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GT-Unicrn-Fst-art - 10/10/08

 

Review of the "Grand Tournament of the Unicorn Feast" served in the Middle Kingdom on April 4, 2008 by Lady Avelyn Grene.

 

NOTE: See also the files: French-Tbl-Srv-art, headcooks-msg, kitchen-clean-msg, Medievl-Feasts-art, prim-sit-fsts-msg, Run-a-Feast-art, servng-drinks-msg, fd-transport-msg.

 

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    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous

                                          Stefan at florilegium.org

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Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 22:23:44 -0400

From: Avelyn Grene <avelyn at greneboke.com>

Subject: [Sca-cooks] Grand Tournament of the Unicorn Feast Review -

      Long Post

To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org, mk-cooks at midrealm.org

 

I've been mulling this over for a couple of days now, trying to decide

exactly how I feel things went.

 

In general, this feast has given me a huge headache for months now, not

because of the research or planning, but because of constrictions by the

group. After all this though, I think it turned out really well.

 

Background for those who are not aware, I had no kitchen on site to cook

in, only a hallway (that led to site bathrooms) to serve out of.  Some

food was made and put in the freezer ahead of time (sausage and bread),

most of it was prepped/made in a professional catering kitchen less than

a mile from site, and the rest of it (mostly little stuff) was

made/prepped in a small cabin with a kitchen which is walking distance

from site.

 

Menu:

The food itself was really well received.  I was complimented on the

balance of all the food within it and within the course.

 

First Course:

Cold items were put on the tables before guests came to sit, and the two

hot dishes were served when Their Majesties were settled in.  I had a

bit a trouble getting the cold dishes on the table though, which was the

result of two simultaneous problems: one of my kitchen staff, and my

hall steward (more on this later).  The sausage was very well received,

as well as the pasta.  People were not really sure what to do with the

salat of apples and onions.  The flavors blend beautifully, but I think

it worried a lot of people.

 

Entrement:

The entrement went over really well, which was good.  Their Majesties

seemed to have a good time throwing grapes at paper boats.  They also

took it upon themselves to "shoot" the server, who was a great sport and

fell over and played dead.

 

Second Course:

Cold dishes were plated before feast began, so that helped alot.  We had

no trouble getting the hot food plated and sent out.  The shrimp and

rice went over very well, so that was exciting.  Head table received

their rice in individual blind-baked crusts, since it is a bit messy.

 

Third Course:  

The marzipan torte was well received, which is good because making them was tedious - the marzipan was pressed into a dragon mold I made, we colored the rosewater that was sprinkled on top green, and it was garnished with a raspberry syrup to make a pale -

yay heraldic food.  They were individually plated, which meant

serving trays were needed.  This caused some confusion, as the servers

apparently did not receive proper instructions on pairing up to deliver

the food.  It worked out in the end though.  Also, the comfits were well

received... I had people sneaking in after feast to grab some.

 

Entertainment:

Originally the entertainment line up was  the entrement after the first

course, and our local comedia troupe, I Scandali, to perform during the

third course, which was, I thought, a nice balance, and not overdoing

it. However, the autocrat decided to add a bardic performance the day

before the event, and she did not come to ask when to perform until

feast was starting, she performed during the second course.  Also, Her

Majesty had requested a local night to sing a song for her, which he

told me after feast started, and he performed before the entrement.  I

think it all worked out okay, though it did make things (like serving)

take longer than it probably should have.

 

Clean up:

This was atrocious.  Generally people volunteer to help clean up after

events. Not at this one.  We had tubs set up to wash some things as we

went (like utensils, as we were short), which worked out reasonably

well. We put a tub out in the hall after feast for people to wash feast

gear. Our water supply was cut off half way through feast, which meant

running to the cabin for more water, ugh.  The lack of help amazed me.  

Ultimately we ended up packing stuff up dirty to take home to clean.  If

TE Helewyse and Thumper had not helped, we would have been there all

night. I also didn't receive any help from the other event staff to

carry and load equipment into vehicles.

 

 

What worked (planning/food):

 

The Brain (tm).  Couldn't have done it without it. I had two copies of

all recipes, menus, etc (one for me at the catering place, and one at

the cabin).  I had previously laid out what was being done and where.  I

figured out where tables were going to go during plating before the

event. Pre-marking which plates were being used for what dishes, and

having them counted out.  Having garnishes ready to put with food.  

Separating food items by course where they were being stored.

 

-Having a designated area on the staging table for the food for head table.

 

What can be changed/added (planning/food):

 

-Minor kitchen help issues, at least with one person, who happened to be in charge of the cabin since Doc was doing the royalty lunch.  

Ultimately she did a good job, but she seemed to drop the ball a bit in

a few places.

 

-Having the posted menu include the dishes as well as what garnish/plate

goes with which dish - in large font.  The one we had was a bit small.

 

-I want to get those plastic breakdown-able shelves, mark them by

course, and sort/store everything for that course on the shelves.  Even

when things were separated out on the tables, things were getting mixed

up due to people setting stuff down, or pick things up they didn't need to.

