[MR] Well, we could pare down the feast, for one thing.

[Annie Hamel]

For having been a Feastocrat once or twice I can tell you this:

Feast money should only come from the feast fees.  The Feastocrat is
told ahead of time what he or she will have to work with, $5 or $10
per head for example.  We then have to work within this budget to
create the feast.  That someone can pull so much food out of so little
money is in itself a minor miracle.  You would go to a regular
restaurant or even just the grocery store and usually would have to
pay $50 or more to get what we usually serve at feast.

And while I can understand that multiple removes are boring, here's
another secret: Most groups don't have enough serving vessels to send
out more than 3 or 4 dishes at a time.  When you are done with your
first remove, there is a good chance that these dishes are then wisked
away to the kitchen, frantically emptied, washed and then filled again
with the dishes of the next remove.  That's part of the reason why it
takes so long.

As far as throwing food away, I would agree that we could do better
with that.  However, this is also a reflection of the Head Cook in the
kitchen more than anything.  Some do like the overaboundance of food,
some like to portion control.  I have worked many a times with a Head
Cook in particular that is so good at portion control, that in all her
feast, I have seen little to no food come back to the kitchen while
the gentles are happily sated.  Another issue are gentles paying for
feast, then leaving before it starts.  At my last feast, the hall was
supposed to be sold out.  But at our table, we were only three people.
 When we received the food intended for 8, there is no wonder that
more than half of it went back to the kitchen.

As far as entertainment goes, I would say, if you are bored and know
how to tell a story or sing, why don't you go ahead and do something?
At my last feast, I saw multiple examples of this spontaneous
entertainment.  Another thing I have seen is to hold a Bardic
competition during feast.  It's easy to complain about something, but
not so easy to do it, right?

The only drawback are the gentles who do not care for the person doing
the entertaining and feel that their conversation is more important,
preventing some of us from listening to the song or tale.  It takes a
stong performer to cut above conversations and some people don't feel
prepared enough to do this.

Only my 2 cents
Lady Heloise Le Gardeur

On Wed, Jun 23, 2010 at 9:55 AM, Gina Shelley <paintedwheel at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Actually, I used to be this way, too, back in the days when the hall was transformed into another time and place by flickering candles and lamps, beautifully set tables, and a steady stream of musicians and storytellers. In fact, at my first event, while I had a great time all day at the event, it was the beautiful mesmerizing place that was feast that really, really hooked me.
>
>
>
> Heck, we managed all that and STILL pulled some dancing together after.
>
>
>
> We don't do it that way anymore. That experience seems to be gone and what has replaced it is, (in my experience, anyways) pure tedium. Usually not worth it to me to sit for hours in a folding chair under the Ugly White Bars (mundane lighting. Ya'll know that's my personal pet peeve.)
>
>
>
> But again, at least for me, even if we did go back to this, the food itself is not what I am there for. It would be the company and the atmosphere. I'm happy with a bowl of stew and good friends.
>
>
>
> Dulcy
>
>
>
> I'm of the opposite opinion. Feasts are one of the reasons I joined the SCA, and after five years, they are still the highlight of most events for me.
> I find my Dream at a well set table with good friends enjoying good food and good wine. Lengthy removes add to that enjoyment. I'm happy sitting at a feast table for four hours or more, and would be disappointed if everything was served all at once in the mundane style.
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