SCA and Feasts - Stories Anyone?

[Suze]

OK - with the thread highjack on worst food ever

I thought that we might have enough stories 'tween us for a new thread.

Best Feast
Worst Feast
Most "Interesting" Feast or the "What WERE you thinking of feast"

and the ever popular

WHERE did my KITCHEN go? Feast

One of our sites packed up and went to Irac the week before our event.  Not a pot, pan, or dish of any kind in the kitchen.  Dollar Store to the rescue.  Another ripped out the kitchen days before an event. Not even a counter did they leave. (they called that one Yonnie's miracle feast)

[Venus193]

Perhaps the worst one, which I mentioned in the other thread, was the Twelfth Night feast with rabbit pie and pickled beef.  Only the bread was edible, so two guys from my table went out in search of a local Chinese place.

The most shameful one I can recall was hosted by a group that was riding on a former member's rep for good food (The knight who had prepared the cornish hens with grapes had long since moved out of the area).  Since I knew that this group didn't have a good cook left, my table paid the Off Board fee and brought our own food.  Lady Eleanor prepared a small turkey (which we pretended was a large capon); I prepared 6 cornish hens (3 glazed with cherry, 3 with apricot), two other ladies contributed side dishes, and I brought bread from Parisi's in my neighborhood (bread fit for the gods).  The official "feast" consisted of a soup that looked unrecognizable, canned beef stew, some kind of technology-produced meat product, and a little bread.  It was a total ripoff.

The largest spread -- relative to the attendance -- was one I was Feastocrat of.  In a group where attendance of 100 was normal and we would typically cook for 110, we ended up with 80 due to a political problem.  This feast had three full entrees:  my Boeuf Bourginon, Sir Vincenzo's Lemon Dill Chicken, and my Choucroute Garni.  Salad, bread, side dishes (noodles with the boeuf and wild rice with the chicken), and fresh fruit also provided.  There was enough food for another 30 people; my territory lost $200 on this feast.  Since I was also Exchequer, I was quite peevish.  However, we never lost money again because we never had less than full attendance after that one.

It's hard to be on a diet in the SCA.

[Suze]

Oh - the lovely politics. we have had a few run ins with that.

Our worst attended event was one called Rosemal Revel. At the time we were still an incipient group, and has one person in the Barony determined to get us to disband. (Hah - like that would happen) so he refused to sign the papers so we could get in the Kingdom newsletter. (he was also Baronial Senashel, He signed later under the watchful eyes of our Baroness. Who was doing a pretty good impression of a drill sargent on him)

So hardly anyone showed up, we must have had food for a good two hundred people, thanks to an overzealous cook.  She has long since left us for another state.  But Boy could she cook. 

Some kind souls that were there were PAYING us for the feast leftovers.  By the time we added up the event we had just enough to pay the Barony back what we had borrowed and had $13.46 left over.  For several years. Till we had another low attendance event, with even MORE food left over. (Same cook)  Those leftovers went to a homeless shelter. 

I miss Loren's "Shchickens"  they were the best I have ever had - she put some sort of fruit dressing between the skin of the bird and the flesh and roasted them all day. They fell apart under your spoon.

Our group is now under "orders" (our Barony is Peer heavy) to up our "Period" style.  (Yes, Master Brusten) and I think that the first thing we need to do is eat better than fast food at an event.   A couple of us have recently recieved a Purple Fret (Kingdom Service Award) and were told that we should strive to live up to it. (I guess after 15 years I should be trying harder than I am, so I don't feel bad about that order)

Have any quick food to recomend?  (Besides bread and cheese)

[Venus193]

One of the best feasts I ever worked my sous-chef -- who was a sous-chef professionally -- made roast beef and gravy, but used the commercial gravy cleverly by dividing it into three batches and spicing each differently.  The roasts were studded with garlic and rolled in crushed pepper prior to placing in the broiler; nothing else to be done but to watch it to make sure it didn't overcook.

My chicken with nut butter (If the recipe isn't in the Cookbook Project folder I will put it there) was also served, along with my garlic soup.  We also had a fabulous kitchen facility with a steam table.   The only leftovers at that feast were a little beef and vegetables, but every bite of everything else was consumed.

One thing I discovered quickly when planning events is that the most efficient thing to do is come up with a balance of advance-prepared and prepare-on-site things.

And nothing is more period than stew.

[supernova]

And nothing is more period than stew.

Stewed meats with herbs and savories?  Oh yes, incredibly period.  But modern "stew," combining meats, vegetables and starches, actually isn't period--just FYI.    I used to think so too, till I started researching and redacting my own recipes.

Easy quick recipes...  absolutely!  Buy a copy of "Pleyn Delit" (authors are Hieatt and Butler).  Everything in there is totally authentic and most of it is really yummy!    Or Siobhan Medhbh O'Roarke's "Travelling Dysshes" is really useful too, although not as many recipes--but it does have a really exhaustive "period/not period" foods list in it.

