[Sca-cooks] Virtual Siege Cookery Contest 1

[Sharon Gordon]

On a non-SCA list I am on, focused on clever frugality, I posted the following
version of one Siege cookery contest.  (If you have lists of other contests,
their rules, and any reports of the results, I love to read them as well.)

Some people are responding with virtual feast ideas.  A few people are
trying it in reality.  One person responded with an altogether unusual
strategy and has given me permission to post it.  I'll send it in the
next post.

*****
A historical reenactment group periodically has contests where cooks
are asked to prepare an apparent feast during a Siege. The idea is
that the hosting side is almost out of food, but there is a meeting
with two of the leaders of the other side. The hosting side wants
to give the illusion that they have plenty of food and could go on
fighting forever in an attempt to bluff the other side into ending the
fighting.

I thought it might be fun to see what we could do with a list of the
ingredients from one of the contests. In the original contest, people
would be expected to come up with dishes from before 1600,
but for this list people could use historical or modern foods.

***Ingredients each person has to work with***
1/4 loaf stale white bread
1/2 cup rice (Note to list, they don't say if this white or brown, so
choose as you wish)
1/4 cup lard (yes, real lard)
1/2 cup chicken organ meat (For the list, assume this is a mix or one
         kind of  whatever you would prefer.)
1 inch piece of ginger root, fresh
1/2 cup sugar (white)
1 cup flour (white)
2 carrots,
1 stalk celery
1 cup milk
48 raisins
1 mystery meat (this will be either pork, chicken, or beef, approx. the size
of a small cutlet) (They draw for what they get. For this list, pick one.)
1 orange
2 eggs
4 tsp. bacon fat
2 pieces bacon (uncooked)
1/2 cup cream
24 grapes

Unlimited resources
Water
salt

What you may bring from home
Up to 1/4 C of any herb (fresh)
Up to 2 TBS of any herb or seasoning (dry)

***What they get judged on***
Appearance (of the food and the presentation--attractive on the dishes, etc.)
Apparent quantity
# of different dishes
Palatability

Assume that you could do any sort of top of stove, oven, spit, or open fire
cooking in order to make your foods.

So, what would you make, and how would you serve it?

Sharon
gordonse at one.net