SC - What would you do?

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Cynthia Watson wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> I wanted to ask you all a question. I am about to put on my third feast for 125
> + people in two years.  I have bought books and try to do as much research as I
> kind to present a period feast that tastes good as well.  The problem I am
> having is each time that event is advertised in the Blackstar, my information as
> Feast Steward is ALWAYS left out. They have known that I was going to do this
> event for a year,  and I have always upheld my responsibilities in the past
> events.   I am getting a little bit irritated that this keeps happening, as it
> is one of the only sources of recognition.  Here is the question, the event is
> thirty days and I really want to throw in the towel.  What would you do?
> 
> Looking for your wisdom,
> Lady Giulianna Arentino
> Lady Ottavia Alessandra de Medicini

Rest assured that if you throw in the towel now, you will almost
certainly be given plenty of publicity around your kingdom, of a
negative kind. 

It is certainly understandable that you should feel this way, but it's
not easy to change the behavior patterns of hundreds of people in a
Kingdom overnight. Some people might say that we don't do these things
for the recognition, but then everyone is different, nobody likes to
feel ignored or unappreciated, and if you're sufficiently bothered by
this to consider bailing on the event, then I'd say this needs address.

Here are some more or less positive things you can do to improve your
situation in the long run:

1) Provide your event steward with your name, mundane and SCA, address,
etc., and ask him/her to put it in the event notice for people to
contact you with their various health concerns, real allergies, pretend
allergies, etc. Make it clear that you are happy to provide this service
for the smooth progress of this event.

2) You can arrange to provide copies of a little feast booklet with your
original source recipes, your adaptations and comments, etc. I'm sure
you've seen something like this at one event or another. If at all
possible, make one and make sure it includes your name. At least some
people, maybe the ones who really liked the Lombardy Tarts, will take it
home and cook from it. People may talk about the event, the foods they
liked at the feast, and say, yes, I must look in Lady Giuliana's feast
booklet and see if the recipe is in there.

3) Make a show (or rather, set an example) of bringing, every so often,
or as often as is practical, a little present for the cooks at events
you go to. A bottle of wine, maybe some good chocolate, maybe an
inexpensive semiprecious stone (which can be quite cheap when bought by
the dozen; I just picked up, at a street fair in New York, about a dozen
rings of various sizes carved from stones like malachite and jasper; I
think I spent less than 20 dollars for the whole bagful). If you make a
point of treating the cook at an event well in this way, even if you
give a gift that costs a dollar or two, it will still very likely make
the cook's day, especially if your area isn't accustomed to doing much
to show their appreciation, and your gift is accompanied by sincere
words of thanks for all the hard work. In short, make it fashionable to
show appreciation for the cooks. They will, in turn, do the same for
other cooks and for you, and eventually the non-cooks will get the idea,
too. Never, ever get it into your head to ask who the blazes you are to
behave in such a hoity-toity manner, that that is what tin hats are
supposed to do, but not you. What you are is a lady of the gentry or the
aristocracy showing appreciation for a cook whose sweat, back and foot
ache were acquired in your service; a graciously given gift is never
inappropriate, and a kind word is never wasted. They tend to return to
their source, one way or another, when most needed.
      
Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com