Queen's Luncheon - my turn now

So last year, at Gulf Wars, I was here:

This is from the Queens Luncheon at Gulf Wars 21, this was a huge cooking experience for me and one of my best memories from the War. So many talented cooks, so much knowledge and tips and tricks I learned and wrote down in my book from this fun moment. After this event I knew flat out that I wanted to be a cook, that I wanted to one day be a Laurel and that I was so sure that my choice to ask Mistress Madhavi to be my teacher was the right one.

And now, it's my turn to run it.

There was joking once we got back to camp after the luncheon, I was still excited and bouncing from the experience and was told jokingly that it would be my turn next (strangely enough one of them was Mistress Brenna). I didn't think I would be offered such a role anytime soon, and had dreams of one day perhaps doing such a Big Deal(tm) meal. At Fall Coronation, it seems one of my dreams came true when I was personally asked by her Imperial Majesty Brenna to handle and run the Queens Luncheon at Gulf Wars 22.

I'll admit, my jaw may have dropped a touch at the stunning offer and I may have been rather shocked and surprised. I spoke it over with Mistress Madhavi, and she was as excited for me as I was excited for the opportunity. Knowing I had her support and the support of my friends and peers, I happily spoke with Empress Brenna and started the ball rolling on plans for this cooking event. And oh man...has this project consumed me.

It's not often that I get so consumed and gripped by a project, and this one has me by the throat. I've spent days and days sketching out ideas, researching any other cooking Laurel's blogs I can find on cooking large meals outdoors, talking with various people to make this project just feel...amazing. I want this to be amazing, for me. It's something I'm focusing on, that end road, and I can't help but beam and imagine in my head the final product. I have so many idea's, so many things I cannot wait to go over with my teacher when I see her next at Michaelmas and pick her brain for all the knowledge I can drain from it.

Part of my downfall with these kinds of projects is I ALWAYS want to go big or go home. The hardest part is always cutting away the things I want, to get to the things I need. I know I want the meal to be as period as possible. I know I want to food and the images to be a matching theme/period/culture. I know I want it to taste great, and I know I want to follow many of Mistress Madhavi's brilliant idea's including preparing food prior to and cooking right next to the site.

I am so excited for this project, and this blog may at times be overcome with my idea's and discussions on what I want from this luncheon. Just a friendly warning, you may get terribly hungry with the things you read here!