[Sca-cooks] Boil in bag

[Laura C. Minnick]

At 10:32 AM 1/18/2008, you wrote:
>
> >also i am not a boil-a-bag style of cook. fresh is better, for me. 
> and if you do boil-a-bag good on you. its just not for me. <
>
>I think pretty much all of us would far rather cook fresh and send
>out the food at the proper time. But there are times that just don't
>allow it. Like my 12th Night feast which had practically zero kitchen
>on a modern site.  Or when I go to Wars. I usually have duties from
>fighting, to being a Commander to Court and others but I also have
>to feed the camp. Preparing the meals ahead of time so that they
>can be quickly fixed and cleanup minimized saves a lot of stress.
>
>Remember, cooks have to be flexible and constantly adapt to changing
>circumstances. We do what works.

It really does depend on circumstances- and to a large extent, the 
personal style of the cook.

I don't cook feasts, like most of you do. I have health issues, and 
besides that, I am still learning how to let others help. (This has 
been a very hard one!) So I know my limitations, and I only cook in camp.

I tend to cook for a number of people in camp though- I love to have 
guests, and 6 to 8 people at Saturday night dinner is about right. At 
this last Sport of Kings event, I cooked dinner for 17, and that was 
really pushing it (hence the having to work on letting others help!).

But I LOVE to cook, and being in the camp kitchen all day futzing 
with food is just fine with me. In fact, I had to be dragged kicking 
and screaming to court when I was offered my Laurel. All the way to 
court I was "But my chicken!" For me, doing a boil-in-bag meal would 
take all the fun out of it! And I like to do some spur-of-the moment 
stuff too- like a couple of years ago I was cooking for a crowd 
(which happened to include His Maj) and James and I walked out to the 
far side of the parking lot and picked blackberries. They were fresh 
as can be, and very yummy! I put some in the salad and a bunch in and 
on the cheesecake (Digby's). Amalric kept saying "You made this? Here 
on site? You baked this on site?" (Slow learner ;-))

Since that is really the only cooking I do, I don't have to do things 
like bagged dishes. So your mileage may vary. :-)

'Lainie
___________________________________________________________________________________
"It is our choices Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than 
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