SC - What makes a Medieval Cook

[Black Jade]

>In a message dated 4/4/00 2:33:54 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
>grm+ at andrew.cmu.edu writes:
>
>>  It's a place to figure out what the high
>>  standard of medieval cooking is so you can decide where you measure up
>>  against the standard and where you want to measure up against it.  And,
>>  frankly, if the cooks here lower the standard because some or most or
>>  all of us don't measure up to it, we're doing a disservice to everyone
>>  on the list.
>
>Do'n't measure up?  Are we talking about the scholastic research department,
>or the culinary skills department?    Clarify, please.  I would hate to think
>that someone considers me a terrible cook because I can't recite the Pleyn
>Delit from memory.  That would be horrible.

I'm sure noone is going to say you don't measure up just because you cant
recite period texts.  I think the gentle was trying to say that we who are
relatively new can look at the various skills of the various people here
and see what we can achieve now, and a little later on, marvel at how much
further we have come.  There is years of experience here on this list, all
you have to do is listen and learn.  How much we want to learn is up to us.
The list has a standard.  Authenticity Police are equalled by the dreamers
and a certian level is sort of agreed on.  We all try to produce the best
we can, Your best is always good enough, even if you don't get it totally
right enough to suit the Period police.  To do less than your best I see as
sort of letting the side down a bit.
Noone here is a terrible cook if they substitute an ingredient for another.
Noone is a terrible cook if they can't recite cooking texts from memory.
Some people are unfortunate enought to be genetically terrible cooks (like
my Mother), some people just don't have the knack, but even if they could
burn water, they still get marks for enthusiasm and giving it a go in my
books anyday.
Anyone can learn to cook. Even the terrible ones, with a little bit of
patience and a little bit of bloody mindedness (especially Pastry Chefs.
PAstry Chefs need that extra bit of Bloody Mindedness since the pastry
itself is Bloody Minded.  They also need iced water running through their
veins rather than blood, but that's neither here nor there).  Don't
convince yourself that you are no good up against Cariadoc if you are new
to the medieval cooking scene, or have not the year of experience.  We are
all cooks here, because we want to cook.  All we have to do is learn.

Just my 2c worth
- -Katerine