SC - period food cooking classes for children

[campcook at uswestmail.net]

On Thu, 02 March 2000, Molli Rose said:

> 
> > Some of us are thinking about developing a children's event
> > with a Toys for Tots style tourney, Page school classes and 
> > just for fun activities including cooking classes, with a 
> > Tavern theme feast. So I'm looking for easy kid friendly 
> > preparation (ages 10-16) that will be a delight to kids and 
> > grownups.
> 

Hmm...This is a very interesting idea.  Whenever I do a demo, I
get the opportunity to talk about period food, how it was 
obtained, etc.  The kids really go for it.  Its something that
they can relate too.  Especially as they start to find out that 
a lot of the food wasn't so different than it is now.  A custard
pudding hasn't changed much over the years!

Even in my household, I have seen some interesting changes in the
attitude of the smalls.  This past Estrella War, they decided
that the food was too weird and they didn't want to eat with the
adults.  So out comes the can of Dinty Moore Beef Stew.  Then
they saw the pot roast, the real stew, the sausages, the hot 
biscuits etc.  They have decided that maybe eating what the
adults eat may not be so bad. (Now mind you, based on the stories
I have heard from their parents, I might have decided not to eat
with the adults either.)

So given the subject, maybe it is time to take on a page and 
start teaching him/her how to do food magic.  I know that I
always enjoyed cooking as a kid.  Especially when what I made
turned out well.

My suggestion, though I don't have any recipes off hand, is to
make sure it is something that they succeed at.  Even if at
first it isn't quite so period.  In working with that age group 
outside of the SCA, I found that as they succeed, they want to
do more.  And with a little guidance, they can make almost
anything you can make.  Also, they are more likely to at least 
try it if they made it themselves.

Remember, they have an attention span of about 40 minutes at this
age.  Also, if the group is very large, you will need to break
it into smaller groups so that they all have the chance to do the
cooking.  Don't be working with part of them and not the rest, or
the idle ones WILL become a problem.  It takes lots of dedication
on the part of the leaders (notice this is the plural) to pull
it off.

Just my experience, take it for what it is worth.  I hope that
you have great success.

- --
Ld. Steffan of the Close (The Camp Cook) Tir Ysgithr, Atenveldt
(Steven Cowley -- Tucson, Arizona)
Vert, three armored arms in triskellion, each maintaining a 
spoon, argent, between three cooking pots Or
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