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[Huette von Ahrens]

MK Coronation Feast: What People Taught Me

I have not been cooking as long as many people I
know. My time in the SCA is extensive, coming on
to about 15 years, and I have cooked feasts in that
time, but my real learning about cooking, herbs,
and feasting has been its most intense over the last
five years.

Many people have taught me things in the time I've
been in the SCA, but within the last year and most
especially the last week prior to our hosting the
Coronation of Dag IV and Elayna II, there have been
people who have especially stuck out in my mind as
teachers. I would like you to know them.

Arianna de Claybourne has been my friend for about
two years now. I assisted her when she was the
head cook for our local 12th night feast. When she
heard I had volunteered to be head cook for Coronation,
she immediately volunteered to help. It is now that I
should apologize to her, for when she volunteered,
I was unable to think of a single thing I could set her
to. When she suggested she become my Head Server,
I was skeptical. I honestly did not think she could do
the job. Her skills that I had witnessed in no way
matched the ones I thought were necessary to be a
Head Server. She steadfastly maintained that she
could do the job and in the end, I let her do it, against
my then better judgement. I am happy to say that I was
very very wrong. She met with speed bumps along the
way, there were certainly things that went wrong
on the day of, but Arianna handled them well and far
better than I ever expected. Arianna taught me that
I need to trust people's own judgment better because
there may be skills they have of which I am unaware.
Arianna, I love you. I'm sorry I ever doubted you.
You were absolutely fantastic and handled my hovering
with grace. Thank you for doing it all with a smile.

Luvday and Fernando, a husband and wife team of
SCA cooks, approached me wanting to help with the
Coronation feast early on in the bid submission. I
had only known of them for a few months. They had
been line cooks in mundania and had cooked several
feasts on their own. Both Luvday and Fernando taught
me valuable lessons about speed cooking and getting
the job done well enough. During my planning stages,
they asked questions that really made me think about
how and why I was cooking things in the order I was
cooking them. And on the day of the feast, they taught
me what it was like to have a staff that knew what they
needed to do with little more than a push in the right
direction. When I said "these cook for 30 minutes in
a normal oven, but the convection over there is what
you'll use," Luvday needed little more help than what
it took to get the prep trays loaded in the quick cart
and down the hall into the kitchen. Fernando needed
as little help when I simply said "Here is the pasta.
Make it be noodles by this time and make them go
out hot." Luvday and Fernando, my many thanks for
letting me be your "boss lady" even if it was only
temporary. Damn you both for making my husband
certain I needed that stupid chef's hat. I hope we can work
together again.

Hauviette I have known for only a little time, a matter
of months really. In the short time I have known her,
I feel she has become my friend and confidant. Hauviette
was my dessert goddess for the feast. She taught me a
little about fruit preserves and a lot about sugaring
nuts. More important, I think, is the confidence she
taught me by being herself. She approached all tasks with
confidence, but she also approached problems with
confidence. Few people could do the same. Hauviette
gave me courage to attempt things out of order, off the
wall, and new. She taught me what it was to be a peer
without being a member of a peerage. She let me know
I wasn't the only insane researcher in the Middle Kingdom.
And she taught me to do something even when you don't
know why you're doing it, but you know in your gut that
it's the right thing to do. Hauviette, dear friend, I value
you. I promise to treat the book well and use it every
chance I get.

Phlip, yes our Phlip, was quite a surprise to me. She
has an incredible amount of knowledge in her. Phlip
taught me a bit about veal butchering in her own way,
and a lot about meat planning for large feasts. Phlip
gave me knowledge simply by doing her job and doing
it well. It didn't occur to her than when I was watching
or sneaking peeks at what she was doing, I was actually
using her butchering as a guide for the *next* time I have
an animal in front of me that needs to be taken apart. Or
if it did occur to her, she didn't mind and kept about her job.
Phlip was a joy to work with because nothing fazed her.
She taught me more than just butchering; she taught me
serenity in a way with her carefully and calm approach to
every task. Phlip, crazy lady, sailors have nothing on you.
I owe you more than the measly beer or two you had from
my stock. My scotch is your scotch. Any time you want to
collect, you let me know, okay?

