[Sca-cooks] Period vegetarianism, 'Lainie looses her cool

[Laura C. Minnick]

All right! I'm coming out, and I've got the big spoon in my hand!

Enough! This list is not the place to debate what society uses what
resources, the international politics that exacerbates the hunger problem,
the stone age lifestyles at the root of it, how much Americans eat or don't
and or what they eat!

We are cooks, first and foremost. If you don't cook, stay out of the
kitchen. We are also re-creationists, and here is where I want to challenge
the list to do some serious thinking and stop yelling at each other.

Why do we cook? Are we merely filling faces? Are we basically throwing a
big-ass party for a bunch of friends in funny clothes? Are we trying to
approximate for teh diners the experience of eating a feast in the Middle
Ages? My suspicions say that most of us are between the second and third
choice.

Now- why is the *why* important?

If we are throwing a party for our friends and happen to be using period
recipes, then it is quite reasonable and desireable to accomodate all of
the various personal preferences, prejudices, allergies, and so on. If you
aren't trying to approximate a period feast, then it really doesn't matter,
does it?

But if you *are* trying to approximate a period feast, it does matter. And
I think bending over backwards to suit people's *MUNDANE* food choices is
folly at best.

Very few people in the Middle Ages were vegetarians by choice. There are
aescetics and hermits, some orders of monks are veg or nearly so, there are
a few heretical sects that are partly veg (the Cathars, for instance, but
even they have a sliding scale). And there are a few fast days, and
penetential fasts.

Now, before you get all riled up I will say this: In more than 13 years I
have NEVER, and I say NEVER had someone say "My persona is a Cathar/monk/ I
am honoring the fast of St Fergie/ I am taking a penitential fast- is there
some accomodation that can be made in the menu?" NEVER. Which is sad,
because if that was the case, especially if they were really trying to
expand their understanding of their persona, I would go to great lengths to
help them.

So don't whine to me that there were vegetarians in period. Yes there were.
When you can explain to me the Cathar doctrines again eating animal
products, when you can tell me the order of monk you are that follows such
stringent fasts, when you can tell me what day the fast honoring St Fergie
falls, I'll be happy to listen. Otherwise, admit that you are imposing a
modern perspective on the world and stop pretending you aren't.

I happen to know someone who is working on a menu to propose for a feast
that will fall during Lent, and is attempting to put together a vegetarian
feast, coincidentally it will make the good-sized vegan contingent in his
group very happy. And I am pleased that the attempt is being made to honor
Lent. In that case, both purposes (party and Period experience) are being
served. But this is rare.

still very cranky,
'Lainie


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"This would be a better world for children if the parents had to eat the
spinach." Groucho Marx, _Animal Crackers_