Renaissance Faire Food, What do you look for?

[Willowedancer]

I have to say when I am at the faire, all bets and diets are off!! Unfortunately my garb won't let me eat a whole lot, so I always try to have some one around to share. My favs are the blooming onions and Gyros...yum yum!!

[DonaCatalina]

Greasy drippy things are verboten with most of my garb. But scotch eggs and crab cakes are safe and usually pretty tasty.

[AnyuBoo]

One of my favourites is the chili in a bread bowl, but I'm actually very rarely hungry enough to eat one (the heat and lots of layers of garb, not to mention the fact that it's laced pretty tightly, tend to take away much of my appetite). 

[lady serena]

Thanks for all the great responses so far Please keep them coming.

[Trillium]

I can't believe I haven't seen the king's nuts listed!!!

I have family members that asked me to bring some home!

Personally, I love faires having fresh fruit.  My boy can't pass up the fruit carts!

[Alphonse]

I generally look for the booth with the shortest lines  when waiting in line is not a consideration I generally look for the kind of culturally diverse food one does not generally find in this particular corner of Alabama, Scotch eggs, haggis and gyros being high on my list of favored grubery. Barring any of that the standard turkey leg or roasted corn on the cob.

[CatAshtrophy]

Trillium is right about the King's Nuts. So tasty. I've had to learn to make a substitute for when I run out after faire. Good, but just not the same. Also, the pretzels out at Scarby are wonderful, especially when they are fresh out of the oven. I also love the fresh fruit that's available.

[*Teach*]

For me, anything in a bread bowl is good food.
I kinda burnt out on turkey legs and now I like discovering new foods.
I fell in love with the wraps at scarby this past season when I found out there was cold food on those hot days.

*I also really like it a lot when people randomly bring me rum-cakes at camp*

[Taffy Saltwater]

For me, anything in a bread bowl is good food.
I*I also really like it a lot when people randomly bring me rum-cakes at camp*

This is what I call a broad hint!

[Welsh Wench]

NO breakfast food at all!
NO greasy foods.

I love the fruit/cheese platters and the baked potatoes with toppings. Also the garlic mushrooms.

I am especially partial to spinach pies.
As long as I get them at the designated time.  

[Kiss-me-Kate]

I know it's not H/A, but it is so hard to find something healthy.  Low fat, low cholesterol, tasting good.  I guess you can say for 1 day at faire, give it up and just eat something fattening/fried, etc.  But we spend many days at many different faires, and it adds up.

When we can find healthy salads, fruit (not so much cheese due to the fat), and whole grains, grilled & not fried stuff, we are so happy.  Lots of time, we eat on the way to faire and then after on the way home, maybe having a snack while we are there, if we can find something halfway healthy.

I am not a fanatic due to body image, but with a kidney transplant, I don't want to jeopardize it because I haven't watched my eating habits.

I agree Lady Renee,
I am not a transplant survivor, but I am a diabetic and have to watch those wretched carbs.  I am lucky and can bring  my own food, most of the time to cover myself and the bratty girl.  But sometimes I can't or sometimes I am a bad diabetic and cheat.

Fruit plates, real salads (lots of veggies, less filler crap) and water should be top of the list.

[Scarlett]

What do I look for in food at faire?  My car in the parking lot.  Seriously.  Most faire food is very heavy, fried stuff, stuff on a stick, thick soups in bread bowls.  Food like this makes a body sluggish, not to mention it's not very healthy. 

We pack a lovely mid day meal consisting of lots of finger foods, veggies & dip, cheeses, pepperoni, crackers, some sandwiches, fruits, etc.  Great refueling for the second half of the day.  It gives us a chance to drop off any purchases from the morning shopping.  Saves money too.

[Scotsman]

Is beer considered a food?

[Marietta Graziella]

How about just more general diversity in the foods offered?

If you have theme weekends at your faire, why not a themed food area or even just 1 booth that could offer some more authentic options.  I don't mean have Pizza Hut cater for Italian Carnivale or Taco Bell for fiesta weekend!  (yes, MNRF has a fiesta weekend...  I don't get it).

Our faire is supposedly in England yet we have very few actual English foods, nevermind period offerings. 

Why must faire food be greasy, in a bread bowl, or on a stick?    Just because everyone else has that, doesn't mean people won't eat something new.

So to sum up, in a hopefully clearer statement...

Fresh, healthy, different.  Yes, please.

[Yrose]

I like most things on a stick, mushrooms and alligator are on the top of the list. Believe it or not, but turkey legs don't even make my list. For drink water, lemonade, and mead. Though mostly it's Loki.