SC - competitions

[Mary Morman]

> Avoid competitions?
> 
> Seriously, that is my solution.  You can get caught up in detailed
> standards and arguing with ignorant judges and worrying about who is better
> than whom, at events to which everybody comes in garb despite the whole
> thing feeling as 20th-century as one can possibly get, or you can skip the
> whole thing and try to find other occasions for showing people the neat
> things you have found/done, discussing sources, learning what other people
> are doing, and so on.  I prefer the latter--and have on occasion organized
> a Cook's Collegium or a Musician's Day for that purpose.
> 
> Elizabeth of Dendermonde/Betty Cook
> 

Elaina here.

In many ways I agree with Mistress Elizabeth, but I do have some
reservations.  If a whole 'class' of cooks avoid competitons because they
are not judged well, because they are looking for what we consider
inappropriate work, etc., then the SCA as a whole fails to grow in a
culinary sense - even if it has many excellent cooks who do good research
and good cooking. 

Yes, I as a cook can learn more (and have a better time!) just going to
cariadoc and elizabeth's for dinner.  but that doesn't have an effect on
the general standards accepted in my group (where a chocolate trifle was
served to the crown as a 'special treat' by one of our officers...).  

Entering in A&S competitions does at some level set the expectations of
the people who judge and attend them.  Discussing judging methods with A&S
officers and judges, while not always seen as acceptable, does sometimes
cause then to think beyond their own comfort zone.  And also important, at
some level at least, is seeing that those who do well receive appropriate
recognition.  If a kingdom has a dozen really excellent cooks, but they do
not participate in A&S competitions, and an equal number of mediocore ones
who do, and are rewarded for doing so, then the people of the kingdom
learn to equate the rewarded mediocrity with excellence.

Elaina

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