sister_raphael | Beef in sage with onion gravy

I've been playing around with food for my medieval photo booth! Occasionally at events, I set up a proper 14th century High Table for members of the public to sit at for photos! When I do a photo booth, the foodstuff needs to sit all day or all weekend, so sometimes I use fake food for exactly the reason you'd thing. Real food would go off in the heat, and members of the public do insist on putting their fingers into food if it's out on display, thus ruining any sort of morning tea or lunch we may have been in the middle of preparing. To counter that, elements of faux food along with elements of real food make a very good compromise.

So, with that in mind, I give you realistic fake meat with a sauce over it and fresh herbs.

Why would I do a photo booth when I could just rope off a display? Why make a seat behind the table and let people sit there? I'm glad you asked. Firstly, people love to be in the photos rather than just take them. If there's someone extra in the tent with me, one of us can "serve" them, and boy do they love that! In many tents, it's look only, please. Don't touch. In this environment, they can touch.

Mostly and more importantly, it encourages engagement in the form of a lot a talk about tableware and manners and handwashing, so it's stealth education! Odds are, they're going to pick up the cups and jug right away, and they're surprised how heavy they are. What are they made from? Why do they look like this? Who made it ? Did they really have fruit pies back then? WHERE ARE THE LAMB SHANKS???

It's a good teachable environment! And they get a nice photo!

Personally, having pre-cooked fake meat that washes off means I can use a variety of sauces which cost very little, and the prep time trims right down to opening a pouch, or can of mushrooms or jar of caramelised onions, adding some aromatic herbs, and it's prepared in a matter of minutes.

Anyway, here's a test "dish" meat with sage, rosemary and caramelised onion gravy. What do you think? Tasty looking? I am definitely improving my fake food photo booth skills! All I need to do now is read through some medieval recipes and match one up with a sauce that is quick and easy to prepare.