[MR] Posting Feast Menus

[Betty Eyer]

I am betting that I have more food allergies than
anyone (a bold, but probably safe bet).  I never leave
home for a day trip without packing my own lunch.  The
only reason I ever go on board is to sit with friends,
because I assume that I cannot eat anything put before
me.  But some feast cooks do consider food allergies
and vegetarians and some do not.

Any consideration of my food needs is always
appreciated and I am more likely to go on board at a
future event if the cook has been kind to me in the
past.  So I for one would really appreciate a menu.
Certainly if your event has a webpage, post one there.


Having been cook and autocrat before, I do not suggest
listing ingredients.  A broad description should be
enough.  Those who are concerned that there might be
nuts in a dish, for instance, can contact you.

If a cook is interested in feeding and pleasing most
of their audience, I have some simple advice:
1. Consider the vegetarians. It is very disappointing
to look forward to a vegetable soup only to find that
it is cooked in beef broth.  Since there are so many
period ways to add flavor without adding meat(many
period recipes have a lenten alternative), it is
really not necessary.  Paying $$ for a meal that
amounts to bread, cheese and a dessert is not fun.

2. Keep it simple!  Serve the sauce on the side! Make
it recognizable! Wheat, dairy, and nuts are the most
common food allergies, with shellfish close behind.
Around 5% of the population has food allergies and
that number is growing for a variety of reasons,
although it is my unscientific opinion that this
percentage is higher in the SCA than the general
population.  That means that at a large event with 300
at feast, about 15 people can't eat one of the
ingredients listed above.  Having at least one or two
dishes that are not "contaminated" with any of these
might make the difference for those people between
hunger and satiety.  Some finicky types who do not
suffer allergies, like fighters and children, also
like simple foods that they can recognize at a glance.


Sorry to be so verbose, but you hit a nerve.

=====
Magdalena de Hazebrouck-Purpure, a fess fusilly argent between three torches or.
"Don't be afraid to take a big step.  You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps." David Lloyd George

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