[Sca-cooks] Interesting, OOP NY Times Food History article...

[Susan Fox]

Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius wrote:
>
> One could probably argue the no cutlery aspect as being part of an  
> eating contest mentality; Damon Runyon specifically mentions this in  
> his classic story "A Piece of Pie", but it may also simply be some  
> sort of historical throwback.
>   
Aw, nuts!  I haven't read Runyon in decades.  Is that public domain now, 
can I find it online or do I need to re-buy the books?
> I've often thought that if I weren't in the SCA, the hobby for me  
> might be to research and recreate nineteenth-century New York City  
> gang culture. After fighting events you go out for steaks, beer, and  
> oysters...
>   
That sounds like gargantuan heaps of fun!  Why can't we do that now?  
No, wait, we do, often as not.  Sadly, short on oysters, except for the 
excursions to sushi bars, which tend to be short on steak.

 >Just make sure there's no gratuitous pasta or antipasto. I'd be 
embarrassed...

Please.  The authenticity maven in me is on duty for all the various genres.  Italian bread dripping with dripping is carbohydrate enough for anybody.  

Speaking of non-SCA authenticity... Renata and I are catering the after-reception for a talk on 50's Coffee Houses.  I got my black clothes and beret in order, what do we serve with the strong black coffee?  Charles Perry has suggested baklava, which was a fabulous new discovery at the time, usually over-syruped as all get-out.  Oh, and carrot cake.  Any other notions?  

Selene