SC - Re: below the salt)

[Michael P Newton]

Greetings!  I had responded to Lord Ras privately but then saw that he 
had also posted to the list.  Here is what I wrote to him.  Perhaps it 
will clarify things/inspire people!

Alys Katharine

Lord Ras wrote: 

>OK. Before someone jumps for this one.....I'll do it! When do you want 
>the details? How does one apply to do a class?  And more importantly 
>how does one get picked to do a class?

To do a class one simply contacts the Pennsic Class Coordinator (or 
whatever name is being used that Pennsic).  For PW 27, it's me again.  
Pretty much the Coordinators don't reject classes unless they are of a 
type that is not allowed at Pennsic (gunpowder, actual animals, etc.)  
The instructor gives me the parameters of the class and a brief 
description as well as the preferred date, time and place.

Using the class below, you might prefer to do it in a private 
encampment where some of the final cooking will be done.  (Or, you 
could request the use of a 20x30 A&S tent and use the tables and chairs 
there as one group did last year.)  To be sure to get the tent you want 
at the date and time you want, you should submit the final request by 
the end of March or the beginning of April.  Deadline for classes is 
May 1 as in previous years. 

You will want to estimate how many KW cooks will be there or, better 
yet, get tentative committments in February/March.  If there are 10, 
for example, then you can guesstimate how many "onlookers" can 
participate.  While that number might be published in the Pennsic 
Booklet (deadline May 1) it can be adjusted as necessary up to two days 
before the actual class at Pennsic.

You will want to decide how much to charge the "eater-onlookers" since 
that figure needs to be published in the Pennsic booklet.  People don't 
mind paying less when they come to Pennsic (if you need to revise the 
amount) but they usually object to paying more.

>CLASS: Dining with the Knowne World Cooks
>Content: Many of the finest cooks from throughout the known world 
>invite you to share their favorite period dishes. Among the cooks 
>participating will be <blah-blah-blah and many others >. The history 
>of each dish, its preperation and unique features will be shared. A 
>feast of the dishes will be held after the presentation. Participation 
>in the feast will be limited to the first (pick a number> 10?, 15?) 
>names drawn from a lottery of those attending the class. A handout of 
>the recipes used will be available at cost. Organized by (person 
>chosen to do class).

You might want to have the first (10/15) who signed up be able to eat 
rather than doing a lottery.  Otherwise, everyone will come with an 
appetitite and most won't be able to eat!  That way they will know to 
be prepared to pay as well as to bring their feast gear.  The handout 
can be available to everyone for that modest fee.

If one is doing the handout, then obviously the dishes to be prepared 
will have been selected ahead of time.  I see the need for at least one 
organizer or possible several.  One person is needed to coordinate the 
communication with me, to get the committments of the cooks, and to 
help negociate an appropriate variety of dishes from the participating 
cooks.  Someone will need to coordinate what is said at the actual 
class.  A point for discussion would be whether it would be better to 
have one or two people present the actual spoken part or to have each 
cook do it.  The cooks may well be busy with final preparations.  
Someone needs to collect the recipes for the proposed dishes and make 
up the handout.  Depending on the participants, this could be done at 
Pennsic.  A number of our folk bring their own computers and printers.  

There is an overnight printing shop that will run off copies for people 
with enough notice.  The newspaper is printed this way and the price is 
pretty good.  Or, the recipes can be collected and printed up ahead of 
time.

A point for discussion and "preparation" is having enough of things 
that if two or three people can't get to Pennsic at the last minute 
there won't be a major gap in the meal.

Is this all too much??  I tend to be detail-oriented and have been 
"noodling through" with things that are pretty nit-picky.  It certainly 
sounds do-able.  There's a gentle in Northshield who is thinking along 
similar lines but with the emphasis on demonstrating appropriate ways 
to serve the food and to decorate the dishes.  I see the emphasis here 
on the actual food itself.

Hah!  Had another wild thought.  The most popular cookery classes last 
year were the ones where people could watch/help with open fire cookery 
in private encampments.  Perhaps some of the above participants, while 
preparing the actual dish, might want to do a demo/class on how to cook 
it over an open fire.

I'd better stop myself before I overwhelm you!

Alys

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