SC - Re: sca-cooks V1 #387

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Woeller D wrote:

> I suspect that the request for tact refers to rather matter-of-fact
> corrections that have been handed down by our list's more experienced
> members to enthusiastic new-comers.

I suspect the unfortunate reality is that tact is in the eye of the
beholder. Some people apparently feel that a quick jerk into their own
brand of reality is more helpful than letting someone absorb slowly the
fact that they've made a mistake. It certainly could save the person
additional embarrassment. I feel that the best approach is probably
somewhere between these two extremes. I am perfectly willing to wait a
while, if I feel that a correction of that sort really needs to be made,
which is rarely. I'm also willing to do so privately, which is often
helpful.

> But I also (hope?) feel that another aspect of worth of this list is the
> encouraging atmosphere it  can offer to those of us who have come to add
> to their learning  and research experience and confidence, at the warm
> and wise feet of our culinary betters, and I would like to appeal to
> your nobler natures in this matter.

Of course. Many of us could stand a bit of a wake-up call in this
regard. Some of us don't even realize what we're doing, when we're doing
it.
> 
> In one instance, a list member wrote proudly about a meal that she
> prepared.  She described her food, then mentionned that she realized
> partway through the meal that it was 'medieval', not by intention, but
> by happy accident, due to recent gleanings from the list (my
> interpretation from memory, sorry if not exact).  She was obviously
> pleased by her experience of learning and progress.
> A rebuttal and entire discussion ensued upon what was and was not
> 'medieval' in her meal. The discussion has been wonderful, from a
> learning standpoint, but it is possible that something unintentional was
> accomplished.  The 'dressing down' that was directed at the idea that
> the meal was 'medieval' may have acted effectively as a personal
> squashing of a tentative, creative culinary spirit, and may make others
> afraid to speak up, as well.  I believe that the original writer
> probably didn't even have a true intention of claiming her meal was
> 'medieval', just used that word to share her pleasure and surprise at
> finding her culinary efforts leaning towards "perioid" (again, my
> interpretation).  So, although I am not among the more experienced
> members of our list, I am going to say what I wish had been said, before
> the dissection and periodicity discussion:
> 
> To the Gentle who made the "Medieval" stew, bread and mead dinner:
> Hurrah for you!  I am so pleased for you that you are becoming more
> interested in preparing period meals.  Your meal sounds delicious, and
> it is wonderful to see someone pleased to bring an idea of the Dream to
> their kitchen.  I look forward to wonderful things for and from you, in
> the future, as you learn more about planning and researching a period
> meal.  By the way, FYI, the actual use of the word 'medieval' wouldn't
> apply to this particular feast, it  would probably be called 'perioid',
> denoting that the general spirit of the meal could be a period effort,
> but the actual recipes were not taken from the period, and some of the
> ingredients are past the time allowed for in our (SCA organization time
> (till 1600), which, itself actually extends a bit past the'medieval'
> period. Does anyone out there have a good, period stew and/or bread
> recipe for future reference?  Can anyone offer insights into what about
> this meal would be OOP? (I'm not asking to start this over- This is just
> my take on how I wish it had gone)

I remember this incident quite clearly. Certainly we should be willing
to make some allowances for beginners, who often make statements that
they might not have made, had they been more experienced. It is
unfortunate that the rebuttal that was made was presented in terms that
may have been regarded as disparaging. Personally, I don't think
disparagement could have been any farther from the mind of the gentle
who posted the rebuttal about potatoes, but it could fairly easily have
been misconstrued.

Of course, in fairness, I must point out that the responses to that
rebuttal were not, "You know, good gentle, it would be better to post
your remarks in such terms that the person you are trying to educate
isn't terrified out of the classroom," but rather, they pretty much
said, "Potatoes are so darn well period!", and then, the responses to
that were, "Are not!" etc. At this point the question of whether the
original rebuttal was tactless was moot, simply because it was quickly
forgotten. The topics of threads change so quickly. 

While many of us can hang our heads in shame over our behavior in cases
like that, we need to move over and make room for all the people who
thought it was tactless, and said nothing at the time, myself included.
I had hoped that by merely refraining to comment on it, it would quickly
die before doing any damage, and my subsequent responses to that thread
really had nothing to do with the original post that started it all.

> I have noticed somewhat harsh corrections directed at several messages,
> but this one made my heart go out to the writer of the original missive,
> I hope she will keep trying, and not be afraid to offer suggestions or
> examples. I hope others will not be too intimidated to participate.  I
> hope I am not too out of place to ask, please- teach, help, correct- I
> am grateful for that, but please also remember that part of the Dream is
> a courtesy and chivalry to be extended to all levels of expertise that
> is also, in truth, not period, or medieval. Be gentle, when you can, and
> a Gentle, when you cannot.

Fair enough. I am always saddened when something silly drives somebody
away from this list, and I hope the lady hasn't been given the wrong
impression about us all, let alone gone away with that impression. 

Adamantius
______________________________________
Phil & Susan Troy
troy at asan.com
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