblets, four; ewers, six; silver spoons,
four dozen; silver quart [pots], four; ...."

My sweetheart and a close friend worked as the servers for my entry
following the directions given in _The Goodman_ (Powers 243):
"Two other esquires be needed for the service of the dining hall, and they
shall give out spoons and collect them again, give out hanaps, pour out
whichsoever wine be asked for by the guests at table and collect the
vessels again."

I served the condoignac with an option of bread or wafers (water crackers
as I had completely run out of time to make my own) and a French Burgundy
wine, the choice of which was documented in the body of my paper.  I
actually considered getting a Burgundy from Clos de Vougeot, since that
vineyard has been in existence since the 1300's, but at $60 plus a bottle,
decided it was too expensive.

All in all, it was fun to present and even though the judges didn't seem
to notice the presentation, I was glad I made the effort.

Cainder