SC - Squishing creativity

[Peters, Rise J.]

I had planned to sit this one out, but I think I'll speak up for what seems 
to be an under-represented population...

I am a member of House Drunken Badger, specifically Clan Sharptooth.  Those 
who know us, know that strict period authenticity has not, over the years, 
been something we are known for.  We work hard, mainly as chirurgeons and 
waterbearers, we play hard, and we eat =very= well, but mainly whatever 
pleases us.  At Pennsic, our menu last year featured chicken and dumplings, 
beef bourguinon, foil dinners, and a really wonderful chicken au porto.  If 
someone had objected that foil dinners (or any of the rest of it!) were not 
period, we'd have offered to eat theirs and let them go to town for hotdogs.

So.... I don't think I'm in any danger of being considered a, what was it? 
documentation nazi.

But I've noticed, over time, that as we have stayed in the society longer, 
those of us who play the most have grown more and more interested in 
achieving a higher level of authenticity.  Some of that is just what you do 
to keep the "magic" in your play.  At first, dressing up makes you feel like 
events are special, even if you're in a nylon pup tent and eating off a 
plastic plate.  Later, you are more willing, and more able, to take a step 
beyond that.  And as you take on leadership roles, including designing and 
cooking feast for other folks, you have a responsibility not to disrupt 
their experience in the Current Middle Ages, including not plopping french 
fries down in the middle of their feast table.

I came to this list not because I know anything about period cooking, but 
because I was looking for folks who do.  I own some period and "peri-oid" 
cookbooks now, I even use them, and no one who frequents my table eats any 
worse for it.  When I mentioned having a wonderful  recipe for chicken with 
lemon and sherry, the responses I got (off line) were all very positive.  I 
will admit that sitting through 40 or 50 messages about the interpretation 
of specific mentions of a given herb in a specific original recipe I've 
never seen can get tedious, but hey, folks are generally pretty good about 
topic headers and my delete key works...

Anyway, while oppressiveness and offense are clearly in the eye of the 
oppressed and offended, I can vouch for the fact that at least some of the 
rank beginners here are feeling pretty welcome.

=Caitlin