[Sca-cooks] Vittoria's first feast

[phoenissa at netscape.net]

"Karen O" <kareno at lewistown.net> wrote:

>Vittoria tells his story:

*Her* story, actually ;-)  No offense taken, just setting the record straight...  :-)

>    Having been only to TWO feasts??!!  You volunteered to be the Head Cook
>for over 50 people?  How much experience did you have being part of a feast
>crew?

Only those same two feasts.  (Yeah, I know, I'm insane.)  :-)  At the first one (two years ago), I worked in the kitchen, and helped with all the advance prep work and recipe-testing at the cook's house.  At the second one (this fall), I helped with only one recipe in advance, worked in the kitchen, and served.  I also got to sit out in the feast hall after I was done serving (a new experience for me) - so even though I've helped at two feasts, technically I've only eaten at one.  My experience is limited, to say the least.  On the other hand, even from only two feasts I felt I had learned a great deal, and I talked to a lot of very experienced cooks (on this list, and in my area).

>I would say volunteer to do that while still in college; that way you
>can gain more experience to do your next feast with lots of splash & color.

I'm still hoping to volunteer in a few more kitchens; I love cooking, I just find being in charge a little bit stressful :-)  For the time being I'm totally happy to be a sous-chef, and to watch and learn...

>Not being a Head Cook until after college may be a while  -- just time it
>better, say an event during the summer months, or something during semester
>breaks.

Well, I'm usually out of town during vacations, so that's not really a practical option either.  I don't mind waiting a while before reunning a feast again; I only have one year till I graduate, and I don't even know yet what part of the country I'll be in for grad school.  I may not even get involved right away with the SCA wherever I move to...it's lots of fun, but rather distracting from one's schoolwork :-)

> I would say  the mistakes you made are from inexperience:  Not getting
>enough sleep (#1),

Yes, but it's something I never manage to avoid.  There *always* seem to be things to do at the last minute, and I invariably sacrifice sleep to get them done.  That's what college life is all about ;-)  I am a notorious procrastinator.

>not knowing the price of groceries & quantities needed
>(#2&3)  Not having a schedule for the day written down (#4 &6)  Not having a
>check-off list of ingredients (#5).   You'll know better for "next time"
>around.  Just get a bit more kitchen experience in you  -- watch & learn
>from the others.
>
>    Congratulations on your first feast!
>    Caointiarn

Thank you!  This was definitely a learning experience, and I know that for my next feast - whenever that may be - I'll be much better prepared.

Vittoria
--




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