[Sca-cooks] Feast stewart at the crossroads

[Phlip]

Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

> No one will remember a feast steward who said 'no thanks' to a halved
> budget. But, they will remember a fabulous feast, espcially when they
learn
> the hardship that was presented to the cooks, if they ever do learn of it.

and

> One final thing:  You comment about "still building your reputation" kind
of > sets the hair on the back of my neck on end.  You don't build a good
> reputation by cherry-picking your projects.  You build it by living up to
your > commitments, working well (or at least working things out) with the
people > around you and than producing a quality result under whatever
> circumstances you are handed.

Well, I'm thinking that this is a matter that we need to discuss, one and
all.

I agree, we don't need to be cherry picking- a low budget feast deserves our
very best efforts, just as a high budget feast does.

BUT...

I think we also have a responsibility to ourselves and our feasters on the
matter of commitment.

If I commit to providing a feast for X number of people, for Y dollars, on Z
theme, and the rules get changed- suddenly I'm expected to provide a feast
for X times 2 people, for Y divided by 2 dollars, on a completely different
theme, then my original commitment has been voided. Period.

Now, I may choose to go ahead, or I may choose not to- that's something
entirely different, but if you change the rules, I'm not required to play
your new game- and we all know I'm a hard head- I don't care- I can only do
what I think is right, and I WILL do that, despite any one else's opinion.

I mean, think, guys. If you hire on at $10/hour, to work 40 hours per week,
guaranteed, and at the end of the first week, the boss says, "Well, we only
worked you 20 hours this week, and I'm going to only pay you $5 per hour",
so your paycheck goes from $400 to $100, what are you going to tell that
boss about working the next week?

Yes, we're volunteers, but that doesn't mean that our time and efforts, or
our commitments, are any less valuable than they would be in the mundane
work force.

I feel we have a responsibility to ourselves to value ourselves and our
time. Volunteering to be a school crossing guard does not mean you
volunteered to be the target at a turkey shoot.

What say you all?

Phlip

 If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably not a
cat.

Never a horse that cain't be rode,
And never a rider who cain't be throwed....

----- Original Message -----
From: "Christine Seelye-King" <kingstaste at mindspring.com>
To: <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2003 2:45 PM
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Feast stewart at the crossroads


> One of our mottos 'it's just that simple', and it carries over into my
> associate's belting ceremony.
> "...Service and Leadership are nebulous concepts,  and are not easily
> taught.
> In the pursuit of those ideals, however, I do wish to teach you the Duty
of
> Fealty and commitment, The Art of Chivalric ideas and aesthetics, and the
> Principals of Hospitality;  To Welcome, Feed, Shelter, and entertain; all
> while enjoying yourself and making it all look so easy."  Take it in
stride,
> don't let on that it's a strain to your diners (the autocrat is another
> matter ;) and don't moan about how much better it was *going* to have
been.
> Olwen had a good point when she pointed out that presentation and
spectacle
> are as much of the "Feast Fit For A King" idea as the food itself.  You
> still want to do delicious, beautiful food, coordinated with spectacle and
> entertainment.  Concentrate on quality, and cut back on the quantity of
> dishes - not the quantity of food served, you don't want them to go
hungry,
> but don't worry about having so many choices.  Make sure there is good,
> filling food, even a pottage can be beautifully served.  Then be creative
> and put your talents to work on a few outrageous things.  With the lead
time
> you have, there are several options from nature.  Come up with ideas that
> your helpers can assist with, gathering peacock feathers for example.  (We
> garnished a course 'From the Fields' with decorative grains that we
> scavanged from the entrance plantings at the head cook's subdivision!)
> Take a few days to put it aside and let the old ideas go.  Then new ideas
> will start popping into your head and it will be just as grand, if not
> grander, than your original plans, I guarantee it.
> Don't forget you have this wonderful list to get ideas, sources, help and
> support from.
> Christianna
>
>
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