SC - Cookery-Art or Science
D. Clay-Disparti
Clay at talstar.com
Sun Jan 31 04:05:24 PST 1999
When we were new to the SCA a squire told me this interesting bit of
information....
"the difference between art and science is this: If you prepare and place an
object/entry on a table, beautifully executed and ready for judging, then take a
hammer and give it a few good whacks, you can tell the difference. The art will
no longer be recognized , the science will remain relatively intact."
I still have nightmares as one of the categories I like to enter is glass!
With this definition it would be well to place cooking and baking in the art
area!!!
Isabella/Dee
Christine A Seelye-King wrote:
> Christianna, then Bear write:
> >> Baking (and all 'Pastry Sciences', to borrow a phrase from
> >Homer Simpson) is a Science.
> >> Mistress Christianna
> >>
> >After careful consideration, I must say that baking can not be a
> >Science.
> >To be a Science, the results must be reproducible and any baker will
> >tell you they can't guarantee what is going to come out of the oven.
> >In most instances, the end product will be within usable tolerances,
> >but there is always the occasional catastrophe.
>
> Hey, I've seen some catasrophes come out of science labs, too!
> >
> >Understanding the processes of baking is Science. Producing quality
> >bake goods is Art. Baking, the combination of the two, is obviously a
> >craft.
> Yes, I will agree with the craft statement. Both Cooking and
> Baking are combinations of art, science, and skill, (innate talent,
> hunger, availability of ingredients, etc, etc,etc). Still, Baking is a
> more Scientific craft, if you will. ;)
>
> >I believe the reason you see baking as a Science is the use of precise
> >measurement. You do not need precise measurement to produce >most bake
> goods. If you can tell the readiness of the dough by feel >and by sight,
> you can bake without measurement. In fact an artisan >baker needs to be
> able to feel the dough to correct for differences in >volumes of liquid,
> dryness of flour and humidity. The best baking is >not done in the
> controlled environment of a factory bakery.
>
> Hmm. Seems to be splitting hairs to say that someone trained can
> tell the difference by feel and sight, unless you are saying that can be
> learned without measurements. (Not to mention the addition of learning
> heat measurement requirements, such as baking the hot/fast foods first
> and the longer cooking at lower temperature foods later on in the
> process). Again, this is also important in Cooking, but more crucial in
> Baking IMO.
>
> >The need for measurement is historic and economic. <snip>
> >Precise measurement is the best method to insure economic survival.
> >
> >Bear
>
> So shall we ask Cariadoc whether economics are an art or a science? ;)
>
> Christianna
>
> ___________________________________________________________________
> You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
> Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
> or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]
> ============================================================================
>
> To be removed from the SCA-Cooks mailing list, please send a message to
> Majordomo at Ansteorra.ORG with the message body of "unsubscribe SCA-Cooks".
>
> ============================================================================
============================================================================
To be removed from the SCA-Cooks mailing list, please send a message to
Majordomo at Ansteorra.ORG with the message body of "unsubscribe SCA-Cooks".
============================================================================
More information about the Sca-cooks
mailing list