Title: game-at-fsts-msg
Subject: Serving game animals at SCA feasts.
Author: Edited by Mark S. Harris
Last saved by: Mark S. Harris
Keywords: game, feast, SCA. elk, venison, goose, boar, duck, pheasant

game-at-fsts-msg - 4/16/11

Serving game animals at SCA feasts.

NOTE: See also the files: rasng-fd-fsts-msg, Whole-Pig-Fst-art, whole-pig-msg, rabbit-dishes-msg, venison-msg, exotic-meats-msg, beaver-meat-msg, hunting-msg.

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    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2011 10:49:20 -0700
From: Deborah Hammons <mistressaldyth at gmail.com>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Game for Your Feast

For over 20 years we have had Hunters Feast here in Windkeep, Outlands.  It
is all donated wild game.  Unless hunting was not successful :-)).  We have
had deer, elk, antelope, moose, buffalo, rabbit, chukkar, pheasant, goose,
duck, turkey, salmon, trout, bass, boar.  I have seen very sparse wild game
offerings elsewhere in kingdom.  If you would like the recipes, I will see
what I can do.

Aldyth

On Tue, Mar 1, 2011 at 9:31 AM, Sam Wallace <guillaumedep at gmail.com> wrote:
<<< I have started work on a compilation project. I am pulling recipes for
game, birds and fish from various medieval works and putting them
together on one site. Obviously, any work used in this other than my
own will be used with permission and credit. You are invited to see my
(very rough) first draft here:
(http://talisman.clift.org/sam/sca/gamecookbook/). I welcome any
feedback.

Working on this project led me to review what I have served and seen
served of these foods within the context of the SCA. I was curious as
to how often game, wild birds, or fish are served at events in the
respective kingdoms of members of this list. What have you served or
seen served? How typical is it to have game or seafood at feast? From
where are your experiences in this drawn?

I have served boar (domestic, but served as a wild boar), game birds,
quail, venison, shrimp, frog legs, crayfish, oysters, and salmon. I
have also served turkey, duck and rabbit, all of which were typically
or were often domestic animals when served in medieval Europe but are
often hunted in the modern US.

I do not recall much beyond an occasional bit of fish (trout or
salmon) at other events in this kingdom (Meridies). Sadly, the folks
who prepare these often do not get much of a review as the majority of
folks in this area seem to be fish-averse.

Guillaume >>>

Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2011 12:19:20 -0900 (AKST)
From: morgana at gci.net
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Game for Your Feast

Up here in Winter's Gate (Fairbanks, Alaska), we have served salmon 
often, followed by halibut, and occasionally moose. Almost always 
donated. Crustaceans, unfortunately, are way too expensive so far 
inland, for feasting purposes. But we try to offer at least a salmon 
dish at each major feast, and they turn up at potlucks often. Game and 
fish are always devoured; no problems with fussy eaters here.

We did a German feast years ago and managed to find rabbit. Yummy.

Morgana yr Oerfa

Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2011 12:53:17 +1300
From: Antonia di B C <dama.antonia at gmail.com>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Game for Your Feast

On 2/03/2011 5:31 AM, Sam Wallace wrote:
<<< I have served boar (domestic, but served as a wild boar), game birds,
quail, venison, shrimp, frog legs, crayfish, oysters, and salmon. I
have also served turkey, duck and rabbit, all of which were typically
or were often domestic animals when served in medieval Europe but are
often hunted in the modern US. >>>

I've personally served venison, duck, swan, salmon, tuna, white fish, 
shrimp, and suckling pig (as well as less exciting meats).  At other 
people's feasts, I've had pheasant, goat, rabbit, quail, mussels, 
scallops... and probably some other things I've forgotten.

<<< I do not recall much beyond an occasional bit of fish (trout or
salmon) at other events in this kingdom (Meridies). Sadly, the folks
who prepare these often do not get much of a review as the majority of
folks in this area seem to be fish-averse. >>>

We tend to be seafood enthusiasts, for the most part.  The best-received 
thing I ever cooked was tuna.
-- 
Antonia di Benedetto Calvo

Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2011 19:02:21 -0500
From: Alexander Clark <alexbclark at pennswoods.net>
To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: [Sca-cooks]  Game for Your Feast

On Tue, 1 Mar 2011 11:31:05 -0500, Sam Wallace <guillaumedep at gmail.com> wrote:
<<< I have started work on a compilation project. I am pulling recipes for
game, birds and fish from various medieval works and putting them
together on one site. Obviously, any work used in this other than my
own will be used with permission and credit. You are invited to see my
(very rough) first draft here:
(http://talisman.clift.org/sam/sca/gamecookbook/ ). I welcome any
feedback.

