SC - Scungilli versus conch

[LrdRas@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/2/00 11:32:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
campcook at uswestmail.net writes:

<< Spices should basically be identifiable, with
 a few oddballs such as cubebs and galengale, maybe one or two
 more. >>

Perhaps you meant a few medieval spices that are not usually seen in modern 
European cookery? Both the spices you name were common (much more common than 
black pepper) in the middle ages and their use today in Thailand and other 
countries in cookery statistically means they are still COMMON in the world 
today. I think the word 'oddball' is ill used in this situation.

Also while such a competition is fun, for purposes of a cooks/Trimarian 
challenge, it does nothing to show that period food was good and desirable. 
It would only show how many period-like dishes could be made from a box of 
ingredients which were chosen not on the basis of actual period recipes.

Again I like the Challenge idea but can't see how such a challenge at the 
cooks/Trimaris level would do much except encourage folks to fiddle with 
modern style cooking using period ingredients.

Ras