Just one observation on this thread. What are the liability issues invovled
in preparing your own foods and serving those to the public, especially to
school kids?

I know that it is the policy of the Denver Public schools, for instance, that
no home prepared cookies or foods are permitted to be served in school other
than that which the kids bring in for their own lunches. When parents have
been asked to provide foods they have to be commercial brands and in unopened
containers.

When I was at Colonial Williamsburg the foodways programs there were not
permitted to let the public taste any of the foods that they prepared in their
demonstrations on account of liability concerns - even though visitors even
offered to pay for a taste.

So I think that a distinction has to be made between the legalities of
preparing a period foodway and serving it among re-enactors or staff and preparing a
period foodway for consumption for the public or even a segment of the public.

One case of food poisioning, however remote the possibility, could literally
ruin an institution overnight.

Of course in conservation we encourage the use of "faux foods" for use
exhibits and historic buildings - and we had great fun manufacturing period foods
with synthetic materials! (a great intern project by the way!)

Cheers!
Dave

David Harvey
Artifacts
2930 South Birch Street
Denver, CO  80222
303-300-5257
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