[Sca-cooks] MK cooks

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Also sprach Randy Goldberg MD:
>Christos (my boyfriend) and I had an argument on this subject not long ago.
>As I mentioned, I recently served as Assistant Chief Cook (and Bottle
>Washer) for an MSR event. I expressed PRIVATELY to Christos that I didn't
>like the way the Chief Cook was doing some of the recipes. There are mundane
>shortcuts, and then there are shortcuts... and I thought using McCormick's
>Brown Gravy Mix was just a little too mundane for my comfort. I basically
>said that *I* wouldn't do it that way, if I were in charge. If I'm going to
>autocrat a kitchen (I detest the neologism "feast-o-crat"), it's going to be
>with documented recipes; technique/technology short cuts are fine (I'm not
>about to try to feed 60-80 people cooking over a wood fire), but the
>ingredients and recipes will be as authentic as I can contrive. While the
>feasters might not know or care about the difference, *I* would be
>displeased with *MYSELF* if I did any less. Now, that being said, I was NOT
>in charge, and like any good sous-chef, I did what I was told, and made the
>recipes the way I was given them. I was not trying to denigrate the Chief
>Cook or her plans; I simply said I would not have been willing to be known
>as responsible for that particular feast (which, by the way, is why I
>refused to be recognized in court after the meal)... and I could NOT get
>Chris to see the distinction. She did it HER way, and I helped. MY way
>(note, I do not say the RIGHT way) would have been otherwise. Her way was
>not necessarily wrong - and everyone RAVED about the food - it just wasn't
>how I would have done it.
>
>Do I make any sense at all?

Uh. Yes. And you actually picked this philosophy up in Acre??? ;-)

Tell me the truth. They threw you out, and that's why you joined the
SCA, right?

I apologize. It's just my own very limited experiences with the MSR
have suggested that there may be more McCormick's-Gravy-serving head
cooks in Acre than there are people like you.

Oh. By the way. Did I ever say, "Welcome!" to you? If not, please
allow me to fix that!

Adamantius