[Sca-cooks] Pennsic Iron Chef Results

[jenne at fiedlerfamily.net]

> I suspect you may be making the mistake of viewing people in
> period as 20th century Americans wearing funny clothes. They
> aren't -- they came from cultures which are very different to the
> ones we live in today. Just because it's obvious _now_ that rival
> cooks can have a cooking contest doesn't mean it occurred to
> anyone in period.

Actually, it seems like rivalries over who has the best cook aren't very
20th century-- certainly they were typical of Regency, Victorian and
Edwardian England, but they don't seem to be known outside the food biz
now.

Given the remarks in various manuscripts about 'some other persons do it
this way, but you should do it my way' I would find it hard to believe
that rivalries between cooks did not occur.

However, that is NOT evidence one way or the other for cooking
competitions. I really wish I could find that reference to a cook having
to serve a complete meal to the judges to get certified a master cook,
though.

-- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa
jenne at fiedlerfamily.net OR jenne at tulgey.browser.net OR jahb at lehigh.edu
"Are you finished? If you're finished, you'll have to put down the spoon."