Duke Andrew, Phlip's friend and I hope someday mine,
helped out with the feast in his own way. He was not on
my staff. In fact, though I have met him several times
over the years, he probably really doesn't know me
much at all. What he taught me is something I will
treasure the rest of my days. His Grace calmly spent the
better part of a day cleaning a veal carcass to help out
with the feast. He volunteered his home as a way-station,
gathering place, and butcher's shop until we could get
the meat to my house from Phlip's. He did all of this
despite the fact that his arm was still broken from an
accident and he has been confined to a wheelchair for a
very long time. Duke Andrew taught me about service
and grace. I have no words for you, Sir, that will express
the magnitude of my thanks. If ever I can return the
favor you gave me with your work and donations, please
don't hesitate to call me.

Ciara is a member of my husband's knight's household.
She was my "cook's conscience" in that she reminded
me when I needed to eat and when others might need to
take a break or have a little fun. She had no one specific
job for the feast, but was the best "helper" I had. She
always seemed to be there for the next thing, whatever
that was. And when it was time for me to hand control
of the feast over to my head server and my expeditor,
she went on to the next thing too: doing dishes for the
rest of the evening. Ciara taught me shame. She spent
the same time I did in the kitchen and when I was done,
I hovered and checked on things. Ciara, on the other
hand, was up to her elbows in soapy water for the rest
of the evening. She stayed with us to the very end. Ciara,
my sister, your service inspires me. I want to be like
you when I grow up.

Bogdan, my friend, I know you're reading this too.
Did you think you'd escape mention? Friends like
Bogdan are valuable to me because they pay attention
to your needs and know when to stay out of your way.
Both Bogdan and his wife Despina stayed at my house
for the event. Bogdan made the later-than-midnight
panic run to the store and helped me out with the
purchase of mushrooms, eggs, and greens. He has an
incredible sense of serving portions and how food
behaves when it cooks. He put my views into perspective
when it came time to make a decision on the mushrooms
for the feast. He helped me truly visualize what I was
doing with certain dishes. And way back at the whole
start of this, he gave me an incredible amount of
encouragement by looking over my menu choices and
pointing out holes and weaknesses where I hadn't
thought to look for them. On the day of the feast,
Bogdan showed up during an emergency and took
charge with a task so that I was free to supervise
others. Bogdan taught me more than mushrooms
during his time at our house, he taught me joy. He
taught me what it was like to be happy, even when
the stew is burnt, the Royals are running behind,
and everybody wants your attention at once. My dear
friend Bogdan, you and your lovely wife are welcome
in my home any time. I am very sorry about hitting
the curb with the car, but it was late and the road
really is narrower at that spot. Really. :)

Narissa has been my friend for more years than I can
count. We went to college together, we've been blind
stinking drunk together, and we've shared much as
sister's have about many things. Yet in all these years,
I have yet to figure her out. She has the most uncanny
sense of style of all the people I know. Martha Stewart
has nothing on my friend. I chose Narissa to be the chief
expeditor for the feast, letting her use her incredible
decoration skills for everything that headed out of that
kitchen door. If you were at the feast and saw the food,
you know what I'm talking about. Dishes that otherwise
would have looked like dirt or worse (but tasted good!)
she managed to turn into something elegant, delicate, and
lovely. She handled all of the feast hall decorations as
well. And if that weren't enough, she also was one of
the head retainers for Their Majesties at the same time.
Narissa taught me to look at food in ways I'd never looked
at it before. Dearest Narissa, thank you from the bottom
of my heart for getting down on your hands and knees to
pick all those violet flowers. Thank you for convincing
that city worker that all those plants didn't need to be
run through the shredder and could grace our tables.
But most of all, dear lady, thank you for making the pictures
in my head become a reality even when I couldn't articulate
how they should appear.

For those of you reading this from other kingdoms,
perhaps you can take away something of the awe and
inspiration these people have gifted me with. For
those of you in the Middle Kingdom who read this, or
for those of you near to us who visit, I hope you take
the opportunity to get to know these people. I would
gladly work with each one of them again.

Ever in Service to Our Dream,

Jasmine
Iasmin de Cordoba
iasmin at home.com
gwalli at infoengine.com