Working on this project led me to review what I have served and seen
served of these foods within the context of the SCA. I was curious as
to how often game, wild birds, or fish are served at events in the
respective kingdoms of members of this list. What have you served or
seen served? How typical is it to have game or seafood at feast? From
where are your experiences in this drawn?

I have served boar (domestic, but served as a wild boar), game birds,
quail, venison, shrimp, frog legs, crayfish, oysters, and salmon. I
have also served turkey, duck and rabbit, all of which were typically
or were often domestic animals when served in medieval Europe but are
often hunted in the modern US.

I do not recall much beyond an occasional bit of fish (trout or
salmon) at other events in this kingdom (Meridies). Sadly, the folks
who prepare these often do not get much of a review as the majority of
folks in this area seem to be fish-averse. >>>

I'm happy to see that someone's working on this. Game tends to be one
area where our feasts are conspicuously deficient. BTW, have you
looked into sources for ingredients? I've found from shopping around
that some kinds of game birds and beasts (even some that are wild
caught) are available from farms or by web/mail order. There are more
than a few "elk" farms where you can buy wapiti/American elk (Cervus
canadensis, formerly known as C. elaphus/red deer), and there are
several businesses selling wild boar/feral swine on the web.

I especially recommend wild boar/feral swine, as it is an invasive
species and a serious pest, and it is also relatively easy (due to its
size) to arrange to have the slaughter of each individual animal
inspected and approved. Eat 'em up, serves 'em right! :-) Boar often
appears in period menus and recipes as "brawn" or "singler". (But
"brawn" is also used to refer to flesh of other species too, in which
case the species will be named.)

I've also read of feral pigeons being caught and sold as "barn birds".
This might be a good deal, as the prices I've seen for farmed pigeon
are pretty high.

BTW, one little quibble: I doubt that turkey was served in the middle
ages. Maybe in the Renaissance, certainly thereafter, but I think not
before.

In answer to the question of what I've served: I've recently served
farmed venison (wapiti) at two feasts, twice as venison with furmenty,
and once as larded roast venison with pevorat. I was going to serve
brawn (boar) at the second one (the Feast of Candlemas last month, at
which I was the chief cook), but it was one of several things that
fell through on the day of the event. Small loss, since there was
freezing rain and only a few people showed up. I served it at a cook's
guild gathering the next day. At the Feast of Candlemas I also served
minced pigeon (squab, to be precise) and salmon roasted in sauce
(that's period grammar, it's roasted and then sauced), and poached
whole flounder in green sauce for lunch. I had previously served the
same salmon recipe, two years before at our Imbolc event, for lunch,
and that time the weather was decent so I got to grill it with
hardwood.

From my study of medieval English menus, I can offer a short list of
game animals, or animals that we might think of as game, that were
often served in flesh-day feasts. The ones that I find most often in
the menus, in approximate order by how many menus they appear in, are:

Swan (Cygnus olor)
Venison (most occurrences could be either red deer (Cervus elaphus),
fallow deer (Dama dama), or roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)
Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) (historically domestic, now feral in
many regions)
Coney (mature rabbit)
Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Partridge (Perdix perdix)
Boar (Sus scrofa)
Quail (Coturnix coturnix)
Heron (Ardea cinerea)
Plover (Pluvialis apricaria)
Curlew
Pigeon (Columba livia) (historically domestic, now feral in many regions)
Crane
Lark (Alauda arvensis)
Egret
Pike (Esox lucius)

The binomial names are the ones that I am pretty sure are the species
that are most recognized in England, though I don't guarantee that all
of them are correct. There are a few I haven't looked up; I don't
expect to be using them any time soon.

The animals in at least the top half of this list are found in a large
fraction of the menus. I think boar would have been on one more, but
one of the menus is for the coronation of Richard III, and both boar
and domestic pig are conspicuously absent. :-/
-- 
Henry of Maldon/Alex Clark

Date: Tue, 1 Mar 2011 22:48:31 -0500
From: "Jim and Andi Houston" <jimandandi at cox.net>
To: "'Cooks within the SCA'" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Game for Your Feast

I personally have cooked and served Florida mahi, salmon, basa, trout, water
buffalo (ranched all over Florida), venison, rabbit (farmed), and wild hog.
And baby octopus as a garnish. 

