[Sca-cooks] on topic: Healthy Feasts - was OT: diet, was sugar problems

[Volker Bach]

Am Samstag, 5. August 2006 18:58 schrieb Tom Vincent:

> In the SCA, are any cooks/chefs/feastocrats consciously (or
> conscientiously) adjusting feast menus to cut back on the fats and
> increase the use of healthier ingredients?  I'm often horrified at the
> amount of cheeses, meats, butter & oil that goes into so many of the
> dishes I see (or help) prepare at feasts.  The only way I can justify
> partaking in the feasts is by working a few pounds off in the kitchen
> beforehand and being a server during. :)

I would not do that, at least to any great extent. No matter what our modern 
tastes are, it is a pretty unavoidable fact that people in many historical 
periods craved fats and sugars and cooked that way when they could. A 
historical feast should reflect such tastes rather than some modern fashion 
for dieting. That is not to say I'll dump lard and cheese on everything, but 
while I'll balance the meal period-style, I wouldn't do it according to 
modern food pyramids or diet plans. 

Another thing is, of course, to choose your time periods and styles according 
to the tastes of the audience. I wouldn't do a German Renaissance board with 
roast goose and pork, pasta with plentiful butter and deep-fried krapfen for 
dessert in August, or for a crowd that doesn't go in for rich foods. There's 
plenty of fish dishes, nice Mediterranean, Roman or Arab recipes for lighter 
fare. But that's a taste and appropriateness call, nothing to do with 
dieting. I'll happily feed people the lardy stuff in winter. It's a *feast*, 
after all, you're supposed to indulge yourself. 

YIS

Giano


		
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