SC - Greetings and Chicken

[Michael F. Gunter]

> Wendy,  welcome to SCA cooks.  You will find people here who have been
> cooking period foods/feasts for many years, and others, like you, who
> are on their first few dishes.  Please don't let yourself be
> discouraged or outraged by what seems like criticism.

I agree. Remember that when this list first started many of us were of
the "Period food sucks and I just want to feed people" school. I was
close to that feeling myself. It's only after two years of gentle
persuasion by such luminaries as Adamantius, Cariadoc, Ras, Anne-Marie,
Elizabeth, et al that I've become such a cheerleader in my kingdom.

I think what we should show Caitlin is some examples of stuffed roasted
chickens and directions to a couple of the websites so she can see
how easy and tasty period dishes can be. Once she has discovered that
not all period food sucks she may then feel emboldened to try her
own redaction. But remember that this is FUN. If she never wants to
redact a recipe or even cook period food we can still help her with
feast questions, supplier advice, or recipes. Every cook need not be
a scholar.

I do believe that once she starts seeing some of the groovy recipes
that get posted here she may change her attitude and try a few but
let's all please be careful about frightening off someone with even
as gentle commentary as she did recieve. Master A, you described your
fighting expirience but if that good Duke and Viscount suddenly started
talking a mile a minute about the lack of technique and how you need more
snap and move your feet different and this is a body fake and try to
sidestep while throwing a leg shot and you really should use a wankel
instead of that round and don't worry this is fun if you do it our
way...... instead of just showing how to stop getting your leg taken
so often, I think you would have become frustrated as well.

> It's only that many of us are on a treasure hunt, and the
> prize is a perfectly worked out dish, that is equally delicious.
> Also we aren't suggesting you teach yourself 13th century Arabic so
> you can read the original and work the recipe out from there.  Someone
> else has already done that, and you can find their translation in Duke
> Cariadoc's books along with kitchen tested 20th century English
> recipes!

Also some of us are converts and thus a little more fanatical than
the mainstream.

> Regina Romsey

Yours,

Gunthar
Rex Ansteorra, KSCA, Companion to the Iris of Merit, Baron, etc...

(This last bit was for Mistress Regina, remember the last time I saw
you at Pennsic? That wide-eyed kid who crashed at your place in Drachenwald
hasn't done too shabby.)

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