Potlucks…Or What Should I Bring to This Medieval Thing
by: HL Elizabeth Chatfeld
( To summit a linkor artical email the Webminister )

This is a slightly modified version of an article from the Raven’s Cry Issue #1

Before the last potluck I had a number of people ask me for ideas as to what they should bring as a contribution. After the third recitation of ideas I resolved to do an article on the topic. I am by no means an expert… I just like to cook. I also like to eat and I've been to enough Ithra courses, feasts and potlucks to have a good idea of what to bring.

Please note that not everything I suggest here is 100% period… The food is in most cases, however, close enough to period to be acceptable at a potluck. I am assuming that if you are capable of producing a completely period dish, then you don’t need my help.

I would also like to add that I obtained a lot of information for this article from A Period Potluck and Survival Guide by Owen Pen Aur, A longtime potluck survivor.

So you are going to an event with a potluck and you have no idea what to bring…

Well, first off read the event copy and see if it is a specific type of potluck. Some have themes. A particular style of food (ex: Arabic) might be requested, or perhaps a type of food may be required (ex: finger foods).

A very common way of organizing a potluck is by dividing the categories of food up according to your mundane last name. Also common is a division based on the area you come from, with those in the hosting group usually providing the main dishes and the farther away groups bringing the easier to tote ones.

There are also organized potlucks and if the Feastocrat requests that you contact them about what to bring, then do so, and they will help you with either ideas or recipes.

Often it is also a good idea to find out if there are faci1ities available for cooking, heating up, or even keeping food warm at the site. Even if they do have a kitchen you should bring everything needed to prepare your food including serving spoons and cleanup supplies.

Other important things to remember is that each person should provide about enough for ten servings. We're not talking fighter sizes here…Remember, there will be other food available, so that would be about a spoonful of rice or a ladle of soup.

One way for a couple to provide a contribution is to bring a dish that compliments the other (example: chicken and rice). If you are with a group you could all chip in and provide a lot of one dish, but please make sure there are enough servings.

Really important to remember is a card or paper with a list of the ingredients on it. Please remember that there are people with allergies (ex: peanuts or wheat) and food preferences (ex: vegan)

Ok, so now you either have had your choice narrowed down a little or you're still at a total loss. How about starting with your abilities…

If you burn water please don't suddenly decide to make a go of cooking a period dish.

There are lots of things that people of no skill can pick up at a local store. For example, there are pre-cooked foods like chicken, deli meats (ham, sausage, and pates), Cornish pasties, sausage rolls, smoked fish and meats, breads and buns (pumpernickel French, rye, cheese, herb, fruit, foccaccia, etc) as well as desserts like pies, squares, cakes (try to get those that are making an effort to look period like fruit pies, gingerbread or pound cake).

There are other foods from the grocery store that you can just arrange on a tray, such as dried fruit (dates, figs, apricots, apples, etc) and nuts -except pecans- (If unshelled provide nutcracker and a bowl for discards), fresh fruit (apples, oranges, grapes, pomegranates, peaches, pears, apricots, etc), cheeses (havarti, feta, gouda, gruyere, brie, etc), and vegetables (ok, these are best cut up and served with a dip).

Foods to avoid are baking powder and soda, tomatoes, potatoes (sweet potatoes are period though), peppers, cocoa, vanilla, most beans (except soy and fava/broad beans) corn, watermelon, bananas, pineapple and other more exotic fruits and vegetables (when in doubt...) and anything past its expiry date.

If you have a bit of time to spend on a little preparation then there are a number of things you can make.

Suppose you bring bread. You should consider bringing something to serve with the bread. Butter is good…honey is also good… but why not mix them together and make honey butter... or add cinnamon and have honey cinnamon butter? Another thing to mix with butter is garlic and/or herbs. If you're feeling artistic you can even sculpt the butter into shapes.

Dips are another simple item to make. Hummus is always popular or you can use sour cream or yogurt (with mayonnaise if you really want to) for a basic dip. Chopped chives, garlic, green onions, parsley and other herbs or parmesan, crumbled feta, and romano cheeses or chopped spinach can also be added. Served in a hollowed out round of bread this actually looks period even if it is not.

For dessert how about a fruit salad, or fruit mixed with whipped cream, or fruit served over a simple cake or sweet biscuit.

If you have the time and the desire to cook there are a number of easy things to make that don't require a period recipe.

Soups and stews for example. Omit the "foods to avoid" mentioned above from the ingredient listing and many modern recipes wi1l do. Try substituting turnips for potatoes and remember that rice, barley, noodles, chickpeas, dried peas, and lentils can all be used to make the dish go further. Please note that thickening with bread crumbs or eggs was period.

Roasted meat, poultry, and fish are always popular dishes as most people can identify them. If you use a cheaper cut of meat you can either marinate it or make it a pot roast with vegetables or even dried or fresh fruit. Liquids can be water, wine, cider, or juice, and herbs and spices can add that special touch.

Pies are another easy one. Quiche by many other names is still period. Meat and poultry pies can have vegetables in them or not according to your taste and budget.

If you want to bring a vegetable dish why not neeps, which are cooked turnips and carrots mashed together with butter and/or milk and spices such as cinnamon. There are also cooked carrots with butter, honey and maybe a little lemon juice. Salads tossed with an oil and vinegar dressing is another option.

For side dishes rice and couscous are quite common. Serve it plain or fancy it up with broth or juice or maybe add vegetables, raisins, nuts and/or herbs and spices. Use your imagination and common sense.

Last, but most definitely a favourite, are the desserts. Let's start with fruit ... This can be as simple as baked apples, fruit compotes, and fruit crumbles and crisps... Or you can bake wonderful fruit and nut breads, gingerbread, pies (try to avoid coconut cream, grasshopper, and other obvious modem types) cakes (the same rule applies here, too), shortcakes, and cookies like shortbread and gingerbread. Rice or steamed puddings are also tasty.

Then there is the replica of the 12 th century castle you've always wanted to make with the marzipan knights and the sugared fruit walkway... But that's another day perhaps. .

Now, as I'm about to finish this up (for this has gotten really long and I have gotten really hungry) I'd just like to add a few reminders…

-Firstly, keep foods that need to be kept cold in a cooler or fridge until needed.

-Secondly, make sure there are approximately ten servings from each person.

-Thirdly, serve your food in period containers with period serving utensils (try to label them) and if you don't cut things that need it into slices, then try to supply a knife for that purpose.

-Fourthly, write out a label with the name of the dish and include a list of ingredients.

-And finally, bring a bag to put your messy feast gear as well as something to put any unused food into.

Enjoy the feast!

This is the recognized Web Page for Ravensley, an Incipient Branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. (SCA). It is not a corporate publication of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc.and does not delineate SCA policies. In cases of conflict with printed versions of material presented on this page or its links, the dispute will be decided in favour of the printed version