[Sca-cooks] Great Rumpbolt Experiment - Success

[Kathleen Roberts]

So our Baronial A and S championship event was Saturday, and I entered for Champion.  Three entries encompassing at least two categories were required.  I entered domestic (German meal and a Ginger Cordial) and fiber (embroidered trim for gown).  Although I did not win Champion, I did win the two categories I entered.
 
With a great deal of highly appreciated translation assistance from Gwen Cat and Ranvaig, I submitted a "Farmer's Lunch".  The menu consisted of Roasted Chicken with Pear Wine Sauce and Parsley Sauce, Pressed  Ox Head (aka head cheese), Pickled Beets, Eggs with Mustard Sauce, Herbed Cheese, Rye Bread, Butter and Sour Cherry Torten.
 
I served the eggs cold w/side sauce to fit the venue better, and I made the pear/wine dish a bit more saucy, again to fit the venue.  My dishes were served cold because electricity to keep foot hot was at a premium at the site.  Still and all, it went over very, very well.  My courage with the head cheese was highly praised.
 
The pressed ox head was actually make with pig trotters, beef shin bone and meat and pork.  Even though I could have ordered both ox and pig head from the local Pro's Ranch Market, it would have been too overwhelming (and expensive) for this venue.  There were some texture issues with the populace and judges, but most said that although they would not seek it out, it tasted better than they expected.  LOL!  Guess when you grow up with things, they just taste normal.
 
Balancing the sharp, tart, aggressive flavors in some of the dishes was a bit of a stretch for me, as most of my cooking tends to be main stream. and geared to a large audience.  This one was for me.
 
Both another entrant and myself presented a meal rather than a dish, and his was quite tasty, it was not as... focused as mine.  There was some consternation with the judges on how to judge a "meal" as opposed to a dish.   And we found our judging sheets sadly lacking when faced with period food, a category starting to come into its own at local competitions.
 
The cordial was brandy based, with fresh ginger, honey, white pepper, clove and cinnamon, considerably less of the latter three than the ginger.  It was very smooth, and the undertones bloomed in the mouth after the swallow.
 
So having won my second domestic category (the first was Roman), I think I will retire and start judging rather than cooking.  Making a meal for a saturday event in a week with 10 hours mandatory overtime at work nigh 'bout killed me - even with canning the beets three weeks before. ;)
 
THANK YOU GWEN CAT AND RANVAIG!!!!  Thanks go to all you good folk who encourage by example to stretch and learn new things all the time.
 
Cailte
mother's side of the family would be proud