Different types of events involving food:
* Feasts usually have 3+ courses.
* Repasts usually have only two courses, but will still fill you up.
* Pot luck events you will be expected to bring a dish for people to share.
* Revels will have little or no catering (but generally more drinking).
Booking and payment:
Make sure you get your booking in on time. It is usually OK to pay on the day, but it's appreciated if you can do it earlier. If you arrive at the event with money owing, expect to pay first thing.
Garb:
Medieval costume is required for all our events unless otherwise stated. If you don't have any of your own, then you can either:
* Borrow some from the club. Speak to one of the commitee members for more information. Be sure to get in contact at least a week before the event.
* Sidle up to someone who's been doing this for a while and is incidentally about your size, and ask them if they've got any spare stuff.
Eating utensils:
We bring our own eating utensils to feasts and repasts. Minimally this will mean:
* A knife (metal) and a spoon (wooden or metal). Forks were not used until the Renaissance, and even then they were weird two- and three-pronged affairs unlike what we have today. An ordinary knife and spoon out of the kitchen drawer will be fine in a pinch.
* Plates and/or bowls, preferably at least two, because you won't get a chance to clean them between courses. Wooden, metal or pottery is best.
* A goblet or tankard; wooden, metal or pottery.
If you don't have any of these, you can pick them up quite easily at $2 shops, op shops, markets, second hand sales etc. Or you can sidle up to more experienced members again.
Other things to bring:
* We eat by candlelight, so it's good if you can bring a candle and candlestick. White is best, because coloured wax is nasty to clean off tablecloths.
* Bread is useful to have, especially to clean up your plate between courses, but don't fill up on it.
* It's useful to have a plastic bag to take your dirty dishes away in.
* Games like backgammon and chess can help pass the time.
Stuff to drink:
You will need to bring your own drink. Water is usually available on site. If you're bringing something in a glaringly modern container, eg a bottle of coke, it is polite to either decant it into a more period vessel (usually a glass bottle or ceramic jug) or to hide the modern bottle inside a bag. With regards to alcohol, sites can be classified as
* Dry - No alcohol is to be consumed on the premises.
* Discretely damp - Alcohol can be consumed but keep the bottles etc out of sight.
* Damp - Alcohol can be consumed openly.
It's best to assume sites are discretely damp if no information is given.
Dietary requirements:
Cooks can usually cater to special dietary requirements if they are given enough notice, ie they are told before bookings for the feast or repast close. Don't assume that if you've told a particular cook or steward your requirements once that they will remember next time without being reminded.
Stay out of the kitchen....unless you're offering to help clean up!
If you're having trouble arranging transport, talk to the steward and he or she will try to sort something out.