[Sca-cooks] Perioid versus period

[Phlip]

Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

> Well, I guess I am lucky in that I was introduced to feast cooking by
people who were trying to do period food.  That was over 10 years ago, and I
was nowhere ready to try a period recipe straight out of a cookbook from our
period.  The idea terrified me.
>

You know, now this is something I really don't understand- maybe it's just a
personal mental quirk- I do tend to be pretty direct, where most people seem
to like to ease up on a subject, but maybe y'all can help me understand.

I do understand that people are afraid of trying to make period foods. What
I don't understand, is WHY. I mean, it's just food- if it's too bad, throw
it out!

The first event I went to was an MK Cooking Collegium that Alys K was
running. I was so new, that I didn't realize that garb was required for a
thing like this, and had to borrow something from gold Key ;-)

Didn't know much about Medieval food, either, other than some discussions
and casual information I'd had with my mother, and for my contribution to
the potluck, I came up with a venison/veal gallantine- had never made any
sort of gallentine in my life before, but it didn't stop me from giving it
my best shot (and Alys K sent me down the juniper berries I used- only had
standard spices, at that point). Sure, it was something new, but I wasn't
AFRAID of it, and I was quite happy to put my gallentine up there with the
rest of the food. And, I went in thinking not of bringing standard modern
potluck fare, but, because we were there to learn about Medieval and SCA
food, bringing my best shot at Medieval-style food.

Now, I'll admit, going in to cook my first feast (at least, I hope it's only
my first ;-) I admit I was nervous- poor Adamantius bore the brunt of that-
but it wasn't because I was afraid of the food (yes, it was period food) but
because I was concerned about my skills being good enough to cook for that
many people, where the hot food would be hot, the cold food cold, the
courses balanced and the entire feast on time and under budget. But, the
recipes were the LEAST of my worries.

So, if you can, could someone please explain to me why the period aspect of
the food is so scary? I'd be scared if part of the cooking required me to
sit in the oven with the food, or anything else of a dangerous nature- cook
it in the middle of an interstate during rush hour maybe ;-) But, dealing
with the recipes is the easy part...

Saint Phlip,
CoD

"When in doubt, heat it up and hit it with a hammer."
 Blacksmith's credo.

 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....



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