Serving A Meal In A Home

Serving a Gorean meal


Meals on Gor were generally simple. See Meals served
A meal was planned and prepared in the kitchen of a home or hall, and it was served.


SEE ALSO Free Women of the city cultures, eating & drinking

Men gathered in celebration
slave moves from Master to Master, offering a tray of fried larma
"Another bit of larma, Master?" asked the slave, kneeling behind me and to my left. I turned and, from where I sat cross-legged behind the low table, removed a small, crisp disk of fried larma, with a browned-honey sauce, from the silver tray.
Guardsman

Another slave, carrying a wine vessel, serves and reflls wine
She, kneeling, poured wine from a narrow, long-spouted silver vessel into the cup of Aemilianus, of Ar's Station.
Guardsman

A third slave carries a tray of bosk meat to serve
"More, Master?" inquired the slave in bluish gauze, in the gleaming collar, kneeling behind me and to my left.
"Yes," I said.
With a serving prong she placed narrow strips of roast bosk and fried sul on my plate.
Guardsman

The slave with wine rushes to see all have some in their goblets when a toast is proposed
The wine is often mixed with water, diluted
"I propose a toast," said Aemilianus, rising.
"A toast," we called. Shirley hurried about, making sure there was wine in the goblets. Callimachus drank water, but he permitted a drop of wine to mix in the water, that the ceremony of the toast might be one in which he fully shared. Wine, incidentally, is often mixed with water in Gorean homes. This is primarily because of the potency of many Gorean wines. The wines I was serving, however, were such that, sensibly, they could be served undiluted. An alternative with the potent wines is to serve very small amounts of them. We stood. The musicians stopped playing.
Guardsman

slaves return to the kitchen to be given the next course to be served
"Where are you supposed to be now, Girl?" asked Aemilianus.
"In the kitchen, I think, Master," she said.
"Well, then," he said, "run now to the kitchen."
"Yes, Master," she said and, leaping up, ran to the kitchen. She was closely followed by the lovely little slave in the bluish gauze. Doubtless both of them were soon to bring forth the next course of the meal, which I took to be assorted desserts, to be followed by black wine and liqueurs.
Guardsman

And the trays of desserts are carried about to each Master
The girls, carrying their trays, knelt before the table. "Desserts, Masters," announced the girl in bluish gauze. Then, rising, they began to serve, one on each side. On one tray were assorted pastries; on the other was a variety of small, spiced custards.
Guardsman

I was very pleased with the way Lola had handled the meal. All was simple, tasteful and unpretentious.
Guardsman

"'The dancers were lovely," said Glyco, pausing, a spoon lifted in the air over a small yellow, spiced custard.
Guardsman

The slaves are often the entertainment just in their serving
Chains are added to the slaves before serving the dessert, a subtle touch
I then watched the two slaves, in their chains, continuing their serving. They, too, serving in their chains, were a part of the entertainment, as much as the music of Tasdron's musicians in the background. The Gorean's concept of entertainment is perhaps simpler, or more subtle or broader than is that, doubtless, of many individuals in many other cultures. For example, he can enjoy watching a slave putting on her tunic or taking it off; he can enjoy seeing a woman chained, and rechained, many times, in many ways, each time being exhibited in her helplessness; and he can enjoy watching his slave working naked in the kitchen, or cleaning,, or doing laundry or sewing; I think this is probably because he enjoys being with her, and finds her precious and beautiful. I had informed Lola that the little slave, now clad in bluish gauze, was to be included in the entertainment. And how delightfully and subtly had Lola complied with my directive! Even she had had the little slave announce the desserts to the guests. I observed the chains on the little slave in bluish gauze. How beautiful they were on herl I wondered if she even realized that she, thus, was now not only serving but was also now a pleasant portion of our entertainment. But of course she must understand this. Surely she had heard the murmur of pleasure and appreciation which had coursed about the table, greeting the appearance of herself and her fellow slave. In more sophisticated Gorean banquets, incidentally, the serving slaves often change costume and jewelry, and sometimes chains, with each course of the meal, their ensembles and accessories being matched to the various courses. I smiled to myself. Lola had put the two slaves in chains for the dessert course. That seemed a delightful and subtle touch. Slave girls know that to some men, and perhaps to any man some of the time, they are, in effect, and will be treated as, only meaningless, delicious desserts. They are, after all, slaves.
Guardsman