 

Outside factors that affected feast:

 

-A number of things were left at the cabin, and had to be fetched.  The hazards of working out of multiple places, and people overlooking

things... while I understand these things will happen, there were

multiple trips made back to the cabin to retrieve items.  It was

frustrating. Especially since my staff should have been plating instead of searching for things.

 

-Court being pushed back half an hour, and my not being informed of

it. Had I known,  I would have brought hot food from the catering

kitchen over later.  This way my sternos on my chafers would not be

going out when feast started.

 

-It took forever for people to get settled in.  I had planned on feast

beg ginning around 6:30-6:45.  It started at 7:45.  It ended at 9:15.

 

-Troll did not have a sign up sheet for feast.  This resulted in

confusion over how many seats had been sold.  After counting, they were

a few under, and decided not to sell it out or create a waiting list.  

Ultimately they did not sell 7 seats (I planned for 80 seats).

 

-Four servers did not show up.  So, when servers needed organized to put

the first course on the tables, my hall steward was frantically looking

for more servers.

 

-Our feast hall is underneith a campus dining hall, and they graciously

supply our water for the event for fighters and for feast.   The dining

hall employees leave and lock up at 8pm, which means we can't get water

after 8.  Since feast started at 7:45 this was a bit of an issue. We

filled the containers (2 5gal jugs) before they closed, but ended up

having to ration drinks toward the end (We did not completely run out

though!). We were also lacking easy access to more water for dish washing.

 

Any thoughts or opinions are graciously accepted.

 

Avelyn

--

Lady Avelyn Grene

Apprentice to Master Edouard Halidai

Chronicler and Historian for Barony Flaming Gryphon

 

The Commonplace Boke of Lady Avelyn Grene

http://www.greneboke.com">www.greneboke.com <http://www.greneboke.com/">http://www.greneboke.com/>

 

 

Date: Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:02:28 +1200

From: Antonia Calvo <ladyadele at paradise.net.nz>

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Grand Tournament of the Unicorn Feast Review

        - Long Post

To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

 

Avelyn Grene wrote:

> Clean up:

> This was atrocious.  Generally people volunteer to help clean up after

> events.  Not at this one.

 

I find it's helpful to sign people up for cleanup beforehand and/or have

a Herald "remind" people that help is needed in the kitchen.

 

> -Minor kitchen help issues, at least with one person, who happened to be

> in charge of the cabin since Doc was doing the royalty lunch.

> Ultimately she did a good job, but she seemed to drop the ball a  

> bit in a few places.

 

Inexperience?  Too many responsibilities?

 

> Outside factors that affected feast:

> -A number of things were left at the cabin, and had to be fetched.  

> The hazards of working out of multiple places, and people overlooking

> things...  while I understand these things will happen, there were

> multiple trips made back to the cabin to retrieve items.  It was

> frustrating.  Especially since my staff should have been plating  

> instead of searching for things.

 

I think it's a good idea to schedule a "missing items" run during the

course of the feast.

 

We're very organized and do mental walkthroughs of everything when

getting the equipment together, but there's usually still one thing or

another left behind.

 

> -Court being pushed back half an hour, and my not being informed of

> it. Had I known,  I would have brought hot food from the catering

> kitchen over later.  This way my sternos on my chafers would not be

> going out when feast started.

 

May I recommend developing a very fearsome reputation :-)

(I don't know how I did this.  I'm hard to really rile and rarely even

raise my voice.  But there is no dessert for naughty Kings who come late

to dinner.)

 

> -It took forever for people to get settled in.  I had planned on feast

> beg ginning around 6:30-6:45.  It started at 7:45. It ended at 9:15.

 

See above.  Get people onto the idea that when you say that the feast

will be served at 6:30, the food will be on the table at 6:30.

 

> -Troll did not have a sign up sheet for feast.  This resulted in

> confusion over how many seats had been sold.  After counting, they were

> a few under, and decided not to sell it out or create a waiting list.

> Ultimately they did not sell 7 seats (I planned for 80 seats).

 

Can't suggest much that you can do as an individual. Southron Gaard has

made advance bookings pretty much compulsory for all feasts, so we

always know how many to expect.

 

> -Four servers did not show up.  So, when servers needed organized to put

> the first course on the tables, my hall steward was frantically  

> looking for more servers.

 

That's a damn nuisance, but it's also something that begins to resolve

itself as you build rapport with the available people.

(I've got it down to the point where, when I failed to organise servers

for a big feast, I got the Hall steward and told him "Go find one of the

[usual gang of] idiots and get them to round up enough of the other

idiots to serve. :-)  )

 

> -Our feast hall is underneath a campus dining hall, and they graciously

> supply our water for the event for fighters and for feast.   The dining

> hall employees leave and lock up at 8pm, which means we can't get water

> after 8.  Since feast started at 7:45 this was a bit of an issue. We

> filled the containers (2 5gal jugs) before they closed, but ended up

> having to ration drinks toward the end (We did not completely run out

> though!).  We were also lacking easy access to more water for dish  

> washing.

 

Find a better solution for that.  Seriously.  No access to water is not

just inconvenient, but when you're cooking, it's a bit of a health  

hazard.

--

Antonia Calvo

(formerly known as Adele de Maisieres)

 

<the end>



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Comments to the Editor: stefan at florilegium.org