[Sca-cooks] Local Feast Disappointment

Valleri Collins lstywnch at gmail.com
Sat Nov 9 12:26:14 PST 2013


I was involved with SCA better than 20 years ago and had absolutely zero
interest in getting involved again. However, our shire was hosting coronet
and the chef sustained an injury that prevented her from cooking. My dear
friend was the organizer of that event and begged me to help. I stepped in
at the last minute to cook the feast on behalf of the shire. My teenagers
had a great time, and here I am again two decades later.

During the last few years I've cooked for the group several more
times. I've done what I can to provide as period of food as I can. That
included joining the Facebook group to see what others were doing, and
joining this list to get more information. There are some very helpful
folks out there. (Urtatim immediately comes to mind.) There are others who
grill you to provide sources for anything you ask a question about or post.
That is certainly not the way to keep folks involved or engaged, and
doesn't provide any motivation for anyone to really WANT to play or cook or
participate. "That's not period," and "Where exactly is your source?" with
no further explanation behind the question or offers of help to make
it more period is part of what completely turned me off to the SCA the
first time around. Suggestions are helpful. Demands are discouraging.
Education is appreciated. Pedantry is not.

Do I strive to make sure I'm following the correct spicing and ingredients
that were available in my chosen time period and place? Of course I do. You
will not find a potato on one of my menus. I read my cookbooks from a
kindle, because that was the easiest way to procure them. I use an electric
or gas stove and a food processor. I don't use copper or clay pots. Is that
too modern to qualify for a period food purist?

I personally am not willing to invest the time, money and energy into
building a stone hearth and buying period cookware. I am in awe of the
folks who do, but the folks who do and then act like I'm a piece of garbage
because I didn't are the folks who cause people to run screaming in the
opposite direction from the SCA. If we aren't entering it into an A&S
competition, serving cheeseburgers and French fries as a period food, or
telling you that you are wrong, acknowledge that we are making the attempt.
Expect us to fail at some things, and give us helpful encouragement to do
better next time. It really isn't that much to ask from an "educational"
organization.

Mella Casandra de la Selva



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