[Namron] cooking guild

[Kathryn Gordon]

I don’t know how many from Namron saw this but it is quite interesting, Namron’s cooking guild may want to think on this one.

Here it is, a couple of days late. I have gotten a bit fuzzier on the details on some of it, but I’m sure those that were there and are here will fill in and correct me where needed.

Christianna

Our first Iron Chef competition was yesterday at our annual South Downs Baronial event, Red Tower. Elewyiss organized the whole thing, but as she’s still probably trying to recoup, I’ll post a bit about what happened.

We ended up with three teams, drawing ‘ringers’ from as far as Atlantia and Trimaris (Chirhart and his lady came down specifically to play, and Mairi Ceilidh came up with a team to join the Sol Haven team). Team Atlantia also included Signore Serena da Riva, Team Sol Haven also included Sayidda Dinah, and I’m not sure if any of the other participants are members of this list or not, I’m sure more details will be filled in later.

The contestants were allowed to bring all the spices and ingredients they could fit into a standard sized shoe box. A grill and a building with running cold water and sink issues were provided. I believe a couple of 2 burner stoves were also provided, they could bring any equipment they wanted. They were given the list of ingredients on Friday night, and the secret ingredient was revealed to them at 10 AM on Saturday morning. They had 4 hours to cook.

I don’t have the final list of ingredients, but from what I remember they were:

Lamb

Cabbage

Carrots

Green beans

Onions

Asiago cheese

Milk

Lard

Raisins

Pears

Green onions

Red wine vinegar

And the secret ingredient was:

*** almonds ***

The first team was from Drakenmere, a small group out of Statesboro, GA. They did a fine spread of 5 dishes, including an almond milk soup, a lamb and carrot dish (Samadone?) served on a bewd of almonds and cabbage, rapeye, and sekanjabin – they were the only team to provide us with a beverage, which we greatly appreciated since it was really hot! (I was surprised none of the teams served us almond milk to drink.) They used the Medieval Kitchen and Take a Thousand Eggs or More as their sources. (Sekanjabin from the Miscellany.)

Team Atlantia did a beautiful job of presentation, both in the serving platters and as individual portions of the plates. They served 7 dishes, including lamb kabobs with an almond garlic sauce, a cabbage salad with a pommegranate and almond sauce, a stuffed cabbage head with lamb. Almonds, raisins and saffron?, and pear slices sauteed in lard, sprinkled with almonds and topped with a ground almond quennelle that had also been fried in the lard. It was served with almond mus. Everything was wonderful, really good but not fantastic side. They used a variety of sources including Libre del Coche and Rumpolt.

Team Sol Haven did an incredible 17 dishes. They did not get the me about using the secret ingredient in as many dishes as they could, and were working under the assumption that they were to use as much of the bulk of ingredients they had been provided as possible. Mairi Ceilidh said what was left over made up about two handfuls of stuff. I know I can’t remember all of their dishes, but they included: an almond and green onion soup (which I drank straight out of my bowl, the spoon not being fast enough), asiago cheese slices holding up a mincemeat-like substance who’s actual name escapes me just now (serves me right for letting this sit half-written for several days :( along withg cheese fritters, another version of Samadone, roasted lamb, studded with garlic and served with a cameline sauce and a knock-your-head-off garlic sauce (only dish I didn’t like – it was so hot I spit it back out on my plate), angel’s food made with fresh cheese they made during the competition and served
 with candied almonds and dried cherries in wine, alongside a poached pear with fresh-made almond milk. There was lots more, but I cannot recall them just now. Their sources included Original Mediterranean Cuisine and featured what they called "Mediterranean Rim Cuisine".

The final winner was Team Atlantia. They were presented with some lovely six-drawer spice boxes in court, the other teams receiving small pottery pitchers for each member. They were judged with a 0-10 scale on presentation, period-ness, secret ingredient, and taste.

Everyone seemed to have a great time, and were thrilled to be able to participate. Problems included the sink and no hot water, and the box not containing any sort of binder material – eggs, flour, grain products, etc. The food was all delicious (ok, except that garlic sauce – sorry, Mairi Ceilidh), and my only complaint was that the first two teams only served us a tablespoon of each dish, and by the time I got to Sol Haven’s entry, I was hungry! They more than made up for that, and I was full for the next 24 hours after I got up from the table.

Lots of folks asked if it would be done again, which I’m sure it will be. In Court I said it was as fierce (and hot) a battle as the ones that had been fought on the field. Where there is competition, there will be competitors. I would like to get a different name, though.

Elewyiss did a very nice job of getting the whole thing together, buying the ingredients, and throwing an event where she could pull it off (did I mention she was co-autocrat?). As a judge, I was very happy to have been a part of it.

Christianna



Kathryn Gordon 
Lady Kathryn atte Unicorn 
Matriarch Inn of the Weeping Unicorn
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