SC - A & S Competitions

[Bethany Public Library]

Rayne wrote:

:To tell the truth, I do not enter them because I feel that my work is just
:not up to the  level that the judges are looking for.  Why waste their
time?
:I enjoy looking at the entries and when they are set up so the populace can
:vote, I am there to share my 2 cents worth.

If you lived near me, things would change. Competition with thoughtful
discussion is one of the places where it is possible to dramatically
increase knowledge of period cuisine (the other being the popular redaction
parties).

One item worth considering: Maybe you could TEACH a bit, by entering.
Someone once told me that the documentation for a piece should be short,
sweet, and easy to grasp. I say to that: "Bollocks". Sometimes it's an issue
of showing that I really DO know my stuff. That would entail getting some
detail into the documentation. In order to do that, I offer the equivalent
of a term paper on the dish. I giv elots of copies, so folks can take it
home later. That was when I was on the "just a cook" side.

Now that I'm on the "judging, cooking-n-stuff laurel" side, I can see that I
am one dumb cluck. The more I know, the more it become apparant I know
absolutely nothing. So I WANT to see what YOU, the entrant knows, even if I
have to read it later, after the competition. And, if it's something new to
me, I get excited and start experimenting on my own. That way, when anyone
asks me about an entrant at a later date, I can say "Hey, look at this
information. Ther's no doubt this cook really knows the origins of moonpies,
because they can prove it, and can link it to several other regional period
dishes."

Another consideration is presentation. If your dish is very tasty, but
poorly presented, it won't get many enthusiastic tasters. I submit to you
that period garnishemnt, a thoughful provision of tasting apparatus (cups,
spoons, etc.), a nice silver or carved wooden or other fancy dish, a pretty
serving spoon, perhaps a fine table napkin appropriate to the style of the
dish laid out underneath, could sway your judge in ways the judge has no
idea s/he's being swayed. Obviously, the person who goes to this much
trouble really cares about food and this dish in particular. Mind you it's
all wasted if the dish itself is bilgewater, so don't let it backfire on
you.  I even once went so far as to have an extra wooden trencher upon which
I set out pre-assembled "tastes" (H'ors d'euvres, if you will) of the three
related dishes that constituted one entry. Each dish on it's own was
'so-so". Together, they were spectacularly tasty, but very messy to
assemble. This made it easy for the judges to judge my entry quickly.

Lastly, you must always tailor your entry to the competition, rather than
saying "I have a great recipe for lamb stew...let's go to an event this
weekend so i can enter it in a competition".

These things are repellant to some folks...the entry should stand on it's
own merits, they reason. But the reality is that competitions are, well,
competetive. And contrary to some folk's ideas, competition is not necessary
in order to be recognised as a great cook. Competitions are for those who
are emotionally strong and highly competetive.
:
:And as for the "why waste their time" comment above... I still produce.
And
:I enjoy what I do.  I've SCA for over 25 years now and (for me) it is still
:fun.  Which is one of the things I want out of a hobby (among other
things).
:
:Rayne

And that's how it should be, in MY corner of the game. I know that I know
how to win, but I don't need the stress of it. But if I am going to compete,
I will do everything to make sure that my entry is optimised, from table
placement, to scouting out what is likely to be next to me, to 3 pages of
documentation, to entering in categories that might be underrepresented, to
making the presentation as spectacular as my entry itself, to making it easy
for the judges to get at it and then move on. That's not cheating, if my
entry is as perfectly period as I can make it. But it's a tremendous amount
of work.

Aoife----will I get skinned alive for admitting this stuff?