[Sca-cooks] Trial by Fire, Bright Hills competition

[Olwen the Odd]

Hi all.  I am forwarding this message in the hopes that some of you may find
it in your schedules to come join the fun at this (non) event.  Even if you
choose not to participate in the competition it is a fun day.
Olwen

    From: "Karen Summerfelt-Hume" <ekaterina at md.prestige.net>
Reply-To: Recipients of the Cooks Guild list <cooks-guild at silent-tower.org>
To: recipient list not shown: ;
Subject: [cooks-guild] Trial by Fire
Date: Sun, 23 Jun 2002 21:13:40 -0400


Good gentles all,

Here below are the rules and parameters for the Cooking competition known to
us as Trial By Fire.
Said competition is open to all. The date of Trial By Fire is Saturday, July
13, 2002.  The competition will take place at the home of Master Chirhart
Blackstar and Mistress Jeanne Tenneur de Bec.  Directions to their home are
shown at the end of this announcement. They will also be posted in the July
Yeoman.  All are welcome. You do not need to compete to attend.

** Please note - this is a competition for individual cooks. It is not team
cooking.  Also, actual cooking starts at 12 Noon.  You have 1 hour prior to
Noon to set up your equipment, get the coals hot, shoot the game and skin
it. Whatever isn't actually cooking.  If you have a recipe you want to try
but lack a particular piece of equipment or source for a particular
ingredient please contact Master Chirhart or Mistress Jeanne before the
event - preferably before July 7th.  They do have some equipment that can be
borrowed IF they know about it in advance.  While you must supply your own
ingredients the good folks from the Cooks Guild will be happy to supply you
with sources for hard to find ingredients.  Feel free to ask anyone in the
Guild.

N.B. There is no separate category for fish or cheese - these are protein
items and will be considered as 'meat category' entries.


Trial by Fire V
  The Challenge:  to create a period dish under the conditions found at
PENNSIC.

For those of you who are wondering what this means - cooking is to be done
under 'primitive' or outdoor conditions.  Open fire/ fire pits, Barbeque,
propane burner or gas grill, charcoal or wood fired grills, Hibachi's, etc.
No gas, electric, or battery operated appliances.
***** Carroll County is currently observing a combination of water usage
rationing and burning ban. I would like to discourage any open fire pit
entries.  Virtually everything that you might cook in a firepit can also be
done on some sort of grill.  Thank you for your understanding. *****

The Categories:

1.  Best Meat (includes fish and shellfish)
2.  Best Vegetable
3.  Best Grain (includes breads)
4.  Best Dessert
5.  Grand Champion (to be awarded at the judges' discretion)

The Rules:

1.  The dish must either:
      a.  have been published between 650 and 1650 (for the empirically
           inclined Apicius will be "grandfathered in."
      b.  have all ingredients and cooking methods documented to period.*
2.  Recipes must be brought to the competition.
3.  Competitors must bring all ingredients to site and prepare the dish in
situ.
4.  Dishes must be prepared under conditions as found at PENNSIC
     (no electronic appliances), for example, a Grill, Smoker, or Dutch
Oven.
5.  You must bring all cookers, pots, pans, utensils, dishes, etc. necessary
     to prepare your dish.
6.  Dish must be sufficient to serve eight to ten healthy adults.
7.  Each competitor may enter only one dish per category, but may enter
     multiple categories.
8.  All competitors must register on the morning of the competition at the
     table displaying the Cook's Guild Banner.

The Judging:

Judges will be drawn from impartial notables present at the event.  The
judging
will be blind.  Competitors should be aware that the judges will be using
the
following criteria:

1.  The presence of documentation
2.  Taste
3.  Texture
4.  Presentation
5.  Bonus points based on the judge's experience in the field of period
    cooking, for example:  if a dish has been religiously copied from a
    period source despite complexity or cost, or if a dish displays notable
    creativity within a recipe, etc.

Prizes will be awarded after the completion of the judging.

*  Food by Waverly Root will be used as the final arbiter for periodicity,
please contact the Cooks' Guild of Bright Hills if you have questions or
need an ingredient verified.

Site:  1022 Main Street, Hampstead, MD   21074.  Phone:  410-239-8794

        Gray Victorian, 2 story with Turret. Wide front porch with flags and
a brick retaining wall out front.  Parking is allowed on both sides of the
street - no meters.

       Directions:

     From Baltimore Metro area, Eastern DC and Southern Maryland - Take your
best route to the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) and proceed to exit 19 (I-795).
Take I-795 North/West till it ends and turn Left onto MD rte 30. (on I-795
the signs will indicate rte 30, Hanover and Hampstead - get in the Left
lane) Follow rte 30 North approximately 10 miles (well, maybe 12) to
Hampstead, MD. Rte 30 is Main Street. You will go through 3 lights (at Black
& Decker, just past the railroad tracks and at rtes 137 and 88 and 30).
After going through the 3rd light start looking for a parking place. Master
Chirharts home is roughly a half block past the third light. It's on the
Left.

    From points South West and West - Take your best route to MD 27. (This
can be reached from rtes I-70 and I-270). Take MD 27 North till it deadends
at MD rte 30 in Manchester, MD. Turn Right and follow rte 30 about 7 miles
into Hampstead, MD. You will go through 2 (I think it's 2) lights and as you
pass the Police station on your Right start looking for a place to park. The
house is on the Right about a block past the Police Station.

     From points in Pennsylvania there are several routes. Please call or
e-mail for directions if you need them.  Contact Ekaterina @
ekaterina at md.prestige.net   or  443-324-2563.

    We encourage anyone who is interested to attend and to enter.   This
competition is open to all. You need  not be a member of the Cooks Guild or
of Bright Hills to compete.

Ekaterina,
Guildmistress of The Bright Hills Cooks Guild


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