[Sca-cooks] Structure of an Elizabethan Feast?

[The Eloquent Page]

I don't have the book in hard, but Peter Brears lists various dishes 
available to the different ranks of household staff.

Katheirne

On 4/22/2016 4:48 PM, Terry Decker wrote:
> "Now to these full dishes (16 primary dishes of the more humble feast) 
> may be added in sallats, fricassees, quelquechoses, and devised paste, 
> as many dishes more, which make the full service no less than two and 
> thirty dishes, which is as much as can conveniently stand on one 
> table, and in one mess; and after this manner you may proportion both 
> your second and third course, holding fullness in one half of the 
> dishes, and show in the other, which will be both frugal in the 
> spender, contentment to the guest, and much pleasure and delight to 
> the beholders."
>
> The quote is from the end of Chapter II, Of Cookery.  Pages 123-124 in 
> Michael Best's edition.
>
> Ten to twelve courses is more medieval style of service.  By 1560, 
> three course great dinners were becoming the norm.  The service you 
> are describing will work if your execution is up to the concept.  A 
> lot will depend if your staff is up to resolving difficulties.
>
> I do have a historical problem with "above/below the salt."  I have 
> yet to find any references to the practice earlier than 19th Century, 
> which usually means it is yet another Victorian myth.  If you have any 
> references to the practice in period, I'd love to have them.
>
> The numbers on my feast are based on attendance and hall space. This 
> is one of the smallest venues I've used, but it's adequate for the 
> general attendance at the events which normally maxes out at 60.  The 
> small numbers are allowing me to experiment with presentation and 
> service.  I had 2-2.5 hours to serve the feast so getting the courses 
> out precisely in order and on time, so a good staff that would take 
> direction was critical.  They made me look very good.  And of special 
> note was Cailte's husband, who handled the carving after the meat 
> slicer died.  Get a good staff and keep it happy.
>
> Of course, you are insane; you're cooking a feast, aren't you. And 
> this list will want to hear about your adventures with your feast.
>
> Bear
>
>
> So far I'm working from The English Housewife as well, so that text
> looks awfully familiar :-)
>
> Where did the 32 dishes/course thing come from?  We're looking at more
> courses than that, spread out over far more time, and setting the
> expectation that "fast" does not have anything to do with this day.
> Courses will have entertainments in between, buying me time. I don't
> remember at the moment 10 or 12 courses overall.  The one place where
> "fast' matters is that when a course needs to hit, it needs to hit.  But
> this is how we are selling the event from the outset, so hopefully it
> will go over.  Who knows if it will work as a concept.
>
> We are going above/below the salt, above is limited to... 20? seats,
> below to 60?.  So I'm looking at a similar size to what you did, but
> currently at 3x as many dishes.  Also doing a couple dishes to feed the
> wait staff, but I can cook up a pot of stew in my sleep.
>
> But from that it sounds like I'm insane, but going in the correct-ish
> direction.
>
>