SC - Introducing myself

[Michael P Newton]

In a message dated 97-10-09 14:22:39 EDT, you write:

<< If it were a
 question of quality, then yes, I wouldn't serve it. If it is merely a
 case of something I don't like, then I will ask other people to taste
 it, or just taste it myself, anyway, ignoring the fact that I don't care
 for it. I have had to adopt a professional's attitude about that, as you
 can't very well tell a prospective employer that you can't cook eggplant
 because you really don't like it. Well, you could, but you wouldn't get
 hired. I have simply learned to ascertain what constitutes quality in
 such dishes, although I don't enjoy eating them.  >>


What everyone seems to be doing here is viewing the question from a
standpoint of others telling you what to cook. When applied to period feasts,
which is what I tho't the subject started out as,, how can you maintain such
a stance?


When writing a period feast, do you go out of your way to find things you
don't enjoy cooking for the fun of it? And if others are planning your feast
 and telling you what to cook then you are not a head cook but are ion fact
some what more akin to a lackey.

Mundanely, I am occasionally sought out to cook for entimate affairs by those
who are aware of my talents. I plan the menu, choose the recipes, and produce
the meal. My current project involves preparing an authentic Medieval Feast
for the Victoria House at the Pennsylvania College ofTechnology as one of the
visiting chefs series of $100.00 a plate dinners. Famous gourmands such as
Julia Child , Paul Prudhomme, Jeff Smith aand others have participated in
this series. I am not boasting here by name-dropping. I am merely trying to
show examples of cooks who have their own unique style and are sought after
specifically because of that style.

My budget is for all practical purposes unlimited and total planning of the
culinary aspects of thie feast are my perogative. Do you or anyone else
really think that I am going to go out of my way to prepare dishes that are
not consistently wonderful and hand-picked for the delights they offer to the
palette?

The bottom line is, IMHO, I am asked to cook a feast because my style is
unique. I am not asked to cook other peoples menus. Indeed, if I wre asked to
do such a thing I would have to decline the invitation.

al-Sayyid Ras (who cooked other peoples menus for 13 yrs. so will never do so
in the SCA.)
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