SC - Fwd: Re: [Mid] In defense of Midrealm cooking.

[Philip & Susan Troy]

CONNECT at aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 9/3/99 12:08:20 PM, phlip at morganco.net writes:
> 
> << Unfortunately, I am responsible for this controversy- nothing I have eaten
> in the Middle Kingdom has been worthy, in my opinion, of either the term
> "period" or the term "feast". You, the wonderful cooks of the List, have me
> spoiled. >>
> 
> Hmmm.. I don't know if I should be offended or not, as I am a cook in the
> Middle Kingdom (Cynnabar to be exact). I've done two feasts to date, one even
> in an extremely rustic site that had only a spigot for water, and both have
> gotten great reviews for taste, periodness and quantity.
> 
> I believe you are painting with an awfully wide brush.

With respect, it's also possible you're being too sensitive to the
possibility that the above remarks refer to you. Maybe not. But in any
case, the lady clearly stated her judgement was based on what she had
eaten, not what is served at Midrealm events. Limiting a qualification
to one's own experience is a reasonably narrow brush, I'd say.

On the other hand, narrow brushes don't always paint an accurate broad
picture. It's up to Lady Philippa to either prove her point or to learn
a thing or two about the true nature of Midrealm feasts, if she's not
judging them fairly. Either way this doesn't have to be a painful
experience; it's more likely to be a profitable one for more than one gentle.

It seems Lady Philippa has been sent on a Quest, and I, being more
process-oriented than goal-oriented as a general thing, have high hopes
for the enlightenment of many, one way or another. Most of us are on
Quest in one way or another.

One other little point to be made (and this is not directly aimed at the
Noble Lady Rosalyn; she simply was the one who raised the issue and I
certainly won't question her word): some people in the SCA don't know
too much about period cookery, specifically what constitutes a
reasonably good piece of culinary scholarship/reconstruction. or, if you
will, period food. People who enjoy the food they are served will often
accept the word of the cook, or even a fellow diner, that X is a period
dish, because they want it to be, even if it's so far removed from a
period original as to be unrecognizable, or even if the dish is simply
made up from "period" ingredients. Just as an example, the reference to
plum pudding in the post from the gentleman in defense of period food
was a bit off the mark in that the kind of plum pudding I assume the
gentleman was referring to, your basic English Christmas plum pudding,
appears to be well post-period in origin. I applaud his sentiments and
attitude, though, which should see him well into and beyond the point
where he can make such distinctions for himself.  

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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