SC - Competitions?

[Michael F. Gunter]

Good Evening,

Please forgive me for my cunctaciousness in replying to your posting but I've
just returned from a couple days's vacation and had to wade through some
800 or so messages.

First off I wish to thank all the good people who responded to my questions on
why cooks enter A&S Competitions. I especially wish to reply to Mistress Meadhbh's
posting. As I have a great deal of respect for both her skills and knowledge, I
would like to reply.

> Competitions allow a cooking person to show their stuff with more complex foods,
> dishes than a feast will allow. Granted, you can get pretty complex with a feast
> BUT, it is difficult to get that attention to detail in a feast you can get when
> displaying your items at a competition.

It is nice to be able to display a meal with the proper tableware and setting
but most A&S halls don't allow foods to be kept hot/cold and even the best
prepared and planned meal starts to lose it's appeal after being left on a
table for six hours. At a feast it is hoped that the foods can be delivered
at least close to the proper temperature. I do agree that I would be able to 
put more effort into a dish (making it properly authentic or using more
expensive ingredients) and would be able to give it better documentation as
well as the face-to-face you mention.

> It also gives members of the populace
> interested in your field of expertise to come by, sample your food and talk to
> you without you being half crazed trying to get a feast together.  It also gives
> the laurels a central location to see a maximum number of artisans in one place,
> thus giving the artisan more exposure to a larger number of laurels.

I think this is good for the other types of artisans whose work is never properly
displayed or appreciated but the cooking types tend to seek each other out and
talk feasts or recipes anyway. Usually we all congregate in the kitchen during
the feast so there's no need to advertise ourselves to those who are interested.
Now I'm only really talking about those of us who's primary focus is on cooking
and not those who do a great many arts as well as cooking. For example, without
seeing his display at Steppes Artisan I would have never known the extent of
Master Modius' knowledge of Eine Boch von Guter Spise. Or of his interest in
cooking foods of his period and area.

> > The way I look at it is that we get the opportunity to display our
> > talents to the majority of people at all the events all year round.
> 
> It isn't the same.  The people 'sampling' your display have very little
> opportunity to talk to you about the feast.  It is difficult enough to cook for
> a large group (using Steppes Twelth Night as an example).... I am sure you
> didn't have time to chit chat with anyone coming into the kitchen asking
> questions about the feast.

If someone had come in to chit-chat during the serving I would probably have
served them up as a special sotelty. But if they had come into the kitchen
earlier when we were preparing the dishes and asked about things I would have
done my best to talk about things while I was working (even better if they'd
offered to lend a hand). Also, I was more than happy to discuss the finer
points of the feast afterwards. Well, I WAS a little tired by then.

> IF you set up a display, the quality time you can spend with people increases
> immensely. It is very intimidating to some to come up to the kitchen to talk to
> a cook about the feast, especially when you are trying to get everything cooked,
> plated and served on time.

This is perfectly understandable. Even I don't attempt to engage the Cook's 
attention just before the meal. I would love to talk about the dishes as someone
is eating them. That is one thing I like to do for my smaller meals. I like to
go out and chat with the diners, talk about what's in the dish, where it came
from and make sure they are being served correctly. Even at feasts as large
as Coronation or 12th Night I went out to see if things were going smoothly and
if people liked the dishes. I don't do this as an announcement but more of 
walking by the tables and chatting with the diners. Something like the chef meeting
the customers at a restaurant.

> So, doing an A&S display (no one says you HAVE ti enter an arts and
> sciences competition... just display your work).

Ah, now that's more to my liking. Hey, I get enough competition when I walk
out on the list field.

> And then there is the competition aspect of things. There are people that enjoy
> competing against a standard (I know Ansteorra doesn't have these yet, but the
> laurels are working on judging criteria).  This way, they can see how well their
> work is progressing AND see how others are doing.

I love attending A&S competitions and seeing how the others are doing. The thought
of seeing how I'm progressing is interesting but I guess I'm stubborn in my
feeling that I'm learning that with every meal I do. 

> 
> We also teach the populace when we hold classes at King's
> College or local collegium or at any event and teach about how to run a feast,
> period foods, how to eat period when you don't know how to cook, how to
> interpret period recipes, etc.And to be honest, doing all this doesn't guarentee
> anyone a laurel. It does guarentee that they will be looked upon as a wonderful
> artisan and a teacher.  Also, writing an article for the local newsletter is a
> big help as well.

I have actually been thinking about doing a couple of classes for the next
Collegium or somesuch. Basically some of the classes you mention or something
I would have to work on. Also I would love to host a class by a couple of the
cooks interested and do a redaction class. Get several good period cooks together
ahead of time to redact a period recipe and then display them to interested 
students along with a discussion on how we came about our interpretation. Could
be fun. See? I'm getting better.

> 
> True, you could do those fancier dishes for A&S, you could also do an entire
> course for a feast and have it set up with all the trappings and utensils that
> would have been used to serve that feast.  Also, you can educate people on HOW a
> feast was served, WHY certain dishes were served and in what sequence they were
> served. My question is:  When will you have the time to talk to these people as
> you are preparing the feast, OR for the brewer, running the tavern... OR, for
> the bard..... while they are preparing to perform.... doesn't seem feasible.

Nope, but I think I would rather do this as a class. The method you mentioned was
how the lady won the A&S at Gothic Wars the year I helped judge.

> That is true.... Good food certainly can win over many people.... food and drink
> hit all the senses...... and yes, the instant gratification is nice,   But
> others get instant gratification as well, clothiers who wear incredible
> outfits.. everytime they get stopped and someone tells them how gorgeous their
> clothes are... I am sure it is the same feeling we get as cooks when we share
> our food with others.

Yep, and clothiers were another set of artisans I nearly mentioned as not really
needing the A&S. But when they're standing there you can't necessarily check the
hem seams, now can you?

> And, no flames here Gunthar.... don't even think you will get singed! (GRIN)

Yay!

> I say, I'd love to see you at least do some displays at Laurels Prize tourney in
> November! How's that for a challenge????

Hmmmm. Welllll....maybe. Actually one of my dreams is to get to cook the feast
for either a King's College or a LPT. A nice small feast of only about 200-250
people who would at least appreciate a try at "weird food". I'll think about it.

Oh and thank you very much for the well thought out reply. This is exactly the
type of commentary I was hoping to generate.

> Meadhbh

Yers,

Gunthar
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