Pennsic period feasts are coordinated by Roz. Contact her if you are a chef or kitchener. You are required to provide her with a menu in advance so that we can better coordinate food usage and avoid over buying. There will also be a Pennsic spice cabinet for use by all cooks. The list of spices contained in it appear at the bottom of this page.
Pennsic is the perfect time for the novice kitchener to learn the process of planning and executing feasts, and for the experienced kitchener to try out new recipes and cooking styles. Because this is camping, the cooking experience may be different that what you are used to. Here are some guidelines.
1. Dietary constraints:
Rosemounde: serious garlic allergy (check labels), allergic also to melons and
bananas, lactose intolerant
(but uses pills and eats it anyway).
Francesca: gluten sensitive
Solveig and Olrun: Vegetarian--eggs and milk OK for Solveig.
Olrun is vegan.
This doesn't mean you cannot use any of these ingredients. Just
make sure that everyone has enough dishes that they can eat.
2. Kitcheners will receive the number they are cooking for no later than July 15. The money will be handled at the kitchener's pleasure, either in advance or on-site. Please plan on cooking for about 2 more people than are registered in case we have guests.
3. Kitcheners and helpers are responsible for kitchen clean-up. This should be done immediately after dinner. Please do not put leftovers in the camp cooler.
Cooking with fire
Our encampment includes a covered roaster in which you can
roast and bake, and two half oil drums with grates for open fire cooking.
Kitcheners are
assigned someone to make fires for them, but you need to know what kind of fire you need
and when you need it.
Baking and roasting in the covered roaster may take longer than a
conventional oven. A fire is started in the bottom of the roaster, and wood is added to
make a bed of coals. A fire will also have to be made in one of the drum pits so that
coals can be continually added to keep the temperature constant. The fire in the roaster
should be started 45 minutes before you want to bake. As soon as the coals are glowing,
close the roaster to heat the inside. Shovel more coals from the fire pit into the bottom
of the roaster right before you put in the food. If the food needs to roast or bake for
more than 30 minutes, more coals will have to be added at about the 20 minute mark. If you
want to bake bread early in the day, you will be responsible for making your own fire.
Your designated fire starter is only yours from 5:00 PM at the earliest.
If you are cooking over the fire pits, you need to tell your fire
person what kind of fire you need. Coals only (low heat) are for slow cooking and
simmering. Coals with low flames (medium heat) are for grilling meat and frying. Coals
with high flames (high heat) are for boiling, stir-frying, and sautéing.
Directions for making fires can be found in Description of chores. Be kind to your
fire person. It is a hot and dirty job.
Cooking with propane
We have three burners of propane in the kitchen tent. The
main thing to remember with propane is that there is no low setting. You have high,
medium-high, medium, and off. This can be a little tricky, so watch your pots closely.
Also remember to turn off the propane. If the flame goes out, propane will continue to
leak out until you turn it off.
Cleaning
You are responsible for clean-up after feast, and you should
strive do to as much clean up as you can as you go along. Bring back all utensils to the
kitchen tent from the fire pit area, pick up spilled foods immediately, and leave the
kitchen as tidy as possible.
If you need the garbage taken out early, let the person on garbage
duty know this. There is a small garbage can in the kitchen. This is for small garbage. Do
not use it to throw out empty water bottles, large boxes, etc. Dispose of those in the
large garbage can outside.
Keep all tables and surfaces in the kitchen tent free from food
scraps and other kitchen mess. We do not want to attract flies and ants to these areas, so
keep them clean.
Please put things away where you found them so others will know
where they are.
Leftovers that you want to save should be put in your own cooler.
There is not enough room in the camp cooler for leftovers and the next day's ingredients.
Timing
Dinner time is 7:00--7:30 PM. Keep in mind that this is not a
conventional kitchen, and things may take longer than expected.
Let your kitchen help and fire starter know what time they will be
needed in camp.
Have a cooking schedule. Planning this ahead will save you a lot
of time once you are on site and getting ready to cook.
Planning
Have your menus, shopping lists, and schedules done well in
advance. You will receive money and the number you are cooking for by mid-July. Coordinate
with Roz and the other kitcheners on staples.
Another thing we've all been guilty of is over cooking. Most
recipes assume that the dish will be one of three or four--not six to eight dishes.
Because of this, you can scale back on the number you are cooking for in many instances.
Also, not everyone will eat everything. Vegetable side dishes especially can be cut back.
If you are doing two meat dishes, you need not have 1/4 pound of each meat for each
person.
We will probably have a menu planning workshop sometime during the
year. Let Roz know if you are interested in participating.
Spice Cabinet and Pantry (for use by Pennsic chefs and kitcheners): If you need more than, or close to, the full amount listed for your feast, please plan on buying some to supplement our stores. Dried herbs are being eliminated due to the availability of fresh and the short shelf life of dried. Roz will bring some fresh herbs. Please coordinate with her on this.
Pantry
| name of item | approx. amount | name of item | approx. amount |
| sugar | 4 cups | ||
| buckwheat flour | 4 cups | ||
| red wine vinegar | 1/2 cups |
Spice Cabinet
| name of herb or spice | approx. qty. | name of herb or spice | approx. qty. |
| mustard seed, brown | 3 Tbsp. | ||
| anise, star--whole | 20 | nutmeg, ground | 1/2 cup |
| nutmegs, whole | 1 1/2 | ||
| bay leaves, dried | 1 cup | pepper, long--whole | 7 |
| cardamom, ground | 3 Tbsp | pepper, black--fine ground | 2 Tbsp. |
| cardamom pods, whole (white) | 2 Tbsp | peppercorns, black (mostly)--whole | 3 Tbsp. |
| caraway seed, whole | 3 Tbsp. | ||
| celery seed, whole | 1 Tbsp. | poppy seed, whole | 4 Tbsp. |
| cinnamon, ground | 4 Tbsp. | poudre forte (medieval spice mix) | 2 Tbsp, |
| cinnamon sticks | 7 | ||
| cloves, ground | 2 Tbsp. | ||
| cloves, whole | 2 Tbsp. | saffron, whole threads | 1 1/2 tsp. |
| coriander, ground | 4 Tbsp. | saffron, ground (may be safflower) | 1 cup |
| coriander seed, whole | 1/3 cup | sage, dried and powdered | 1/4 cup |
| cumin, ground | 1 1/2 Tbsp. | sesame seeds | 2 Tbsp. |
| dill seed | 3 Tbsp. | sumac | 1 Tbsp. |
| fennel seed, whole | 3 Tbsp. | ||
| fenugreek | 2 Tab. | turmeric, ground | 1 Tbsp. |
| galingale, powdered | 3 Tbsp. | ||
| ginger, ground | 1/2 cup | ||
| grains of paradise, whole | 2 Tbsp. | ||
| juniper berries | 2 Tbsp. | ||
| mace, powdered | 2 Tbsp. | ||
| mustard powder, yellow | 1/2 cup | ||
| mustard seed, yellow | 1/2 cup |
Questions
Any questions that you have about the kitchen equipment,
allergies, menus, etc. should be directed to Roz.
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