[Sca-cooks] Our Cook's guild is off the ground

[Olwen the Odd]

>Greetings,
>
>Our Barony has a newly formed cook's guild. The Tir-y-don Culinary
>Companions was launched last month and I have been honered with being it's
>first Guild Principal.  I would like to solicit suggestions from those on
>the Cook's list, any and all ideas for group activities that your cook's
>guild have found successful.  We plan to get together once a month, plus
>our business meeting for a "social activity". Any ideas would be helpful.
>
>Lady Lavender de Morten
>Barony of Tir-y-don
>Kingdom of Atlantia

Here is what I wrote and is already included in the Florilegium.  You should
check there for some other ideas as some of the folks who wrote on this
subject are not on the list any longer (or they are just quiet).

Our Bright Hills Cooks Guild meets once a month.  Usually we have a theme,
say vegetables, and folks then search through their sources for period
recipes for a dish.  The dishes are then prepared and brought (or prepared
on site) and the dishes are then tasted, and in a following sit down
meeting, discussed.  The things we are looking for are dishes that would
work well in a feast so there are certain criteria such as cost
effectiveness, ease of preparation and likability.  These meetings are also
good practice for folks that are newer to cooking.  Several folks have a
good number of period cookbooks and these are poured over by those that
don't have any or many.  Also, we discuss upcoming events that we will
either be cooking for or having a bake-sale at.  Menus are discussed,
autocrats, if they like, can come and contribute their opinions and offers
made to the Guild are discussed.  We get lots of different types of offers,
most of which we do not do, like weddings.  We feel that we are not an
official catering service and don't want to be one.

It is a nice way for folks to get together and share their skills and
knowledge.  We support each other and teach one another.  Our membership has
grown quite a bit lately so it is advisable for people to come VERY hungry!
Although we work as a team, credit is definately given to whomever the
person(s) involved in preparation for a dish.  We know what are the
strongest skills certain folks have, like say, Lord Shamus, he can cook
fried squash to perfection every time.  I can't cook fried squash to
anything but pig feed.  Some folks are better at meats, some truely enjoy
relaxing with a knife in their hand chopping stuff up.  At the Queen's Tea
that we did last year, as folks were coming down the line, they would stop
and ooohh and aahhh at things and whomever was the server at that station
would tell the guest who was the maker of the dish or item.  "Oh, yes, these
delightful ____ were prepared by Mistress so-and-so"  "Yes, I'm sure she
would give you the recipe, she is right over there".  As for me, it is so
much nicer to have someone else speaking my name in complement and I feel
GREAT being able to give complement to another.

We try to give everyone exposure to every aspect of the kitchen and building
their skills.  We pride ourselves with the shopping abilities we have and
are always on the lookout for new places to go for items at better prices.
Making up a menu is one thing, portion control and costing it out is quite
another.  Our members have the opportunity to learn these skills too.  This
is, after all, one of the things that make up the DREAM.

This is also nice in that it offers each of us time to go out of the kitchen
and participate in other things going on at the event, like shopping or
archery or classes.  Our current Baron and Baroness are members of our
Guild.  They have lots of other things that they need to do, but they both
enjoy being able to step into the kitchen and do 'whatever' for a change of
pace.

Olwen

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