[Sca-cooks] meat carving at high table (was peacocks)

[Stefan li Rous]

Phlip said:
> When I helped
> Iasmin with her Coronation Feast over in the MK, everybody below High
> Table
> got veal kebabs, but I made a Crown Roast for the King. It was all out
> of
> the same veal calf, even ;-) And, when the Knight presented the Crown
> Roast,
> I made sure he knew to tell the King that there were deliberately  
> extra
> ribs, so that he could bestow largesse to favored members of the  
> Feast.

To which not so kinky replied:
<<< Sounds like a jolly good compromise to me.

I've got a Coronation coming up next year-- I'm thinking that having  
high
table's roast meat cut by a gentleman-carver while the rest is sliced  
in the
kitchen might be a nice touch.

Adele d'M >>>

I agree. I don't have a problem with giving the high table fancy  
presentation stuff. That is part of the "atmosphere" which they are  
providing. I do disagree with giving them special or better food when  
I'm one of those helping to pay for it. On top of that, the high  
table often gets their site and feast fees paid for by the group, so  
even if the food was only as good as what the populace is getting,  
they are still getting a good deal.

The number of "free" spots at our baronial events seems to be ever  
increasing. Years ago when there was only a single baronial champion  
they and their companion were also getting in free. While serving on  
the gate staff weekend before last, I noted that we now have at least  
half-a-dozen champions that get in free to our events. The people  
getting in for free is seldom revealed to the general populace.

I think the meat carving is a great idea. It can be colorful. It  
definitely has period precedents and cutting up the meat, either at  
the table or before it leaves the kitchen, minimizes folks  
splattering the juices at the table on to the tablecloths and their  
fancy clothing.

Perhaps these files might be of use to you or your meat carver(s):
meat-carving-bib   (9K)  4/ 5/01    Biblio. on meat carving by Thomas  
Gloning.
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FEASTS/meat-carving-bib.html
high-table-msg    (26K) 12/13/01    Setting up and serving the High  
Table.
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FEASTS/high-table-msg.html
French-Tbl-Srv-art (7K)  5/22/04    An example of French table service
                                        translated by Angharad ferch  
Iorwerth.
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FEASTS/French-Tbl-Srv-art.html
Enseignements-art (16K) 10/ 9/05    A translation of a 14th C. German  
manuscript
                                        on preparing meats by Daniel  
Myers (Doc).
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-MANUSCRIPTS/Enseignements-art.html
   (I can't remember if this last one talks about meat carving or  
not, but perhaps worth a look)

Stefan
(who has never sat, and is unlikely ever to sit, at high table, but  
almost "bought" his way their once, but got beat out by a child)
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****