[Sca-cooks] The Menu

[Suey]

  First of all thank you for informing me of the names of the two types 
of vegetarians. I did not know them. Now it sounds like only person 
asked for an omelet which is fine with me but preparing a menu to fill 
up stomachs of all kinds of vegetarians, Islams, Jews, you name it is 
too complicated for me. I find North Americans awfully pity of late and 
it really angers me that guests be so demanding on the hostess who 
nowadays is the cook.
My experience in Mexico was awful preparing tortillas and brown beans 
for vegetarians when in fact there were none. We should have more 
sausage and spilled the beans!
Katja wrote:
> Respectfully, It's not that the other landed barons&  baronesses are naive or mean people. (And there was no fast food involved.)
>
> It's just that it was one of the annual "state dinners" at Pennsic (this one for the nobility of AEthelmearc) and the purpose is for the landed B&B to get together socially. It's not intended as an arts&  sciences venue.
>
> Personally, I would have LOVED to enjoy another Euriol feast!<grin>?? I've always enjoyed eating her food and working in her kitchens.
>
> However, my husband and I stepped down as territorial baron&  baroness of one of the kingdom's seven baronies a month before Pennsic, so we did not get to attend this specific state dinner this year.
>
> We attended for the past four years, and the only one that offered period food was the one our own barony hosted four years ago. (The host rotates annually through the baronies.)
>
> Like Euriol, the cooks I recruited when we hosted the dinner planned simple, easily recognizable period dishes with me that wouldn't be challenging to prepare at Pennsic.
>
> Despite us posting the dishes ahead of time to the baronial discussion list, accommodating food concerns, and selecting commonly enjoyed dishes, several of the other territorial B&Bs didn't attend at the last moment.
>
> The issues may have been genuine -- a headache, a cranky child -- but few of them expressed enthusiasm for the meal being period for once, sad to say.?
>
> None of them outright complained, mind you, since I'm a well-known food laurel/pelican in my kingdom and I politely but eagerly made it clear the meal *would* be period for once.
>
> On the bright side, the ones that *did* eat the meal seemed to enjoy the meal, there were few leftovers, and it was a nice avenue to show off some cooks in my barony.
>
> I only wish it had led to a trend of period dishes being served at that dinner, but the next three years were BBQ and such. They were thoroughly delicious and enjoyable, but modern meals. On the other hand, all the cooks for the past four years were greatly appreciated, so it was a nice service venue for them to be recognized.
>
> So, here's my hope that Euriol's meal starts the trend... but I won't make any bets.
>
> Katja
Sorry, over here we have theme meals such as Malpoche (prior to the 
Spaniards), Medieval Spanish and the meshing of the local and the 
Spanish food. Another year it was regional foods: fish from the southern 
Pacific, the middle of the country and finally the dessert in the north.

My only comment on Euriol's menu was that she did not offer the pottage 
first. Even if a side dish, pottage is traditionally eaten with a spoon. 
So down here when I prepare a period banquet I get that over with first 
and it gives me time to get the meats on the tables warm.
Yes, I understand her period is later. I did not understand that "state 
dinners" are not all period. What a pity. I am so sorry for you because 
there is such a wealth of gourmet knowledge from the Middle Ages that 
Chileans, at least, are hungry to learn.
Suey