[Sca-cooks] 2004 MK Cooks Symposium report

[iasmin at comcast.net]

A post to the MK Cooks email list reminded me that I needed to sit down with my thoughts regarding this event. Here's a slightly edited version of my post to that list ...


I've been sitting here trying to contemplate what my impressions are of the 2004 MK Cooks Symposium now for a week. Flat on my back yesterday from a flu bug gave me the opportunity I needed to really think about it (when I wasn't sleeping). My dear friend Rachaol, from MKCooks is right. Wow. Just wow. An amazing amount of knowledge was there at the event and I'm just absolutely stunned at the A&S prowess everyone displayed. You always wonder when you organize one of these things "Will we get enough quality instructors?" or "I've said yes to this person I barely know. Will it work?" And year after year, amazingly, it does work. We do have quality instructors. And we have attendees. With hope, a few more than each year previous.

As class coordinator, I had not a single complaint about any class. Not one. Usually within the first few hours of the event, I'll hear whispers or the first few days after the event, I typically receive constructive criticism to pass along to the instructors. This year I didn't receive one. Not one. (At least not one yet.) Now that doesn't mean that there weren't the typical little foibles, but not a single major complaint is a huge accomplishment. Those instructors were really on the ball. I think the worst thing said about any class was "Darn it gets hot in those rooms by the end of the day." And if we use that site again, we'll make sure to correct that problem.

I think one of the most exciting things about the event was the fact that some of the information presented had *never ever* been presented before. Master Basilicus presented in public for the first time ever, the first English translation (that we know of) of the Libro Novo Italian cooking text. And Dame Hauviette and Mistress Kiri presented the first English translation information (that we know of) of the Kaiseki Ryori (the meal before the Japanese tea ceremony). For a small event from a private organization such as ours to be able to claim as much as one of these presentations would be outstanding. That we had TWO (and nearly three!) is miraculous. That should not detract from the incredibly high quality of the other classes taught during the day as well. There are too many to list. We had a full slate from 10-6, with only a break for lunch and each class was filled. In fact, some classes were so full that we had to do last minute room juggling to accommodate. We'll be better at that next year, I promise!

The salt cellar site tokens were the brain child of Dame Hauviette d'Anjou. You have her to thank for the wondrous variety of little potter bowls available. Don't feel bad for wanting to rifle the box. I did. Twice. The salt spoons were created by Sir Garth of the Crags who, despite numerous casting issues, managed to get enough of those little buggers done in time for the event that not a single person attending went away disappointed. You'll have to forgive me but I'm unsure of who sewed the small bags that everything went in. 

It was such a joy to see some of the merchants join us for food too. The gentlemen from the food co-op who sold the spices, I'm told, were so happy with their sales that they took some of the classes and then wanted to stick around to see how their work turned out (I believe they helped with the sausage making class and wanted a taste; they were going to sneak into the kitchen and steal some but we convinced them to have a seat and join us).

I'm forever grateful that Hauviette could share with us her experiences in bringing her hobby out into the real world and making it a viable business. We'd hoped to have a second guest speaker as well to take the perspective of having brought the real world of cooking into the SCA, but last-minute emergencies prevented him from attending. Hauviette more than made up for it, I'd say. She was indeed channeling her Meme, who taught her how to cook, complete with the French Canadian accent!

To the staff of the event, thanks guys, ya done great. For all of you who taught, my unending thanks for sharing your knowledge freely and with no compensation other than student enthusiasm. For all of you who traveled to the even (we counted 7 kingdoms attending!!!) thankyou so much for taking a weekend out to spend it with us. And to those of you who missed it, we hope to see you next year!

Ever in service,

Iasmin

TH Iasmin de Cordoba, OL
Baroness Roaring Wastes, Middle Kingdom
Class Coordinator, 2004 Middle Kingdom Cooks Symposium
iasmin at comcast.net