[Sca-cooks] The Menu

[Euriol of Lothian]

I just wanted to clarify a couple of things.

- The Vegetarian did not ask for the omelet, I had made the offer to her weeks 
before the dinner to make her one. There were no demands made by the guests of 
this dinner.

- The word "pottage" derives from the old french meaning "something in or from a 
pot". This does not dictate that it has to have a soup like consistency, and 
thus does not necessarily mean that it must be eaten with a spoon. 

I would also note that most of the feasts I've enjoyed in the SCA will always 
have some vegetarian dishes it helps with dietary concerns as well as help keep 
relative costs down for the entire meal. It is not expected that each person 
will eat each dish,. Typically, those who wish to participate in the feast are 
asked to notify the head cook well in advance if there are any special 
considerations... like allergies. Not to make the cooks do any extra work, but 
to simply to know if they can or cannot eat a particular dish. Some cooks will 
make certain accommodations for people with food allergies or other food 
concerns. These cooks do it not because it is expected, but the smile you 
receive from one person you do this for makes it worth all the while. This is 
far different from inviting people over to dinner in your own  home. The hosts, 
in this specific case, were the Baron & Baroness from my Barony. I acted in the 
role of their servant for that evening, as a head cook, which I volunteered to 
do.

It is unfortunate that not all state dinners are period, but that is solely up 
to the person who has volunteered to organize those dinners. When those of us 
who do have a passion for period cuisine have the opportunity such as this, then 
all the better. Some people love to explore and experience various cuisines. 
Some simply just love to cook the foods they grew up with.

 Euriol



----- Original Message ----
From: Suey <lordhunt at gmail.com>
To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org
Sent: Wed, August 25, 2010 6:39:29 PM
Subject: [Sca-cooks] The Menu

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


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