[Sca-cooks] Requirements for a Laurel

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Gunthar wrote:
>I also don't want it to become a Rialto-style rant board about
>how unfair non-Laurels have been treated.

I didn't think that was what you were looking for. But sometimes the 
differences among kingdoms surprise me. Some of my comments were 
meant to be a humorous expression of that surprise.

>I truly want to know
>from the Laurels and apprentices on this board what they look
>for in the Peerage.

Not being a Peer of any sort, i cannot say all that is required here 
in the West. I know what i gather from conversations with the Laurels 
i know.

Whatever one does needs to come to the attention of the Laurels, so 
they know about you and what you do and can talk about you and what 
you do, obviously. That means it does help to do public stuff. Public 
stuff can be just walking around in fabulous garb, if one does garb. 
Doing feasts is pretty public, but it sort of depends on who is 
attending a feast as to how it will be talked about afterwards.

As far as cooking goes, some cooks are in households for whom they 
cook. These households have numerous Peers, so their cooking can be 
brought to the attention of other Laurels, even if the individuals in 
question don't cook feasts often.

Teaching is encouraged, and every article i've read about what it 
takes to be a Laurel - from many Kingdoms - included teaching. This 
doesn't have to be in Collegia, as far as i can tell. It can just be 
one-on-one - after all some folks don't have the temperament to teach 
a whole classful of folks. While documentation is good, if you aren't 
teaching - either in a class setting, or via workshops of some sort, 
or taking on some individuals who have shown interested and aptitude 
- i suppose that could be a drawback.

Courtesy is also mentioned, but of course, that is supposed to be 
part of Peerlike behavior for any peerage.  Me, i'm a bull in a china 
shop. I am trying very hard to be learn to be courteous and 
diplomatic, but i fail from time to time - or maybe even often - i'm 
not a good judge of my own behavior. But from what i hear, you are 
courteous and chivalrous.

However, as i said, competitions are not a requirement in the West. 
Yes, they help - IF - one wins often. But i fail to see how helpful 
they are here if one doesn't win with frequency, since, as i said, 
they are anonymous and only the winner is announced - also the judges 
are frequently not Laurels anyway - there are plenty of qualified 
folks around, and when i'm picking judges i like to get some who 
really know their stuff but i also like to have one judge who has 
been around long enough to have a clue but who hasn't ever judged a 
competition so they can learn from the experience.

The helpfulness i perceive in competitions is multiple. I don't like 
competitions much - i get really really stressed when preparing for 
one, but i feel like i should enter more because it will be good for 
ME. First they get me to do do research, which i do all the time 
because i love doing research, but they can give me a focus on a 
topic i might not have considered. Second, they get me to do stuff to 
a deadline - at which i'm not always so good. And finally, I don't 
mind if i don't win (of course, to be honest, i'd like to win), but 
what i'm looking for most is feedback on what i can do to improve my 
art or science or my presentation of what i have learned.

So, does it appear that what was said was the opinion of the speaker 
or does it appear to be a generally held attitude among Laurels in 
your Kingdom?

Anahita