[Sca-cooks] Newbie Welcoming Techniques, was Contests was Definition of "Period Cooking" was Re: Substitute for Potatoes?

[Judith Epstein]

On Aug 25, 2009, at 7:56 AM, Euriol of Lothian wrote:

> Judith - I guess the only thing I can ask if you can accept a  
> request that you don't make the claim of it being from a particular  
> time and place without being able to back it up.
>
> And to all, enjoy playing in the kitchen.
>
> Euriol

I wouldn't make such a claim. I know the difference between Period,  
Peri-oid, and my own cooking. As I said at my first (and only, in  
adulthood) event, "These ingredients are Period as far as I've been  
able to discover, but the dish is my own."

You know, when I first told a couple of people that I was thinking of  
attending an SCA event, a sizable number of those people said "I could  
never get into that. I don't have the time or money to come up with  
something perfect to wear, and people are so mean about it if you  
aren't perfectly Period." I told them they were wrong, the SCA's not  
like that, any attempt is congratulated and hailed. I'd love it if the  
handful of people who've tried to prove me wrong would take a look  
back at their first SCA food and garb, and then maybe take a  
(perfectly Period, of course) chill pill.

Jumping down the throat of someone who is new, and who is making one  
tiny step, by telling them that they're wrong and approaching their  
SCA experience wrongly... that's not a fantastic way to get and retain  
new members. I'm made of stern stuff, so it's not going to chase me  
away, but it does make me understand why some folks never make it past  
a first or second event. And even those made of stern stuff don't want  
to answer fifty emails -- and I am paraphrasing an email that I got a  
few minutes ago -- on the subject of why I want to be involved in the  
SCA at all if I'm just going to view it as some social club.

I really, really would love to believe that the subject was closed  
now. It's not, I know, but for a couple of minutes, let me believe it.

Judith / no SCA name