SC - Fw: HERB - Decent Beginners Book

[Philippa Alderton]

His Highness Gunter wrote regarding a new Laurel in cooking:

>He is just beginning to discover period foods and hopefully he will
       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^             ^^^^^^^^^^^^  (^^ are mine)
>now pursue them more fervently. He is a very good cook.

This is meant as an observation only, not a judgment or anything 
negative... Each kingdom does things differently! 

In the Middle, cooking Laurels have to be skilled at period cooking 
_before_ they are considered for elevation.  I recall clearly the 
_40-minute-long_ discussion of one candidate who is an excellent cook 
but who had not demonstrated her/his mastery of cooking from period 
sources to the satisfaction of one (or more) cooking Laurels who were 
present at the meeting. The non-cooks who were present loved her/his 
food but those with cookery knowledge were insisting that s/he 
demonstrate knowledge of period foods, what substitutions might (or 
might not) be made, reasonably accurate redactions of recipes by the 
candidate, etc.

I don't think I'm telling "State" secrets but the Laurels here 
frequently ask potential candidates to provide something for the Laurel 
meeting at Pennsic, for example, or for the Royalty Room at large 
events where peerage meetings will be held.  That way more Laurels can 
sample the foods, look at any documentation that is provided, etc, and 
(not the least) get food to eat!  :-)  Cooking for the Laurels isn't a 
guarantee of peerage but it is one way to be "seen" in a large kingdom 
such as the Middle.

Alys Katharine (Laurel for "cooking research", not cooking.  I can't 
cook in "bulk"!)

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