Cariadoc's Miscellany, online, has a lot of great stuff in it too; and you don't have to wait for Amazon.    http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/cariadoc/miscellany.html

     - saphie

[supernova]

One of our sites packed up and went to Irac the week before our event.  Not a pot, pan, or dish of any kind in the kitchen.  Dollar Store to the rescue.  Another ripped out the kitchen days before an event. Not even a counter did they leave. (they called that one Yonnie's miracle feast)

Oh my STARS!     I would have just sat down on the floor and cried.  I am absolutely in awe of your group, for pulling that one off!

I do a certain amount of prep cooking in the days running up to a feast, but no kitchen whatsoever...  ouch!

     - saphie

[Suze]

And that is why they called it "Yonnie's Miracle feast" This happened about a year befoe I joined (15 years ago) and they still talk about it. 

I think that I would have had a "Now What" moment myself.  But we are nothing if not resoursefull

One feast I helped with we ran out of serving bowls -- someone suggested making duct tape ones (I think they really did consider it.)

[Venus193]

The Brooklyn group once engaged a site that ended up not having a kitchen; they had to buy a lot of warming trays and change the menu to 100% advance prep stuff.  The site was beautiful, but not worth the money for one with no kitchen.

[ginlyn32]

What is the SCA?

What do they do?

Does one have to "dress" for these events?

Is that all they do is have feasts?

Ginger

[Lisbeth]

Once in Ansteorra, where I lived at the time, I threw up at a feast.  I'm not totally sure what triggered it.

I haven't been involved in SCA since moving to New York, but I'd like to be again.

[Venus193]

What is the SCA?

What do they do?

Does one have to "dress" for these events?

Is that all they do is have feasts?

Ginger

It is the Society for Creative Anachronism, and is primarily an historical re-enactment group.

http://www.sca.org/

Read all about it at that link.  It's more than feasts, and yes, you dress for them.

[Suze]

What is the SCA?

What do they do?

Does one have to "dress" for these events?

Is that all they do is have feasts?

Ginger

Oh Boy - I get to talk -

First the SCA stands for the Society for Creative Anachronism - We are a nonprofit, educational group devoted to studying and recreating the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.   Our time frame spans from 600 AD to 1600 AD.

The SCA was founded in Berkly CA on May Day of 1966. (Backyard Party for Diana Paxton) They had so much fun at that one they held another, and another, and ........

We have over 30,000 members world wide, that we know of.  There are probably that many that are not paid members (You don't have to join to go to events)

Events have many things to offer - Fighting, (we don't use real swords, but ones made of rattan wrapped with duct tape) archery, costuming, calligraphy, dancing, cooking, music, gaming, brewing, and if the space permits grayhound coursing and equestrian.

Yes, you have to make "some" attempt at a medieval costume to come to an event, but that is not too hard. A "pirate" shirt and dark sweatpants for a gentleman, or a peasant top and long skirt for a lady.  Or if you get involved with a group someone will always be willing to loan you an outfit for the day.

No feasts are not all we do, as you can see. I left a lot out.  If it was a craft then we can find someone to teach you how to do it now. 

Fair warning though -- be prepared to sit and listen for a looooong time if you ask someone a -How did you make that?" question.  We have a lot of people who are experts on lots of stuff.

There are a lot of "you know you are in the SCA when......." jokes out there that are sooooo true.  Like -- you take a history course in collage and find you have all the text books, and furthermore YOU wrote one of them.

And my favorite -- Your house is decorated in bookcase eclectic

You might want to go check out WWW.SCA.ORG  it is the main site for the whole shebang. Lots and lots of good information there (look under the Newcomers Section)

[Venus193]

How about:

You know you're in the SCA too long when....

...you describe the neighbors as "Lord and Lady Winston"
...you don't know any songs composed after 1600
...you sign your societal name on checks
...you enter a restaurant and say "6 On Board, please."

[Suze]

You know you're in the SCA when....

...you get credit card come ons in your Persona's name (last week in fact!)

...You have to go to school to tell the teacher that "Yes, Child is correct and the history text is wrong" (and seriously think about going in garb)

...bow or curtsy when the Bride walks down the isle

... or when the Judge walks into court

...yell - HOLD - to get someone to stop something (outside of an event)

Oh the list goes on and on

and then there are SilverWings Laws  http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/2888/laws.html
also good for some SCA thought

and then there is SCA barbie  http://www.gmpiv.com/Humor/Medieval_SCA/SCABarbie.html

[ginlyn32]

So are these the same groups that hold Renessance Festivals?

We have one in GA that is really big, it goes the whole month of May. I think I may go this year.

Does your outfit have to be totally Middle Ages...I mean if you join? Do they allow for first-timers?

It sounds like so much fun!

*goes to check out links*

Ginger