fandomhigh | Surviving Life at Court, Friday, 5/25

The Danger Shop had been arranged to appear like a room inside a castle today, with one long table with benches on either side taking up the center of the room and faded tapestries hung from the walls. Goblets of water and place settings at each seat might give students some idea that this was to be a feast.

"Welcome," Tyrion said, once the students seemed more or less settled in their places. "Last week, we covered dancing -- and I thank my assistants much for that. Today, we will talk about another sort of event: The formal dinner. Honestly, these things can be deadly in more than one way, so what you're mainly trying to do is get out alive, healthy, and without any new enemies."

"Table manners vary from place to place," he continued. "And mine are atrocious anyhow. If you're interested, I've some books on the subject you may peruse. But there are a handful of rules that apply almost universally. Don't talk with food in your mouth; no one wants to see that. Don't eat with your hands unless you're certain everyone else is. Do your best not to pick fights at the table, even if you're seated next to the greatest fool in the kingdom. Don't get drunk enough to embarrass yourself. Follow the lead of your host or hostess as to when to eat, when to set your knife aside, and when the meal is over and it's time to retire. Make pleasant conversation as long as you can stand it. Safe topics are generally the weather, how beautiful the house you're in is, how good the food is, and history, unless it touches on something all at the table would prefer not to acknowledge. If you've nothing polite to say, be quiet. You should at least taste everything put before you, but don't be a glutton, and for gods' sake don't try to eat something that you suspect will make you sick. Oh, and be nice to the servants. It's poor form not to be."

"Sometimes," Tyrion continued, with a gesture to a man carrying a lute who'd been standing at the side, "there will be entertainment. It's often not very good, but that's not to be taken out on the poor unfortunate who's deluded himself into believing he can sing. Smile and clap even if it isn't quite to your tastes."

He took his place at the head of the table, unfurled his napkin. "And now we will begin."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hungrily! And why did I delete my eating icon?

Jace Wayland

Frank Abagnale

Lex Luthor

Fawn Singleton Farrell

George Drayton

Surreal

Darcy Lewis

Mercy Thompson

Kenzi

Petra West

James of Krondor

Listen to the lecture, admire the room, wonder what 'll be feeding you.

The Menu:

On the table as students take their seats: Black Bread, Butter, Pickled Vegetables & Olives
First Course: Spring Greens with Grapes, Cheese & Walnuts
Fish Course: Hot Crab Pie
Main Dish: Boar Ribs with Apple, served with Spiced Squash and Buttered Pease
Dessert: Honeycakes and Sweet Plum Wine

Sadly, there's only water to drink until dessert. But enjoy!

This was closer to the sort of food that George was used to than anything else provided at this school, and yes, he was going to make the most of it.

Not just because trying everything was only polite. Though knowing that was encouraging.

"Real food!" Oh, right, manners, and Surreal managed to look abashed for all of ten seconds before sitting down, unfurling her napkin, and handling her silverware like a proper Lady.

Court dining etiquette had been one of the first things - alongside reading - that Sadi had hired tutors to teach her, so many years ago. Surreal was perfectly capable of passing as an Aristo with her dinner manners, she just usually didn't care to try.

If Fawn looked a little overwhelmed at the table, it was only partly because Fawn generally looked overwhelmed about everything in general. The rest of it was an additional consideration for the fact that she'd never seen food like this before and there was so much of it, and all of it looked amazing, and here she was with the stomach the size of a pea for never having much food to eat to eat at home.

And there was a general emphasis on just being polite, which she could do, and didn't necessarily require anything out of her, given that no one tried to talk to her.

Fawn loved this class.

Kenzi would've just torn into everything; but she decided to make a game of it, about being as La Di Da as possible.

At least until dessert. NOM NOM NOM NOM.

A bard of indifferent talent. He will perform classics like "The Rains of Castamere" (http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/The_Rains_of_Castamere), "Fallen Leaves," "on a Misty Morn," and -- as the crowd-pleaser at the end of the set -- "The Bear & the Mainden Fair" (http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/The_Bear_and_the_Maiden_Fair). Listen, make requests, etc.

If you can catch them when their mouths aren't full!

Tyrion wasn't going to stuff himself, but he intended on a good sampling of everything being offered.

Surreal was only taking dainty bites instead of tearing into the food like a half-starved street urchin, so her mouth wasn't technically full. It was, however, in use, and you'd get glared at if you tried swiping her cheese.

Hunt when hunrgy, sleep when not, for hunger always returns, was one of Blind Seer's favored sayings. And so, given that there was food present, both wolves were taking full advantage of this.

Go ahead and make a "wolfing one's food down" joke. They dare you.

Looking at this blog (http://www.innatthecrossroads.com/) for menu inspiration made me hungry.

Edited 2012-05-25 16:04 (UTC)

Surviving Life at Court, Friday, 5/25

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no subject

GENERAL CLASS STUFF [5/25]

FOOD & DRINK [5/25]

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ENTERTAINMENT [5/25]

Talk to Tyrion & TA's [5/25]

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OOC [5/25]