[Sca-cooks] bidding for feasts

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

There is no bidding for feasts in The West.

The autocrat usually asks someone to be head cook, or someone lets it 
be known that they'd like to cook a feast, or someone who wants to 
head cook tracks down the autocrat and offers to cook. Branches often 
pick someone from their midst during a Shire meeting.

At least that's what i can tell.

I never volunteered to cook a feast - i was always asked. The first 
time, only because i was the only "adult" helping at a feast where 
most of the cooks were college students, so the seneschal of the 
province asked me (without know whether i could really cook) to cook 
the feast the next year, since i'd likely be around then.

After that feast, i seemed to develop something of a reputation for 
making good food.

As cook you're told what the budget is, pretty much based on what has 
been spent in previous years.

I didn't head cook any feasts in 2004, although i helped at one or 
two. And until i get my back and feet working better, i think it best 
if i don't head cook. I did cook for the double vigil, but that was 
only six dishes and two beverages for 50, and i had help making 3 of 
those dishes.

Anahita