Overview:
The Italian feast is one that lends itself to feast design within the SCA.
The courses or services are divided into cold courses, which are pre-prepared
and served from a "credenza" or sideboard, and a hot course that is served
from the kitchen. After taking this class you should have an understanding
of how an Italian menu was constructed and how this can be used to your advantage
in feast planning.
Scappi
The class is based almost exclusively on the work of Barlolomeo Scappi, the
personal cook of pope Pius V (1566-1572). He is responsible for writing
the most comprehensive cookbook associated with the Renaissance. This
book includes 281 meat day recipes, 286 lean day recipes, over 100 menus,
237 pie and pastry recipes, and a section of recipes for the invalid with
an additional 218 recipes. It is the “Joy of cooking” for the Italian
Renaissance, covering everything from choosing staff, stocking the kitchen,
kitchen layout, menu design, seasonality of food, and recipes.
Service
The meals are split essentially into three services. The first and last service
or course is from the credenza, essentially a sideboard or cupboard that
was kept stocked with cold less perishable foods. The middle services
were from the kitchen and consisted of hot and sometimes cold food.
The Credenza
A sideboard, essentially a cupboard containing pre-prepared food, served cold.
Here is a picture of a credenza from Scappi.
The Menu
Translations of menus from the month of October are on a separate web page here.
There is also a breakdown on what is served when available as an excel file.
To get this file you will have to email me as I can't figure out how to get
an excel file to download to a webpage without losing all the formatting.
If you have a suggestion on how to do this I'd love to hear it. Update:
I've tried to upload it and link it, here
Of interest common items are:
First course from the credenza: at lunch biscotti, breads, cakes and pastry
type items, at dinner salad,
First course from the kitchen: roasted meats
Second course from the kitchen: stewed, braised meats
Second course from the credenza: always apples and pears, snow, wafers, sweet
pies, some form of vegetable (cardoon, truffles), cheese.
Advantages of having two cold courses
Anything served cold can be made in advance. Often most expensive dishes
(cheese) left till end of meal, therefore less needed. Salads can be made
of many vegetables (and were in period) easy to hold and serve. Pies and
tarts can be made in advance and dished at service.
Time delays: if it’s already cooked it can’t spoil, overcook, or go cold,
perfect for late feasts.
Menu can easily be adapted to all cold service such as for a vigil luncheon.
Yule Feast 2003
Primo Servitio di Credenza
First service from the Sideboard.
Biscotti alla Milanese
Milan style Biscotti
Uva fresca
Fresh grapes
Insalata misto
Mixed green salad
Prosciutto cott’in vino
Ham cooked in red wine
Insalata di cipolle
Roast onion salad
Salmone affumicato
Smoked Salmon
Torta d’herbe alla Lombarda
Lombard style herb tart
Pane e oglio
Bread and oil
Olive verde
Green olives
Primo Servitio di Cucina
First Service from the Kitchen
Pollanche d’India arrostitie
Roasted Turkey
Maccaroni alla Romanesca
Roman style Maccaroni
Agliata
Roast garlic sauce
Minestra di carote
Dish of carrots
Secondo Servitio di Cucina
Second Service from the Kitchen
Lombo di boue arrostito
Roast beef loin
Salsa di sugo di pome granati & limoncelli
Lemon and pomegranate sauce
Minestra di riso con oglio et zaffarano
Dish of rice with oil and saffron
Minestra di Broccoli asciutti
Dry dish of broccoli
Secondo Servitio di Credenza
Second Service from the Sideboard
Suppa di pere
Pears cooked in wine
Pasta sfogliata
Layered pastry
Cialdoni
Wafers
Neve di latte
A dish of snow
Crostate di Mele
Apple pie
Torta bianca con fiore di sambuca
Elderflower scented cheesecake
Cascio
Cheese
A finire
To finish
Finnocchio dolce verde mondo il gambo
Green fennel
Stecchi in piatti con acqua rosa
Toothpicks in plates with rose water
Conditi, & confettioni a beneplacito
Candies and comfits to ones choice
Feast for the Tournament of Chivalry, April 2004
Primo Servitio di Credenza
First service from the Sideboard.
Mostaccioli alla Milanese
Milan style Biscotti
Uva fresca
Fresh grapes
Insalata misto
Mixed green salad
Polli arrostite
Roast chickens
Salza di sugo di pome granati et limoncelli
Sauce of pomegranate and lemon
Insalata di sparagi
Asparagus salad
Torta d’herbe alla Lombarda
Lombard style herb tart
Olive verde
Green olives
Pane e oglio
Bread and oil
(On Table throughout meal)
Primo Servitio di Cucina
First Service from the Kitchen
Schiena di porco arrostito
Roasted Pork Shoulder
Cipolle cotto con il arrosto
Onions cooked with the roast
Maccaroni alla Romanesca
Roman style Macaroni
Salza di visciole
Sour cherry sauce
Minestra di carote
Dish of carrots
Secondo Servitio di Cucina
Second Service from the Kitchen
Stufare del boue
Stewed beef
Minestra di riso con oglio et zaffarano
Dish of rice with oil and saffron
Minestra di Broccoli asciutti
Dry dish of broccoli
Minestra di Fonghi
Braised mushrooms
Secondo Servitio di Credenza
Second Service from the Sideboard
Suppa di pere
Pears cooked in wine
Pasta sfogliata
Layered pastry
Neve di latte
A dish of snow
Torta bianca
Ginger flavored cheesecake
Cascio
Cheese
Sorbetti di aranche et fiore
Sherbet with orange and orange flower water
A finire
To finish
Finnocchio dolce verde mondo il gambo
Green fennel
Stecchi in piatti con acqua rosa
Toothpicks in plates with rose water
Conditi, & confettioni a beneplacito
Candies and comfits to ones choice