SC - Period Recipes

[Lenny Zimmermann]

I just thought I'd throw in a quick note here, especially after
reading the post by Katerine/Terry regarding those of us interested in
historicity feeling somewhat oppressed. I think we can see that mainly
what we have here is a problem in communication forms. There are SOME
people who are strictly adherents to historic forms of cooking and
research who thoroughly enjoy what they do. There are SOME who want
nothing to do with the "hassle" of historic research into such foods
and feasts, but want to share thoughts on presenting modern foods at
SCA Events and, again, have fun doing so. There are a hell of a lot of
folks who fall somewhere in between these data points and I think we
can all agree that none of these viewpoints is "right" and that each
has merit.

With that in mind, perhaps some solutions in solving the communication
problems involved can be reached. Hopefully this will save some of the
hurt feelings on both sides. (And yes, I fully see why both sides,
deservedly, have hurt feelings over the way we have been discussing
these things.) 

Let us make the attempt, and perhaps this should be in the greeting
message for the list if we all agree, to put some qualifiers in our
messages. ALWAYS try to mention if you have a source for a recipe or
item for discussion, or if you believe the item to be period. (We are
an historical organization after all and to make the assumption that
things posted are, perforce, period or suggested to be so is not a far
leap of logic.) If it is NOT period, or if you are just not sure, say
so. I think we can agree that if you mention if the items you are
discussing are period or not, then both sides seem more than willing
to agree not to bring the subject up by questioning if it is so, since
it appears to be the questioning that is causing the hurt feelings. If
we can prevent the questioning, we prevent the problem. (Unless there
is a specific request to discover if what you present as
period/non-period is truly so.)

The only thing we can really agree to beyond that is that if
periodicity is not mentioned, that we either assume it is period,
assume it is not period, or make an attempt at politely (and here we
cannot truly be sure that the other person will not take the request
itself as an insult) finding out if what we are talking about is or is
not period. Can we all agree that those interested in Periodicity are
not out to prosecute those who are not, and vice versa? Or am I just
out in left field on this? I would like to see us make some attempts
at resolution as I consider you all friends and comrades in a shared
interest and I would hate to have any of us lose your valuable input
and presence. 

Honos Servio,
Lionardo Acquistapace, Barony of Bjornsborg, Ansteorra
(mka Lenny Zimmermann, San Antonio, TX)
zarlor at acm.org