Food is an intimate showing of hospitality. The cook has spent all
day giving his/her all to preparing the presentation, so I want to be a
part of it. The host group culminates the hospitality expression
in the grand feed Saturday night. Greatest opportunity for pageantry
and camaraderie in a quasi-medieval feeling setting. No cars or tennis
shoes or coolers or duct tape or nylon tents to get in the way...just
candles, food and friends....and beer if we are lucky!
The ambiance and the company of tablemates
The ambiance, when there is any.
I eat feast for the food. I ask around about the feastcrat's record
and the record of feasts at events hosted by the current group. If
I hear negative comments, I bring food with me. If I hear good comments,
I eat feast. In this manner I have avoided many of the "bad feast"
situations I have often heard about.
I would have to say food comes first, a theme ambiance and tablemates would
tie.
I'm normally there because my dear husband is. He keeps good company,
and so I usually enjoy time with my table companions.
The Feasts I have attended were usually for the company of friends and
to see the entertainment that was presented.
For the food, the ambiance, and the company of friends. It is a wind-down
time for our House, and one of the times that I really feel like I am IN
the middle ages.
Good time to visit with friends and just relax. Ambiance, entertainment
(not necessarily organized, as just the conversation can be highly entertaining.
The experience - I like the opportunity to "be there" with my fellows.
In the order listed (1) For the food (2) For the ambiance (3)
For the company of my table-mates (4) To meet new people
(5) For the convenience of not cooking and cleaning.
Ambiance more than anything else. The ability to get my dinner without
breaking out of the role or the mood to do it.
It is the best time to reflect on the day, enjoy the company of friends,
and FEEL the most medieval.
I need to eat; dislike leaving the site during an event; enjoy different
foods (adventurous eating is how they phrased it when I went to get my
shots for travel---so I should be good against typhoid an one of the hepatitis
variants) Hunger, easier than going out, medieval experience.
The food, the ambiance, and the company of tablemates. I like sharing
good food with good friends in a period atmosphere.
For one thing, I love to eat out :-) I think feasting and eating
together in hall is one of the things we can do to recreate a medieval
ambiance. This is why non-period food at a feast really bugs me.
Ambiance, and in some groups for the food, and an additional area to continue
to "play" (somehow going to the event then leaving for a short time for
McDonald's does not appeal to me, it breaks the mood for me). Company of
friends old and new.
It's often easier than bringing my own food. I pack a lunch and by
dinner don't want to think about getting another meal together.
Believe it or not, often for the convenience of it. If I'm AT an
event, it's often much more convenient to just eat there at feast
(again, depending on the group, their reputation for serving on time, whether
the food that was supposed to be hot IS hot, has the court delayed the
feast beginning.) Since I often am merchanting, I have to pack up,
put all my merchandise away and then leave to find a restaurant, so it
can get quite late by then.
For the food, the ambiance, and company. Usually whether I eat feast
is mostly based on whether I want to deal with food prep that evening.
If the event IS the feast, then of course I'm going for the food and to
support the group/fund to which the proceeds go.
I like to meet new people if I'm alone; if I'm not alone, I sometimes eat
it because it's easier than leaving site to find food (at rural sites or
in very bad weather this is a BIG factor). Mostly I eat feast because
of the ambiance and because some feasts are known to have great food (if
I know the feastocrat I can be reasonable sure of this).
The food and the company, and curiosity about how different cooks and
groups do feasts.
Food, Friends, Ambiance - in that order.
Food, ambiance, and company. At the end of an event, I want a good
meal (especially since I tend to forget to eat during the day), a chance
to pretend I'm actually in the Middle Ages, and some like-minded friends
to pretend along with me.
Because it's usually less hassle and more variety/quality than bringing
my own. (If I'm *not* eating the feast, then dinner is likely to be roast
beef and maybe some cheese, instead of multiple courses.)
It is - or should be - part of the medieval experience.
Good food!! If I even “think” that is not going to be good, I’ll skip feast.
If it's something I can eat (I have dietary restrictions), because it's
(usually) dinner-time. I can bring food, bring ambiance, and sit with my
friends anywhere.
Mainly for the ambiance secondly for the food.
Because it's a key social element of most events that I attend.
Food (bringing my own is a pain), company, being "at" the event (i.e. what
I'd lose by going out to a restaurant). Feasts are often unstructured
time, and thus good for schmoozing with people I don't get to see very
often.
Sometimes because the events of the day require such preparation that I
don't have the energy to put together an evening meal (and know it), often
because the site is going to be cold and hot food is necessary - if (family)
and I eat feast, many of our accompanying baronial members will also do
so, so I know that they are going to be eating something hot too. Same
logic for summer months, only then it's dehydration that I'm concerned
about. Also, since the majority of the events we attend are outside
of our barony, I can come back and tell our Cooks about the works of their
contemporaries (I wanted to say peers, but that doesn't work in this context,
does it? *grin*) I absolutely HATE a feast that is scheduled with
a Court through it. - To my mind, it deliberately shuts out the part of
the populace who are off-board. This may not be a problem in other Kingdoms,
but our feasts can usually only accommodate one third of the attendees,
so two thirds of the event attendees have the choice of missing feast or
standing against the walls while others eat in front of them. Neither option
conforms to my idea of "serving the Kingdom and its people".
