[Sca-cooks] Cooking contest

[Michael Gunter]

>This was less true when I was competing because cooking entries were often
>seperated to be part of the feast and were judged then.

That's an interesting concept.
I've seen something similar happen with desserts but never a cooking
entry.

A general
>competition was more difficult to win with a cooking entry, but it was
>possible due to the limited number of people turning out top notch work.
>Winning a general competition has definitely become less viable.

Although, Mistress Clara's work has shown it is very possible winning 
Kingdom
A&S Champion and nearly scoring perfect at Gulf Wars.
There is now a lot more attention paid to documentation and preparation
methodology than there was in the past. A&S Cookery is a lot more
scientific than it used to be. Although I don't care for competitions myself
I can teach how to enter them, correct documentation and judge them.
Documentation is beginning to have very strict guidelines to follow to get
any kind of a decent score in competition.

For aspiring competition champions I suggest you do what Mistress Clara
did with her documentation which was show it to everybody she respected
and had them critique it. Over and over. Make changes that seemed right.
Always improved her product and handmade more and more of the basic
ingredients.

Mistress Gwynneth Blackrose would come up with unusual scenarios for her
entries such as following the evolution of a dish through the centuries or
Medieval bathhouse snacks. She would also make the dishes the meals were
served on.

Making a theme for your display is so much better than just presenting a 
dish.
Like the Pilgrim's Picnic Basket or a lunch for a mercenary captain in 1504.
I've thought of making a display based on my research alone. Basically 
taking
a recipe in a language I don't know, say German, and documenting my steps
in translation and redaction to the finished dish.

>It seems to me that all of these Laurels prepare feasts, which does not
>invalidate my observations.

They have done some feasts but are mainly known for their competition
expertise, save Master A.

Any of you real cooking Laurels want to pipe in on this?

>Bear

Gunthar