So this past weekend was Baronial Bash. It was my third event since coming back and I did have a lot of fun here despite the smaller cam size. I did have some very bad news hit me about an hour before court, but I don't feel like going into that here. Needless to say, if you feel the need to ask, ping me in private.
Now on to happier things!
We arrived onto site on Friday night, it took a little longer to arrive than we desired mostly due to traffic and pie baking on my behalf. Dave was super helpful at troll and we were able to get unloaded and to our cabin with relative ease. I chatted with Chrissy a bit before changing into real clothes, and decked out in garb I sought out adventure! I found Ever and had intended on sharing with her a slice of my Art/Sci project (I made two, one for general eating) but talking and chit chat kept us distracted until the Baroness of Wyvernwoode mentioned she hadn't eaten that night. Ever passed her slice over to the Baroness who was quite taken with the pie, so that made me feel good! Ever also gifted me with a wonderful cookbook of medieval french and Italian meals so now I have more things to play with.
Ever and I made our way into the kitchen to store my Art/Sci project where I once again ran into Chrissy hard at work making bread for the next days feast. There was some idle chit chat going on at first, then next thing I knew I was helping Chrissy make the various breads and getting cooking lessons! We spent nearly five hours kneading dough, grinding rosemary and making the bread while all the while the lovely woman was walking me through quietly with instructions and tips. As always its an honor to be allowed to work with such talented indiviudals and I really feel my chops tightening as a chef because of it!
Their Majesties requested breakfast at 8am so after only 5 hours of sleep I was wide awake and bouncing my way to the kitchen again (much to the chagrin of my cabin-mates). I managed to beat the breakfast cook into the kitchen by 15 minutes, he was confused at my level of perky and to be fair so was I. Breakfast was simple, sliced fruit (apples, oranges and banana's) as well as a breakfast braid of apple, gravy, sausage and various spices using some of the bread we made the night before. I snagged a couple slices for my housemates to entice them out of bed, then Lana and I were off to Art/Sci with our projects in tow and our hearts on the line.
The Art/Sci showing was small, only four entries total, but they were all very good! Besides Lana's scroll and my Mylate of Pork entry there was a woodcarving relief and a viking wedge tent on display. I personally thought the wedge tent and woodcuts were amazing, and thought for sure they'd win something! My judges were fairly cool, I was able to learn a lot fro mistakes I didn't know I was making and the compliments on my successes really invigorated me. Thankfully the judges were patient in explanations and receiving the judging forms in return really will help me to improve my project to become even more period correct and yummy!
After the Art/Sci we went to go cheer Jake on in his first fencing list. It was a very exciting time, and all of the fighters really looked marvelous! The first list was the Don Porthos Memorial Tournament, which raised 500 dollars to support the widow of the late Don. It was a touching display of Chivalry and Honor, and Jake was super awesome during it. He did not win his two bouts, but he did give respect and fought with honor including sacrificing his right arm (and thus his victory) to be honorable to his opponent. Yay Jake! As I was once again leaving for the kitchen Chrissy gave me a token of her appreciation for all the work, a fleur de lis from her dress! I was so touched by the display, I gave her two hugs.
Wearing my new token over my heart, I quickly dived back into kitchen work for the Feast in just 5 hours. The next course I worked on was the lasagna, a vegetarian dish with no meat to compliment all the meat in the rest of the meal. Instead of a whole pan I took each individual noodle and smothered one side in spinach/ricotta cheese blend, rolled into a tube and set upright in a dish of tomato sauce to smother then in cheese and spices. I wrapped 128 of these suckers, then moved onto making the garlic knots (again using dough from the night before and the garlic sauce I made to taste). After this was basic clean up, carving of the corned beef and setting the garlic knots to bake while court happened which Baroness Gryphone insisted I attend on her behalf.
Court was lovely, there was a guy kinda acting out and I wish it had been treated a bit more seriously but I guess you get whatcha get sometimes! It was nice to see all those who had won various lists and awards receive recognition, a young man received his Award of Arms and another fine gentleman I've had the pleasure of cooking with before received his Grant of Arms. It was an exciting time! When it came to Art/Sci awards Lana won both the Peoples Acclaim and the Crowns Acclaim, which I felt were both well deserved. I found myself winning Coronets Acclaim for my Mylates of Pork entry, which took me by surprise because I didn't expect to win anything. Not only did I receive a wonderful scroll (my first!) but we were also gifted with dirt from the Battle of Agincourt, which made my heart stop a bit just from the sheer historical value of such.
After Court came the Feasting! Oh man, so much food. First course was the rosemary bread with either a butternut squash or split-pea soup. Roasted vegetables were the next course with a choice of onion, potato or carrots basted in citrus. Third course were the roasted chicken. Fourth course was the lasagna and garlic knots. Fifth course was corned beef with basted potatoes covered in cheese. Sixth course was the first desert, a seven layer butter pound cake soaked with rum and smothered in chocolate sauce. The seventh and last course was a bread pudding (with or without raisins) and hard sauce. Sadly the Baroness of An Crossira took ill and could not attend feast so I made sure to deliver her the various courses as they arrived.
At the end of the night was dancing! There was good drinking to be had, and I learned two new dances with someone I hop to become a new friend. It was nice to chit chat with various folks, see all the unique costumes and of course all the drinking! I chatted up various meat cooking with those on the grill for midnight meat, danced several rounds with some wonderful folk and generally enjoyed myself.
All in all, a great event. Now to get back to work on cooking :p
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