I usually eat feast if the menu sounds good, there is enough meat on it
to satisfy my lord, and we have friends staying for feast.
Feast is a good time to get to know people outside your group. It's
a great time to sit back, relax away from doing other things, and of course
eating is always good at the end of a tiring day :)
I like to try new foods that I wouldn't normally have the opportunity to
try... as well as spending a nice quiet time with friends or people I've
just met.
My biggest reason to stay for feast is if there will be many people there
who I haven't seen in a while. Also, if the cook has a good reputation
(such as being a Laurel for cooking, or someone who does unusual feasts)
I'll stay.
It's part of the event. If I don't have a reason to leave early, or have
any major dietary restrictions (which I personally don't), than not joining
the feast is an insult to the hosts.
I eat feast mostly for new food experiences, and the ambiance. If
I do not eat feast, I still have the company of tablemates when we go out
to eat or eat at someone's house.
Because I have a reasonable chance of getting good food, good company and
a pleasant evening...
The food is important; valid attempts at period cookery add to the period
feel of the situation. The ceremonial ambiance (candle light, fancy
service to High Table, etc.) ditto. Unfortunately, all too often the talk
of one's tablemates turns to blatantly non-period topics, which tends to
disrupt the period feel. On the other hand, sitting at the feast
tends to give one an extended and usually little-interrupted period to
sit and talk with people, either friends one hasn't had much chance to
converse with earlier or strangers one can meet in this structured setting
-- which is generally welcome, after being on one's feet or otherwise active
all day.
The food should be an education. The ambiance and company of friends
is one of the most important aspects of a feast.
Hmmm... The food is usually really good and the Table company grants an
opportunity to meet new people.
A feast has to keep body and soul together, and it has to be tasty, but
if those were all I wanted, I'd go to a church potluck or to a restaurant.
I'm looking for an experience (a combination of food, service, hall, entertainment,
conversation, etc.) that helps me suspend disbelief in being in the Middle
Ages.
As a Kingdom Officer I usually have responsibilities that prevent me from
communing with friends. The feast is the perfect time for doing this.
For the food, the ambiance, and the company, but I'm usually disappointed
by the food.
When I do stay for a feast, it's usually because we've planned a big household
thing, so I guess you could say it's for the company of my tablemates.
I also make a particular effort to stay for Coronation feasts because it
seems like an important part of the recreation of a medieval coronation...so
I guess you could say *that's* for the ambiance.
I enjoy long feasts, with multiple courses and entertainment between.
No rushing.
Eating Feast is easier on me and the lady than cooking, cleaning, and we
can get dressed up with our finer garb, relax.
Yes, the reasons of the food, the ambiance, and the company you listed
are the primary reasons, and entertainment, plus I prefer not to have to
worry about bringing cooking gear and food when I camp.
For the food and the company of my friends.
Mostly, to see how other people are interpreting medieval foods, and
maybe get some ideas. Because I can. When circumstances allow, I eat feast.
Feast is fun, it's part of why I'm in the SCA. I like the ambiance, the
entertainment, the camaraderie.
The food, definitely. Ambiance can be wonderful. Just being
a part of a wonderful congenial group.
To prolong the Middle Ages, to have dinner with friends (some of
whom I have just met), to have a meal so I don't have to go to a fast food
place in garb, and to try different things, not necessarily in that order.
Good company and conversation, food (in that order).
The food, the ambiance, and the company Also, I love trying new dishes,
and find that good feasts usually have at least one dish that I have
never tried before. Another thing is that if I have traveled to another
town, I can usually eat the feast cheaper than going out to dinner.
For food that I wouldn't usually eat/cook, presence of friends/making
new friends, the ambiance--where else do you eat by candlelight?
Well, lately, it has been because I am Queen (for two more weeks), but
before that the reason was that the day that I have set aside to be medieval
should be as full of medieval stuff as possible. It helps my mindset,
as well as sets an example for others.
The company and camaraderie more than anything.
When I DO eat feast it is usually because my friends all bought feast or
one or more of my friends is the feastcrat.
It's enjoyable to taste something different, something NOT my own cooking.
It is often a gentle way to wind down after a busy and often hectic day
in a strange place.
The camaraderie, all of the above, the opportunity to meet new people,
the entertainment! Bards and entertainers add so much to a feast.
I'm always curious about how the food was prepared and seasoned.
I have no space to try some of the redacted recipes in my own kitchen.
This way I can taste and ask for the recipes that I like.
Food, folks, and fun- hey, even McD can't get everything wrong...
Why do anything in the SCA, in historical style? Fun and learning.
When I do go, it's for the ambiance and company.
I like trying period dishes if they are well prepared. I love
socializing with my friends. If the ambiance is good, it all comes together
in an unforgettable way.
The ambiance, company; continuation of the event.
Convenience, company, and the hope of good food are all factors.
Because Feast is like cake. You can eat plain cake, but it is better
with the icing. An event is fun, but with a good feast it is better.
Question 4 - Why do you eat feast?