SC - Laurel vs Pelican for cooking

[Anne-Marie Rousseau]

hey all from Anne-Marie

I recieved my Pelican in AS 26. One of the specific things they mentioned
in the accolade was my time spent in the kitchen, at every level, from
scrubbing pots to organizing huge banquets.

I recieved my Laurel this last weekend. One of the specific things they
mentioned in the accolade was my time spent in the kitchen, but also the
research that went into it.

I had always considered kitchen work a service. The research I do was
simply a way to serve better, I mean, after all, we're a MEDIEVAL society,
so in theory, we should be eating medieval food, right? Imagine my suprise
when the Laurel Council of An Tir thought that it, along with some other
artsy stuff I do, was Laurel matieral.

It was explained to me in great and graphic detail (along with some stern
shaking and a bap or three on the side of the head) that cooking is serving
when it feeds people. Cooking is an art/science when you add to the body of
knowledge and create something new. 

A Laurel in An Tir, I was told, with stern finger waggling, is recognition
for mastery of your art form. You have mastered the medium when you have
internalized the information to such a degree that you can manipulate it at
will. They cited specific examples....lots of people can cook feasts. lots
of people can cook feasts that are tasty and even use medieval recipes. The
Master can cook feasts, pulling together resources from their knowledge of
period cooking sources, tailoring it to the situation and the audience.

at least, this was how it was explained by a bunch of An Tirian Laurels to
a rather dumbstruck Pelican in the middle of the night, during her vigil,
when she kept sputtering "but cookings a service!!" 

Obviously I still have a lot to learn...
- --AM

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