[Sca-cooks] small numbers ... large areas (long)

[Georgia Foster]

Stefan queried:  Meaning that by that time folks are too tired of winter to 
eat "seasonal" foods?

HMN ... seasonal ... yes ...   I have seen snow in Otherhill every month of 
the year (different years of course).  Our general first frost is 1 
September with the first snow in the third week of September (this year was 
the norm).  Our last snow is usually just in time to spoil any Memorial Day 
plans, with last frost the second week in June.  How many events in a row 
would you want to eat dried meat and soft turnips?


Stefan wowwed:  A 90 minute drive to attend a shire meeting?

That is if the weather is fine and the roads are open.  Some days (once or 
twice a year) I can't make the 10 mile drive to work.


Stefan postulated:  There must not be that many groups in Artemisia then.

We have 5 Baronies, 13 Shires and 2 Incipient Shires for a total of 20 
groups.  Artemisia consists of Utah, Montana, southern Idaho and the parts 
of Colorado and Wyoming that are west of the Continental Divide.


Stefan tallied:  It would be impossible for the Crown to visit every group 
within a single reign, probably not even with the Queen and King going to 
separate events or having the Crown Prince attend a third event each 
weekend.

Our numbers combined with the fact that our royalty completely, totally, 
absolutely without a doubt ... ROCK ... means we are truly and absolutely 
blessed.  Often our Royalty split just as you describe, which makes fun for 
retainers (and you can guess how I know that), but also makes for a really 
cohesive kingdom.


And Stefan further tallied:  Shires only get one calendar event and Baronies 
only get two.

Starting this year ... everybody gets one SHOWCASE event that the group 
really wants to shine out for.  It is this ONE that the royalty tries to 
attend.  No two Showcases can schedule on the same day and we have a 
calendar meeting to decide who gets which weekend for their showcase.


Stefan asked:  With a head count that low (20-30) it would seem to be 
difficult to comp many extra meals.

Eh.  That is why I generally fund the entire shindig out of my pocket.  I do 
chronically over-plan, just to make sure that nobody goes away with an empty 
belly and the leftovers can come to my house and be consumed by my children 
(AWE MOM … Lentils and Barley AGAIN?), with a clear conscience.


Stefan then asked:  Do a number of people attend your events and not eat 
feast?

The 20-30 count is folks attending and feasting.  For the last several years 
we hold the mid-winter feast (whatever it was called) at Sir Sig's house.  
It kept costs down if we didn't have to rent a hall and Sir Sig's house has 
a manor-sized living room.  It is generally the equivalent of a holiday 
party and BYOB social gathering.  Likely not the optimum, but it works.


I think that is the whole of it.


I still have not settled on a food theme.  Mongols appear to have survived 
mostly on mutton, and after my youth-life of summers spent working on sheep 
ranches, I can not abide the smell or taste of mutton. That being said, I am 
having some research trouble with PERIOD Ukrainian foods, and I do try to 
work progressively toward more and more period AND palatable meals.

I did ask Their Majesties if they had a preference … and the response was 
“Meat … meat is good”, so meat will figure heavily in the production.  
Perhaps this will be, instead, a MEAT feast.    HMN …   I HAVE done a 
vegetarian feast (one February 14th  …  long ago).


Cheers

Malkin
Otherhill
Artemisia



Jo (Georgia L.) Foster
jo_foster81 at hotmail.com

Never knock on death's door........ Ring the doorbell and run. He hates 
that.