[Sca-cooks] snails and puppy dog tails...

[Terry Decker]

One of the issues is presentation.  If something looks odd and it is 
presented to the table badly, fewer people want to try the dish.  A case in 
point is a German dish I prepared that is essentially a pudding of cold 
peas.  I had directed that it be served to the table in a bowl with a 
sprinkle of sugar.  The bowls got used elsewhere in the plating and the dish 
was served as uneven lumps of green glop on the tray.  The visual effect was 
unappetizing to say the least, although those who tried it found it quite 
edible.

Other than price, I have no particular problem present odd dishes at a 
feast, but my recent experience has left me a little gunshy on the 
presentation.  I will say that odd dishes go best if there is plenty of 
plainer fare so that the less adventureous don't feel slighted.

Bear

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "V O" <voztemp at yahoo.com>


Probably because of the cost of oysters and snails, and the fact that having
something that only a few people would enjoy on a feast menu would not go 
over
very well. Can you imagine the uproar if you said to feasters, "Oh, we are
having this item that only 5 out of 20 people will like, but we are 
chargeing
you all the same price, and you don't get another dish to replace this one 
if
you don't like it." And; "Oh, buy the way 2/3rds of the feast price is in 
this
one dish..........." Yeah, that would go over well.................

>>>Both of those show up in medieval recipes. But you are unlikely to find 
>>>them on
>>>an SCA feast table. Unfortunately.<<<<

Were they from Nebraska by any chance? I got that sandwich from my Mom, who 
had
it from when she was a child. She is from Nebraska, and during the 
depression.
Maybe its a midwest kind of thing.

Mirianna