SC - questions

[Elysant@aol.com]

- -Poster: <Elysant at aol.com> 

Ras writes:
 
>I have always encouraged, sometimes strongly, the use of period foods at 
>events and have never been seen to take any other position with anyone from 
>initial contact. My student, lady Phillippa Setan can attest to that as can 
>Lord Cadoc, Elysant and many others. And I think they will also attest to 
the 
>fact that such an approach has not discouraged them in anyway from persuing 
>period cookery but has, in fact, spurred them on to further research and 
>experimentation.

This is true.  I have worked with Ras in several feasts now.  One learns not 
only how to function in a kitchen cooking for a large number of people under 
his tutelage, but one also learns to approach the feast with the mindset of 
the fact - from the beginning - that cooking a SCAdian event feast is cooking 
period foods and dishes.  And I have seen that the diners really appreciate 
the efforts made to do this.  

To me, striving to be as period as possible, and being taught to make that 
the goal from the beginning is what it is all about. That is why we do what 
we do here, and is the gift teachers of this subject can instill into those 
who follow so that our piece of the dream can continue to be made even more a 
reality.     

I have helped in other cooks' kitchens where the cooks did not practice this 
philosophy.  It was a severely disappointing situation.  My thought was if we 
are going to just cook regular foods, then we are not only not doing justice 
to what the SCA is about and why I pursue this interest, but also are 
possibly duping the diners as many of them tend to think what is being served 
is a reasonable attempt at period.

Elysant