[Sca-cooks] Iron Chef a go

[Susan Fox-Davis]

Elewyiss  wrote:

>Howdy everybody. Well I am finally actually putting the bid together for the
>event at which I hope to hold the Iron Chef contest. ...<snip>
>
>Now the hard part. Any idea's on what I should include in the box of food?
>Chicken or beef? Rice or flour, or both? What kinds of vegitables. Oil and
>or vinegar? Or are they kitchen basics? (I think so but is that just me?)
>What should the surprise ingredient be? I've thought of an exotic
>herb/spice, or dried fruit or milk.
>
>Help? Suggestions? Interest in coming to judge?
>
I used to run an occasional Iron Chef competition in Caid based more 
closely on the TV show.

In the real show, both in Japan and the USA, the contestants are 
informed of a short list of possible theme ingredients in advance and 
given an awesome pantry from which to select the rest of their 
ingredients.  We have not got a TV network's budget, nor have our 
talented amateurs quite the knowlege and experience of top restaurant 
professionals, so we scale it all back a bit.

What we did was give $50 grocery budget to each of the contestants and 
let them know the theme ingredient in advance.    We also supplied the 
theme ingredient.  That left the event personnel free to run the event 
and not worry so much about shopping for groceries.  We also gave them 
three hours instead of the one-hour span on the show; the cooking venues 
were out-of-doors using camp stoves and limited or no electricity for 
appliances.

Our theme ingredients were:  Plums;  almonds;  garlic;  apples. [I won 
Battle Plum but lost Battle Garlic, albeit I got better notes from the 
"cooking expert" judge in the latter so I am content enough. Autocratted 
the other two.] All are widely dispersed within the time period and 
geography of SCA-period cuisine and seasonal for each respective event. 
 OK, we might have had more interesting audience response if we had 
theme ingredients offered to the cooks whilst still alive, wiggling dead 
fishies, yum yum yuck!  But then there might have been legal issues.  Sigh.

The judges included one noted SCA food expert, Mistress Huette on this 
list has served thusly;  plus an even number of judges selected by 
raffle.  Raffle tickets made the whole thing break even almost every 
time!  An odd number of judges helps prevent a "tie" situation.  We also 
offered the landed nobility the chance to taste all the dishes by 
courtesy, not for judging.  Also on the dais was our own "Chairman Kaga" 
my handsome and glitzily-dressed Honourable Husband.  We don't seem to 
have any pictures online, that is quite an oversight.

Allez Cuisine!
Selene, Iron Chef Altavia Emeritus