[Sca-cooks] odd feast I went to

Ron Carnegie r.carnegie at verizon.net
Thu Apr 19 14:21:35 PDT 2007


Hmmm, I was not present at NOTT, though many of my friends with Gardiner's 
Company were.  It sounds like it was an attempt at a more period feast than 
is commonly done in the SCA, but maybe not.    The bread served alone, the 
vegetables as garnish, the dishes sent out together instead of acting as 
seperate courses.  All of these things fit my understanding at least of late 
period meals than our usual practices.

Of course this has its problems.  It makes no allowance for modern eating 
habits or dietary restrictions, nor does it make allowances for SCA 
expectations and practacalities.  The table issue for instance is a great 
example.  It is the rare hall that has tables that provide enough room for 
the guests and their dishes, not to mention the preponderence of  extra 
dishes.

The servants coming from each table, that is often done here in Atlantia, at 
least in my vicinity.  I don't like it.  I don't like serving food in a 
method designed for the kitchen staff's convenience either. If you served 
the food all at once for authenticity, thats one thing, though not usually 
practical.  But to do it because of desires of the kitchen staff...When you 
volunteer to cook, or to help the cook, you are volunteering for service. 
Yes that might mean that you don't get to enjoy sitting with your friends 
for a particuler event, but it is after all just that.  One meal at one 
event.  That being said, as we are not really servants, but volunteers, I 
also believe firmly in providing food in the kitchen for cook staff, and 
also treats.  I also prefer that those who have spent all day in a hot 
kitchen are NOT expected to clean afterwards.  Though again, I also prefer a 
clean kitchen.  I prefer to do a lot of the cleaning as one goes.  That 
cleaning does tend to be cooking staff, but it means less confusion in the 
kitchen, and less work at the end of the evening.

Its funny, in the SCA, I expect my cooks to eat, I provide for them in the 
kitchen.  I also am responsible for cooking in a masonic lodge.  There my 
staff eats last, with me being the very last.  Of course the SCA cooking is 
usually more work.

Ranald de Balinhard


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Olwen the Odd" <olwentheodd at hotmail.com>
To: <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 2:28 PM
Subject: [Sca-cooks] odd feast I went to


>I recently (last weekend) went to an event called Night on the Town.  The
> feast staff was headed up by a fellow named Sir Xenophon Vaughn who I
> understand wanted to do certain things on the menu way out of range of the
> budget so he footed the remainder of the bill himself.  Very interesting
> though.  One person from each table was called up to serve the table. 
> Then
> Sir Xenophon came out and addressed the assembled crowd and announced that
> there were five courses and all would come out at the same time because 
> the
> kitchen staff also wanted to sit down to eat.  All the serving trays were
> the decorative but disposable round metal type trays.  It began with a 
> bowl
> of bread slices of different hearty breads (no butter at least at our 
> table)
> the first meat one coming had roast beef surrounded by medallions of beets
> and turnips roasted.  The second was chicken served on top of asparagus, 
> the
> third was lamb roast on top of peas (I may have the chicken and lamb mixed
> up in order and which veggies), the fourth was a pork rib roast on top of
> pickled red cabbage.  None came out sliced or with serving utensils.
> Although I like everything that was on the menu, I, for one, did not like
> the idea of all this stuff on the table (under ceiling fans) at the same
> time.  What are your thoughts on this type of serving?
>
> Cariad a heddwch (love and peace)
>
> Dame Olwen the Odd
> Laurel to Lady Katherine O'Carroll
> Order of the Pearl
> Bright Hills Cooks Guild
> House Blackstar
> Barony of Bright Hills
> Kingdom of Atlantia!
>
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