ANST - Stargate Steak Feast

[Gunnora Hallakarva]

>Gunnora Hallakarva wrote:
>> Y'know, I can't sit here and let this go completely by without
>> comment.  My duty as a Laurel and all that.

>Margo Lynn Hablutzel <Hablutzel at compuserve.com> replied:
>And I thought the duty of a Laurel was to gently teach, not publicly
>castigate.  Silly me.

Gunnora replies:

teach (vb) [ME techen "to show, instruct" from OE taecan, akin to OE tacn
"sign"]  1a:  to cause to know something b: to cause to know how c: to
accustom to some action or attitude d: to cause to know the disagreeable
consequenses of some action  2: to guide the studies of 3: to impart the
knowledge of 4a: to instruct by precept, example, or experience b: to make
known and accepted 5: conduct instruction regularly.

castigate (vt) {Latin castigatus, pp. of castigare, more at "chasten"]
(1607): to subject to severe punishment, reproof, or criticism.  Syn: see
"punish".

--Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Tenth ed.  Springfield, MA:
Merriam-Webster, Inc. 1995.

Without belaboring the point further than the dictionary definitions do, I
certainly was not castigating.  I pointed out clearly that I understood
that these feasts had been a Stargate Area tradition.  Indeed, this has
been a tradition for so long that I was forced to ask myself if anyone had
ever taken the time to let folks know that steaks are not particularly
period (for those of you with the arguments for "steaks as medieval", I
understand Mistress Meadbh is preparing some info for this list about the
actual medieval means for preparing meats, to be posted Real Soon Now).  

It is the duty of the Laurel to guide people towards more period
activities, arts and pursuits.  It is clear from the correspondence thus
far on this topic that many people had never known that steaks as we know
them are not perfectly medieval, thus I've certainly given many people much
to think upon.

Further, I never suggested that this year's feast be changed or cancelled,
but rather issued a gentle challenge that those in the Greater Stargate
Area might consider investigating more period cuisines for future feasts.
Nor did I suggest that this year's cooks, nor any past year's steak cooks,
were Bad People in any way for choosing a less than perfectly medieval menu.

You *can* have good, filling, tasy medieval foods that are not over or
undercooked, slopped with sauces, or drowned in spices -- take a look at
last Candlemas, or at any of the feasts served by HL Rosario, or the many
feasts served by Baron Gunthar Jonsson, not to mention feasts prepared by
our Kingdom Cooking Goddess, Mistress Meadhbh.

I hope that I have given folks something to consider, and possibly even
piqued enough interest that more than one or two might go and do the
research to either understand my point, or if possible refute me -- with
logic, not with vitriol nor emotion nor bullying.

I eagerly await Mistress Meadhbh's information on medieval meat preparation.


Wæs Þu Hæl (Waes Thu Hael)

::GUNNORA::

Gunnora Hallakarva
Herskerinde
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Ek eigi visa þik hversu oðlask Lofstirrlauf-Kruna heldr hversu na Hersis-Aðal
(Ek eigi thik hversu odhlask Lofstirrlauf-Kruna heldr hversu na Hersis-Adhal)

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