[Sca-cooks] Feudal model was Wikipedia article on MedievalCuisine

[Terry Decker]

> Well, I could reeeeallllly pick nits with you and say that the term 
> "Feudal" is not period to SCA, but rather a post-Enlightenment invention, 
> and not much of a useful model outside of early Medieval France, as I 
> understand it.  (My area of research is medieval theology, so I'm still 
> deconstructing this deconstruction, you might say...)
>

"Feudal" is one of those handy tags so you don't have to say "the system of 
mutual obligations between lords, vassals and tenants based on fief and 
fee."  The root word "feodum" (fief) appears in the 9th Century, but I will 
grant, the concept of it as a system is modern and much abused.


>  But okay, I will give you that the term "Dark Ages," being a 14th century 
> invention, is an acceptable historiographical reference that is in period 
> to SCA.  However, it's late period only, so the folks in T-Tunics may not 
> use the term.  <removing tongue from cheek now... and ducking>
>

What "Dark Ages?"  We Celts were very enlightened people.

>  As for the textbooks... sigh... I'm a world history teacher, so don't get 
> me started.  Publishers love feudalism.  It's so concise and painless and 
> pliable.  Personally, I've always wanted to put together a professional 
> development piece entitled "How to Not Teach Feudalism in your Medieval 
> Europe Unit."  Someday... someday....
>

The textbooks I'm remembering were from 50 years ago, so apparently little 
has changed.

>  But your trencher reference is certainly interesting, and I've found a 
> couple sources I'd like to read concerning the social norms of using 
> trenchers... and who knows, maybe I'll manage to keep this post on topic 
> somehow!
>
>  Nice talking with you!
>  Breila  :-)
>  ... returning to lurkdom...

You can find the first version of a paper I wrote on trenchers out in the 
Florilegium 
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-BREADS/Trenchers-Hist-art.html .  I 
set out to write a survey paper on the scholarly work done on the subject 
and found the available information a little scarce.  At present, I am 
gathering more information to revise the paper and flesh out the work, so 
any potential sources are of interest.  I would certainly appreciate knowing 
of any you've found.

Don't lurk too much, I suspect I can learn a lot from you.

Bear