[Sca-cooks] Dayboards

[ranvaig at columbus.rr.com]

Tonight I proposed to the autocrat for our fall event, Red Dragon, that instead of a modern lunch that we try for a dayboard of period food.  The tales of period food here are so inspiring.  

In the past we have served lunches with a price on each item.  I know that for some events, the dayboard is included in the event fee, but we aren't used to doing it that here.  How do people handle charging for food served buffet style?   Do you break things down to portions and put a price on each portion?  One fixed price for everything?   I'd be inclined to put a donation basket out, but the autocrat said not.

The site has a kitchen we can use for cold storage, but will be in use for the feast.  So most of the food will be precooked and served room temperature.  Some hot breakfast items and maybe a hot soup or stew.  Early October in Ohio is iffy, but last year the weather was so nice that many people never came inside to find the food.  Weather permitting, I'm going to setup outside, so it won't be convenient to run back and forth to the kitchen.  I'm in a wheelchair, and the site doesnt have paved walks, so I wont be going anywhere much.

I could setup a fire if I wanted.  I love cooking over fire, but am not sure I want to deal with it.  The site has chafing dish stands for foil pans, if I want to use them.

Last year, I took over the lunch with less than a week's notice.  I kept things pretty simple: strata of bread, eggs, milk, bacon, and cheese for breakfast.  Pasties with a choice of pork, chicken, or mushroom for lunch with fruit, raw veggies, and cookies. Not truly period, but perioid at least.  Well.. except for the chocolate chip cookies but those sold out first.  The head cook let me use the oven until noon, so I baked the strata on site, and warmed the pasties, which had been baked the day before.

It wasn't bad, but I'd like to find period recipes that work well made ahead and can be served cold or room temperature.   What would you be pleased to find on a dayboard?   I'm looking for things more interesting than sliced meat and bread, but not too fussy.  And yes, I've read the dayboard articles in the Flori-thingy.  :)

Ranvaig