sca-cooks Creativity

[Beth Morris]

> >IMHO, I'd be very cautious about creating recipes and I certainly
> >wouldn't bill them as period.  But I certainly have done it, and will
> >do it again, in areas where I feel I'm sufficiently
> >experienced and knowledgeable on the subject.
> 
>           IMHO, a modern cook who "normally" doesn't use recipes,
>           myself included, could feasibly cook an entire feast without
>           using recipes in period, if they have an understanding of
>           period foods, spices, ect.  

I guess that's where I question people's (not anyone specifically!)
knowledge/understanding of period foods, spices, etc.  I've been
researching medieval food for my entire adult life and I'm to the stage
in a couple of areas where I feel comfortable rearranging ingredients or
recombining them.  But only barely.  And I don't often see a need to -
I'm more intrigued by the challenge of preparing the existing recipes to
the best of my ability.  

(Mind you, mundanely I'm a quite successfully-inventive cook!)

>	    You don't see recipes for
>           roasting meat, but we know they ate it.  You don't see
>           recipes for many breads, however, they baked it.  

Um, actually there are a *lot* of recipes for roasting meats, and
several for breads....

>	    There are
>           many good, easily prepared, very eatable foods which are
>           period that can be served at a feast without using heavy
>           spices and such.  I did the feast for Knowne World Academy
>           of Arts and Sciences last year in the Steppes, and except
>           for the carrots, the menu didn't have any recipes.  It
>           included roast beef, grilled chicken, beef and barley soup,
>           corned beef and cabboge, a rice pilaf, assorted cheeses and
>           breads, fruit compote, fresh berries, and shortcake.  The
>           carrots were a dish my laurel had made and I used the
>           general ingredients from the recipe she gave me, but I never
>           follow one to the "T".  I got many compliments on the feast
>           and a lot of positive feedback.  I believe some dishes were
>           so common in period that there was never a need to write
>           them down.

I think that as Genevieve says, we must simply agree to disagree.  To
me, part of the joy of preparing and serving a feast (or even dinner in
my encampment at a camping event or nibbles for lunch during a tourney
or whatever!) is knowing that I am, in some small way, contributing to
the broader knowledge of medieval food, and providing my diners and
myself with a small experience of the Real Middle Ages.

Keilyn
The least-stuffy Authenticity Mavin I know....