[Sca-cooks] Pennsic Iron Chef Results

[Dunbar, Debra]

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Edward Long-hair writes:

	" 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."
>
	Wow!  I'm amazingly thick skinned and not sure if I should take
offense at this or not.  Do I know you?  If not, is this the way people
normally converse on this list?

	Just in case you were doubting my intelligence or background, I have
a BA in Medieval Literature, with graduate level work in Northern European
Folklore.  Our department Chair, who received his Doctorate at the
University of Michigan in Medieval Studies, personally taught me West Saxon,
and under his tutelage I translated some of the Exeter Book for an
undergraduate class.
	That was a long time ago, though.  I'm not an expert; I certainly
have a lot to learn, but I am a grown woman, and a professional, not some
ignorant child who wants to put on elf ears and run around in rayon hot
pants.

	Yep, I have no idea if cooking contests happened in the Middle Ages.
I haven't researched it and frankly would rather spend my scant free time
researching other things. (Like use of a particular spice)  As an
organization, we have contests to educate members and inspire people - both
the entrants and the "audience".  It's one of the things I love about the
SCA - I get to see everyone's "stuff" and look at their research and learn.
If cooking contests get people excited and interested in historical cooking,
than I am all for it, regardless of whether the contest itself is
documentable.

	Wrynne
	(who has only had one cup of coffee this morning)