SC - TI article?

[Bronwynmgn at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/9/2000 10:30:56 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
ekoogler at chesapeake.net writes:

<< However, I don't think
 what you describes belongs in a TI.  It doesn't even sound nourishing or what
 people going into a serious physical activity should be eating! >>

Personally, I think it is a sound example of a way to feed an army cheaply 
and easily.  Admittedly the food is not period, but nor are we talking all 
Twinkies and such.  When you read the article, you will see that they are 
talking about primarily using things like chicken noodle soup mix, raw 
veggies and fruit, sausage and cheese biscuits, pickles, a variety of drinks 
including sekanjabin, and other good things.  They include jerky when they 
can afford it.  The Twinkies and such are there as an extra sparkle.  The 
primary objectives are food that is readily available, can be kept safely for 
several days under camping conditions, quickly prepared, and quickly and 
easily eaten, all the while being tempting enough to divert a fighter long 
enough to consume it.
I'm sure we could come up with period foods that would fit most of those 
criteria fairly easily - but are those foods going to be tempting enough to a 
busy fighter to stop fighting long enough to eat?  Some of the fighters, yes, 
who are familiar with and enjoy period foods.  But those who are less 
familiar may well decide to give it a miss if they don't recognize it, unless 
their buddies come over munching and saying "Wow, this is good!  You gotta go 
get some!"
I have some folks who I can tell "I have cold Pie of Parys" and they'll come 
running, others who can be persuaded to try it, and others who seem convinced 
that the proper food for fighters is cheese cubes, bread and butter, and 
orange wedges, and won't take anything else.  But Pie of Parys needs to be 
kept cold on site, and isn't the cheapest thing to make.

Does the article belong in a TI?  Well, I'm divided.  Certainly it is a valid 
and successful effort to combat the fact that many fighters forget to eat 
during the day.  Certainly, having a way to address this need is a valid 
concern in our SCA lives.  Certainly it is information that many in the SCA 
can use, and an option that many of them may not have thought of, but may now 
go out and try.  All of these things are of benefit to the Society.  But it 
doesn't reflect period practice.  Nor do a good many articles in TI.  I would 
instantly reject it for Compleat Anachronist, but I think it does have some 
place in TI.

Brangwayna Morgan