The two slaves had now left the pastries and custards upon the table, and had returned to the kitchen. They would there presumably be relieved of their chains and would return with the black wine.
Guardsman

Now the slaves move about with trays serving black wine

SEE ALSO Black wine

The two slaves, their chains removed, now returned, and began to serve the black wine. The voluptuous slave of Aemilianus, whom he had not yet named, placed the tiny sliver cups, on small stands, before us. The lovely little slave in bluish gauze, whom I had not yet named, holding the narrow-spouted, silver pouring vessel in a heavy cloth, to retain its heat and protect her hands, poured the scalding, steaming black fluid, in narrow, tiny streams, into the small cups. She poured into the cups only the amount that would be compatible with the assorted sugars and creams which the guest might desire, if any, these being added in, and stirred, if, and as, pertinent, by Aemilianus' slave, who directed the serving.
Guardsman

"Master?" asked the girl in yellow gauze, who had been Shirley and now belonged, for the moment nameless, to my friend Aemilianus, of Ar's Station.
"Second slave," I told her, which, among the river towns, and in certain cities, particularly in the north, is a way of indicating that I would take the black wine without creams or sugars, and as it came from the pouring vessel, which, of course, in these areas, is handled by the "second slave," the first slave being the girl who puts down the cups, takes the orders and sees that the beverage is prepared according to the preferences of the one who is being served.
"Second slave," said the slave of Aemilianus.
"Yes, Mistress," said the girl in bluish gauze. She was extremely careful not to spill a drop. Black wine, except in the vicinity of Thentis, where most of it is grown on the slopes of the Thentis range, is quite expensive. Also, of course, clumsy slave girls are often whipped. The expression "second slave," incidentally, serves to indicate that one does not wish creams or sugars with one's black wine, even if only one girl is serving.
Guardsman

And finally liqueurs are served
"Ah," said Glyco. "The liqueurs!
First from the kitchen, bearing her tray, came the voluptuous slave of Aemilianus. Behind her, too with her tray, came the little dark-haired slave. In a moment both were deferentially serving. The collared softness of the dark-haired girl well set off the metal of the tray, and the small, multicolored glasses and bottles upon it. It is not unusual, at a Gorean meal, where free women are not present, for one or more of the slaves to serve naked. At ruder meals, this makes it easier for one of the guests, should the urge strike him, to use them.
Guardsman


Meal served in the holding of Policrates
Men are celebrating

"Let us drink to that." He lifted his goblet and we clinked our goblets together and I reached across Policrates, extending my goblet to Kliomenes, who surily sat on the right of Policrates. We three then, touched goblets and then we drank.

Girls move from table to table in the holding, serving the men food and drink
Girls, some nude, some scantily clad, hurried about the tables, serving food and drink.

One girl approaches with wine
"Wine, Master?" asked a red-headed girl with two leather straps wound about her body. I took wine from her, and gave my attention then to the dancer, a luscious, dark-haired girl.

Another girl approaches with a tray of bread, and butter
"Bread, Master?" asked a blond-haired beauty, keeling down beside me. She offered me a silver tray on which, hot and seaming were wedges of Gorean bread, made from Sa-Tarna grain. I took one of them and, from the tureen, with the small silver dipper, both on the tray, poured hot butter on the bread. I then dismissed her with a gesture of my head and she rose lightly to her feet and left to serve another. She was unclothed.