Madhavi
An Crosaire, Trimaris

Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2011 01:12:17 -0500
From: Alexander Clark <alexbclark at pennswoods.net>
To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Game for Your Feast

I forgot to mention in my first reply to this topic, I also cooked
mackerel in sauce for lunch last fall. That was from the Forme of Cury
recipe; what I found in the kitchen for other herbs was parsley and
fennel tops, which turned out good.
-- 
Henry/Alex

Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2011 21:39:34 +1030
From: "Claire Clarke" <angharad at adam.com.au>
To: <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: [Sca-cooks]  Game for Your Feast

Working on this project led me to review what I have served and seen
served of these foods within the context of the SCA. I was curious as
to how often game, wild birds, or fish are served at events in the
respective kingdoms of members of this list. What have you served or
seen served? How typical is it to have game or seafood at feast? From
where are your experiences in this drawn?

Guillaume
------------------------------
I serve venison quite commonly (I know a place I can get it the same price
as beef), and have served rabbit (wild and farmed) and fish. Also quail,
though not at a feast. I haven't seen anyone else do much more around here.
Game meats aren't exactly commonly available, the local wildlife isn't
really standard eating material, and hunting is not a common pastime. 

Angharad

Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2011 09:04:35 -0500
From: Sam Wallace <guillaumedep at gmail.com>
To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Game for Your Feast

To concatenate several replies:
<<< I'm happy to see that someone's working on this. Game tends to be one area where our feasts are conspicuously deficient. BTW, have you looked into sources for ingredients? I've found from shopping around that some kinds of game birds and beasts (even some that are wild caught) are available from farms or by web/mail order. There are more than a few "elk" farms where you can buy wapiti/American elk (Cervus canadensis, formerly known as C. elaphus/red deer), and there are several businesses selling wild boar/feral swine on the web.

I have only ever used fish and once, quail.  It is very difficult to get venison in Pennsylvania unless you have hunters in your group; venison is not permitted for sale to the public in this state.  And locally, finding things like rabbit isn't very easy either, although it can be done in some places.

I especially recommend wild boar/feral swine, as it is an invasive species and a serious pest, and it is also relatively easy (due to its size) to arrange to have the slaughter of each individual animal inspected and approved. >>>

In the various states I have lived, game processing businesses are not
allowed to sell game meat for a profit. However, they can recoup their
losses when a customer fails to pick up an order after having dropped
it off. In other words, it is often possible to get deer et cetera for
the price of processing. The meat is processed in an inspected
facility, though there is obviously less control of the conditions in
which the animal was killed. There are typically different
requirements for processing different animals. I have personally
relied on this method for acquiring deer. Other animals I have bought
were farm raised. While I enjoy hunting and fishing, I do not get out
enough to count on supplying game for more than a small gathering.

Guillaume

Date: Wed, 02 Mar 2011 20:11:54 -0500
From: "Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius" <adamantius1 at verizon.net>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Game for Your Feast

On Mar 1, 2011, at 11:31 AM, Sam Wallace wrote:
<<< Working on this project led me to review what I have served and seen
served of these foods within the context of the SCA. I was curious as
to how often game, wild birds, or fish are served at events in the
respective kingdoms of members of this list. What have you served or
seen served? How typical is it to have game or seafood at feast? From
where are your experiences in this drawn? >>>

Seafood is pretty common here; my local group is within about ten miles of the primary market for seafood that serves much of the northeast coastal region of the US. Actually, I am about ten miles from it, and it is technically on my group's land.

We have some fish-averse folk, many, many who like it when prepared well, some who had never really had it prepared well until encountering it at SCA events, and a sufficient number of true piscomaniacs that leftovers are never an issue.

<<< I have served boar (domestic, but served as a wild boar), game birds,
quail, venison, shrimp, frog legs, crayfish, oysters, and salmon. I
have also served turkey, duck and rabbit, all of which were typically
or were often domestic animals when served in medieval Europe but are
often hunted in the modern US.

I do not recall much beyond an occasional bit of fish (trout or
salmon) at other events in this kingdom (Meridies). Sadly, the folks
who prepare these often do not get much of a review as the majority of
folks in this area seem to be fish-averse. >>>

In the East the most common seafood is probably salmon (usually farmed). I have served salmon, cod (fresh, air-dried and salted), whiting, sole, herring, sea scallops, shrimp, lobster, mussels, and various other more obscure fish in smaller quantities (in other words, small dishes for high table, personal gifts, etc.).

Not much in the way of game birds around here; domestic birds include chicken, the occasional turkey, capon, a fair amount  of duck, somewhat less goose, some quail and pheasant. I have heard of squab being served, have heard rumors of peacock, and tasted emu at a feast once.

Mammal-type meat is generally farmed for us in my area, but not always: I have served beef, pork, veal, lamb, deermeat venison both farmed and wild, wild elk, and been present when bear was served.

Adamantius, East

<the end>

Edited by Mark S. Harris	game-4-feasts-msg	  of