[Sca-cooks] *Sigh* That tomato thing - again

Chass Brown chass at allegiance.tv
Mon Oct 2 07:10:48 PDT 2006


Who said it has to be proven as Common use. Just proof of use should be
sufficient. As a whole our group is moving towards document hell. I
agree on somethings, Documentation is needed, like A&S competitions. I
appreciate a period feast (or periodoid) but the only documentation I
want to see on it is a list of ingredients so I can see if I am allergic
to what's in it. My point is it was shown they were in Europe in our
time frame for the group and used. Ya know 1550 is inside our time frame
there..... So loosen up it is Just a Game. The more you denigrate
someone the less likely they are to try next time. One could say
something like "Well yes Tomatoes were used in late period, but were not
commonly used until after our time period and in period times they were
using the green tomatoes not the ripe/red tomatoes as per sources XY&Z.
If you would like I could show you where I got my information and we
could discuss this", instead of the bash and Nazi effect of "Tomatoes
Aint period, Proove they are period, wait you proved they were period
now prove they were common place". 

Chass Brown A.K.A.
Charinthalis Del Sans of the portable chariot. 
Honorable Recruiter of the House of the Red Shark.
Rear Admiral Northern Region Ansteorran Royal Navy -      Ship the
Red  Shark.  Muddeler of Mead


-----Original Message-----
From: sca-cooks-bounces at lists.ansteorra.org
[mailto:sca-cooks-bounces at lists.ansteorra.org] On Behalf Of Phil Troy /
G. Tacitus Adamantius
Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 8:53 AM
To: Cooks within the SCA
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] *Sigh* That tomato thing - again


It just seems too often, people are more interested in promoting an  
idea of what life was like in period, finding evidence to support the  
idea, and throwing out what doesn't support it, instead of taking the  
evidence and trying to find out what life was like, whether it fits  
the preconceived notion or not.

Then, of course, there are also people obsessed with the idea that we  
have all these rules and are so concerned with what is "permissible",  
and therefore have an overwhelming need to overturn the rules that we  
don't really have and show the world how unfair we are in determining  
what is and is not permissible. Which is pretty much anything, but  
who's counting?

There's also a certain amount of power [perceived] in being able to  
tell others that their research is good or bad.

I suppose the proper rhetorical response to these tomato assertions  
would be to slightly oversimplify the case being made and say,  
"Yesyesyes, 'In-Fourteen-ninety-two-Columbus-sailed-the-ocean-blue',  
we know, and when he got there, he and others like him found  
tomatoes. _Now_ please demonstrate that their use in Europe was  
commonplace in the 16th century or that they had any major impact. In  
short, please show how this led to tomato-based gazpacho, the  
invention of tomato ketchup, and the emergence of Southern Italy as  
the great bastion of red sauce that it is today, all in the 16th  
century."

Which is kind of unfair in a way, too, but then rhetoric can be like  
that ;-).

Adamantius 




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