[Sca-cooks] preparing foods at tourney side over braziers

[grizly]

-----Original Message-----

niccolo difrancesco mentioned:
<<< I eventually began preparing foods at tourney side over braziers and
coals in media res (in the middle of things) to bring my craft to the
bigger tapestry of the event atmosphere. >>>

There were three specifically that I remember.  One was not so much AT the
field as NEAR the field whereat I and a couple friends turned a whole lamb
over coals on a spit for the evening dinner.  We got lots of people
wandering by to chat and take a turn basting the beast.  Beer and Basting
are good things.  The two events where I cooked fieldside, I had a small,
round cast iron grill over which I suspeded a potje (small cast iron kettle)
cooking pork in an ale sauce (recipe from Serena diReva) and also over which
I placed a spit with a pork roast seasoned with garlic, oregano and black
spice mixture.  The whole arrangement was really rather fun and simple.  The
ten was set up and I went to back left corner to set the fire pot.

We got lots of interested people and conversation was a grand part of the
whole experience.  I prepared the food for our small cadre of event-goers,
plus enough to share with some other friends and admirers.  I contend that
this sort of thing is a sad absence at tourney-side.  I think food vendors
would add to the experience and convenience of the tourney.  I never got a
chance to get that moving too far, though we had the beginnings of a troup
of volunteers to bark and sell hand meals of some ilk.  NEver really came to
fruition, though.

My elevation happened right as my SCA time committment waned due to buying a
house & moving 65 miles from the nearest group and having to commute that 65
miles each way to work.  No whining, just a life change.  Money got tied up
in real life obligations.  Then, about 6 months after moving, we bought our
pizzeria here in small town GA.  All weekends are taken, and not much
opportunity to leave the shop to go off for the weekend.  Staff is good, but
small.  We are outrageously successful for the size of our town, but do not
make enough to pay mortgage on house without at least one other full time
job.  See www.nickspizzastop.com

Last November I was elected to our City Council.  Lots more time needed than
originally expected.  Satisfying, challenging, demanding, and stupifying
being in Government and politics.  I've learned more about Enterprise Funds
and public utilities than I had dreamed of knowing.  Sewers are the main
subject of every municipal official.

If a couple of projects this fall come through, I could have tiome and
resources again available to attend events and take time for my historical
hobbies.  That could be a good time and give me some outlets for those
culinary drives.

niccolo difrancesco
(That's Your Honor to the mundanes)