SC - Re: FAQ

[kat]

As requested, here is the final version of the Welcome! message (not a FAQ).  I am no longer making corrections to this document. 

	- k

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Welcome to the SCA-Cooks mailing list!
 
	The purpose of this list is to discuss medieval and early 
Renaissance foods, to exchange and redact (translate and proportion out into a workable format) recipes, and to generally enlighten people as to the palatability--nay, the magnificence!--of medieval cuisine.
 
	Instead of a FAQ, or frequently asked questions list, we are 
fortunate to have the Web files entitled "Stefan's Florilegium."  Begun as a selective archive of topics of discussion on the Rialto, an SCA-wide discussion 
forum, the Florilegium--maintained by Stefan li Rous--now contains a variety of posts dedicated to period foods.  You can find this archive at:   
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/rialto/idxfood.html
	The web site also contains links to lots of other interesting web pages related to medieval and Renaissance foods; so spend some time browsing, and enjoy!
 
	A few basic rules:  This is a friendly list. Consider it to be a noble 
conversation amongst gentles in my living room. Sometimes the subjects 
get off-topic or there will be discussions of modern foods. That's okay but if 
things stray too far be prepared to take it private and return to focus. This 
isn't just about period foods but a gathering of cooks interested in period 
foods. 
	Also remember that flame wars, insults, or any type of verbal 
attacks will be quickly stopped. I expect my guests to be polite to each 
other. Some of the discussions can get heated but only in a debate sense. 
We are all intolerant of rudeness. 

	We are a friendly and welcoming group and you can be as quiet or 
talky as you wish. Most questions are answered quickly and usually from 
great authority. There are some fantastic members on this list. Don't be 
afraid to ask questions. 

	There are some rules about posting:

	1)   Please keep the Subject line updated on the subject you are 
actually discussing.  If you are posting recipes please post if you know if it 
is period, peri-oid, or out-of-period.

	2)  Please refrain from posting virus warnings, chain letters, get-
rich-quick advertisements, or any other spam that you are sure we just 
can't live without. If it is that important, we'll find out in other ways.  Humor 
postings are okay as long as they fit into the theme of this list in some 
way.

	3)  Please make an attempt at "trimming" replies to a post, leaving only the information pertinent to your response and to the discussion.
 

	Some commonly addressed issues, and some help on where to find more:

Q)	Is this list just for SCA people?
A)	Anybody with an interest in historical cooking is welcome. You 
can be a member of another recreationist group or not belong to any 
organization. If you know of someone who would be interested, please let 
them know about us. But be aware that the majority of members on the list 
are SCAers so the conversations may sometimes get a little confusing.

Q)	Where can I find medieval cookbooks?  
A)	Several members of the SCA have published collections of 
medieval recipes; and so have a lot of historic scholars.  A good 
"recommended reading" list can be found in the Florilegium at: 
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/rialto/cooking-bib.html; or try:
 http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/rialto/cookbooks-msg.html.
 
Q)	Are potatoes (tomatoes, chocolate, armadillos, etc., etc.) period?
A)	Though there are a small handful of existing recipes for new world 
foods at the *extreme* end of the SCA period as defined by the Society's 
governing documents; as a general rule, most SCA cooks like their feasts 
to be more authentically medieval in flavor, and so tend to exclude most 
"modern" foods.  For information on a specific food item, check the 
Florilegium index for the specific type of food.  Here's the potato 
information: http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/rialto/root-veg-msg.html
 
Q)	Wow, this list gets a LOT of traffic!!!  Is there a digest?
A)	Yes!  Digest subscription is obtained by sending an email to 
majordomo at ansteorra.org and in the body of the message write:
Subscribe sca-cooks-digest <address> if it is different than the address 
you are sending it from. 
	The digest has nothing more or less than the regular list except 
that the digest takes several emails and combines them into just one 
mailing. The usual ratio is around 15-1 so it can cut back your traffic 
significantly.

Q)	What does LOL (or AFAIK or IMHO, etc.) mean?
A)	These are a few of many acronymic abbreviations universal to the electronic community.  If you run across one you can't puzzle out from context, feel free to reply privately to the poster and ask what his abbreviation meant (or ask a friend who's Web-savvy).  Generally, you'll receive a polite reply defining most of the more common terms.  

	Please feel free to ask questions; we listmembers love to share 
our opinions!  Do be sure to check the Florilegium first, if your system 
allows you access to it, to make sure your question hasn't been discussed 
recently--but if you think you have new information to share with us on an 
old topic, by all means, please do so!

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