Another slave offers cubes of bosk meat
"Meat, Master?" asked a girl, nude, who knelt now beside me. She offered a tray on which small cubes of roasted bosk, on tiny sticks, steamed. I took several, dipping them by the sticks in a sauce, carried on the same tray. I returned the tiny sticks to the tray and looked at the girl. She put down her head.

Yet another slave offers peeled grapes
"Grapes, Master?" said a soft feminine voice near to me. I looked about but I did not react. It was the free woman, or the woman who had been free, who had been ordered from the crowd on the wharves of Victoria. I recalled her having been stripped by the pirate and his blade at her throat. She had tied the knot of bondage in her own hair. She had been ordered to run to the galley. There I had seen her bound helplessly at its railing, her back to it, exposing her beauty, with others. "Master?" she asked. Her voice, and mein, were deferential and totally submissive. An incredible transformation had come over her. She was not soft and lovely and beautiful, a woman who was and knew herself owned. I wanted to take her in my arms. She lifted the tray of grapes to me, proffering it. They were Ta grapes. I smiles. Each, I noted had been carefully peeled. Doubtless that had been the task to which she had set that afternoon. Such trivial, painstaking tasks are often useful in teaching a women that she is a slave. "Master?" she asked. I wanted to take her in my arms. I permitted her to feed me a grape. Then she withdrew.

And another offers fruit, peaches and plums
"Fruit, Master," asked a girl softly, timidly, kneeling down lightly beside me. Her head was down. She was frightened. I turned, sitting to face her. She trembled. She did not raise her head.
...
The girl lifted her head then and timidly lifted the ripe, rounded fruit which she held in her hands. Gorean peaches and plums, to me.


Partial scene of meal served in private home
Another scene (partial) of a slave serving a meal, one course at a time, from the kitchen

After the main meal, bringing out tospit and sugars - dessert
Lola now returned to the small table and, kneeling, head down, served us our dessert, slices of tospit, sprinkled with four Gorean sugars.
Rogue

Next serving the black wine with cream & sugars
"I see there may be some advantages to having a slave in the house," said Miss Henderson. "I never doubted it," I said. "You may serve the black wine now, in small cups, Lola," said Miss Henderson. "Yes Mistress," whispered Lola.
This was a delicacy. I had purchased, some days ago, but we had not yet served it. In a few Ehn Lola returned with the tray, with the vessel of steaming liquid, the creams and sugars, the tiny cups and the small spoons for mixing and measuring.
Rogue

And last, relaxing with Turian liqueurs
Miss Henderson and I, with small cups of a Turian liqueur before us, lounged in the living room.
Rogue


At a dinner on an estate near Vonda
Several wines are served to the guests through the dinner, the first, a light white wine The tables were covered with cloths of glistening white and a service of gold. Before each guests there were tiny slices of tospit and larma, small pastries, and, in a tiny golden cup, with a small golden spoon, the clustered, black, tiny eggs of the white grunt. The first wine, a light white wine, was being deferentially served by Pamela and Bonnie.

Pamela and Bonnie, heads down, silent effacing themselves, as is proper with slaves, again filled the small golden cups. It was again a serving of the first wine. In a Gorean supper in a house of wealth, in the course of the supper, with varied courses, eight to ten wines might be served, each suitably and congruously matched with respect to texture and bouquet not only to one another but to the accompanying portions of food.

Second course is served - vulo in spiced Sa-Tarna & Ta wine sauce
"Pamela, Bonnie," called the Lady Florence, "we are now ready for the second course of our supper."
"Yes, Mistress," they said, and hurried to fetch the second course.
"It is a small dish," said the Lady Florence, "the white meat of roast vulos, prepared in a sauce of spiced Sa-Tarna and Ta wine."

The dinner proceeded in a leisurely fashion through seven of its courses. There was light banter and charming conversation. The playing of the musicians was pleasant, and unobtrusive.
When the tiny plates and cups of the seventh course had been cleared away the Lady Florence looked over to the chained slave, kneeling at her ring.
Fighting Slave