[Sca-cooks] Out of the food topic altogether rantAuthenticitypolice

[Michael Gunter]

And I think there needs to be a calming down on all sides.
Remember courtesy in all things.

It's okay to get upset at the Authenticity Police when they declaim
one thing but allow others.
It's okay to get upset at the Weekend Stickjock who ignores the
rest of the SCA.

But the thing to remember is that everyone changes. And what is
important to one person is minor to another.

I like period food. I am impressed with someone who produces a
period dish and will talk to people who don't make period food
to show them ways to make it period. Or to show recipes or
whatever. I get unhappy when a feast isn't even remotely period.

But at the same time I camp in a nylon tent, wear totally non-period
armor, usually wear sweatpants even with good garb, wear glasses,
don't really know what time period I'm from or what is going on
in Elizabeth's court.  I'd like to be more period in my dress or campsite
but those things aren't important to me.

Food isn't important to others. The main thrust of this discussion
and rants is the all important COURTESY.

I started this list hating period food. Most people in Ansteorra hated
period food because some early period cooks made awful food.
But, once the folk on this list showed me the way and I discovered
period food to be a real cuisine that can be prepared ill or well, I did
what I could to change Ansteorran attitudes.

I didn't do it by shoving it down their throats screaming, "Eat it, it's
PERIOD!" I did it by doing feasts and letting people decide for themselves.
I did it by going to A&S and talking with the cooks about documentation
and presentation. Mostly I did it by not doing it alone. Other people 
learned
to love period food and to show it off properly. Then, the kingdom kind
of decided that it was neat to have period or even perioid food. There are
still totally non-period feasts. But period food isn't snubbed either.

The same goes for other authentic stuff easing in. Pas tournaments,
15th Century clothing, period shoes, period camps, etc....not done
by screaming or being superior, but by showing how neat it is. And,
most importantly, making it available to those who don't have the
skills to produce it ourselves.

Rants and superiority don't do it. Excitement and access do.

Gunthar