| A good place to enjoy a meal, to observe the enjoyment of others (in their meals and in each other), to talk about food and its place in our lives, to laugh (not so loudly that it will annoy the folks at nearby tables), to explain, and to have things explained, to remember the way past meals fit into and defined the moments that made us who we were, and who we were to become. The couples at some
tables -- especially in places that specialize in coffee -- occasionally
consist of but one person and a laptop. There’s
something about those little tables that attracts and holds on to writers;
apparently it was so long before writers substituted keypads for ballpoints,
or fountain pens, or even well-sharpened quills (Paris’s
Cafe Voltaire has been serving this purpose, along with its coffee,
for centuries -- ’though those writers are
mostly tourists today). Or maybe it’s just that writing at a quiet little table is more pleasurable than having a regular job.
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January 2012
There’s
Always Another Table Vaguely
Historical Writings
Caesar’s Last Salad, a taste of what the Ancient Romans ate. The Coriander Complex: how cilantro conquered America... mostly. Preserving Apples: peregrinations around pommes perdu. Eating Our Way Through the Holidays: ruminations about why we eat what we eat, when we eat. In the Chips: truth, justice (or, at least, the history of chips and dips) and the American Way. New York’s Cheesecake Stands Alone. What does cheesecake have to do with Civil War boots and saddles; or Velveeta have in common with the wonderful, but long-gone, Liederkrantz; and why does a cream cheese named Philadelphia belong on New York bagels? Another version of this article is called Cream (Not "Chester") Cheese. Pacific
Rim on the Center of the Plate. An explanation, of sorts, of how
and where this culinary genre began -- that manages, unlikely as it
may seem (at least to those who don’t know
the author), to slip in an allusion to geology. A Woolf at the Table: The Food of Virginia Woolf and The Bloomsbury Set, speculations on the dining habits of some famed literati. Why Wait for Wedding Cake?, a little investigation into the history of what Thurber once described as “the most dangerous food.” Sausage, a quick look at encased meats -- and a recipe for an old dish that should never have been forgotten. Shad, an old-time seasonal food swims this way every spring. Mushrooms, Mushrooms Everywhere, more about the wily morel. On Seeing Morels, yet more about the elusive Morchellas. The History of Chicken Fingers, or "exactly where do they find chicken fingers?" U.S. Helps in Locating U.K. Celebration Cake, or how to survive food-rationing in style. No Country for New Turkeys, or why this food writer did not publish a turkey recipe for Thanksgiving. The Green Fairy Flies High , an exploratory sip of absinthe. Black Cows, an investigation into the origins of root beer floats. The following articles
originally appeared in Scribners’
Encyclopedia
of Food & Culture, but they can now be found at answers.com
(in the midst of several other articles on the same subjects, collected
all over the place): Education
about Food, a brief historical overview of how we learn cook professionally. Slightly Scientific Musings The following articles appeared at Leites Culinaria: A Spoonful of Molasses Makes the Sugar Turn Brown, part history, part Mr. Science in the kitchen. The Naked Truth About Aphrodisiacs, a discourse on wishful thinking.
The
Search for Silky Sorbet Doesn’t Go Smoothly, in which we explore
some possible approaches to making a frozen chocolate treat. Dishing on Dishes
A Hunt for Icebox Cake Leaves a Cold Trail, waxing nostalgic over a dessert of yesteryear. Creamsicles, Re-imagined, more nostalgia -- and an attempt to recapture the magic, if not the Ding an sich, of the past. Seeing Red Over the Origins of Red Velvet Cake, lost in the mists of urban legend. Something Like Grandma Used to Make, in which we re-learn the fact that grandma was no fool. Worth A Hill of Beans, tracking down Cape Verde’s national dish. Pancakes,
ostensibly about making pancakes (oddly enough), but also about the way recipes evolve, or are transmuted through no fault of their own. Speaking of IngredientsMost of these have appeared on LeitesCulinaria.
Burrata
di Andria Cheese Nature Writing On Seeing Morels is yet more blather about our fascination with the first mushrooms of the season. Writing About Writing Writing about Food Memories is a brief exploration of some approaches to the subject. What Memory Tells Us is a slightly more introspective look at food memoir. If you scroll down a little further on the same page, there's an example of food memoir called "Water, Cool Cool Water." Unrequired Reading -- the sort of books you’re not likely to find listed in the syllabus of any respectable food studies course.
Adolescent/Senescent
Humor A Wine Epiphany on the Cheap, proof that one doesn't have to know much about wine to enjoy it, or even write about it. Adventures in Gastronomy, which might lead an inquiring reader to wonder how some people survive long enough to become foodies. An Introduction of Sorts provides some background info on the notorious Dr Sanscravat. It is, admittedly, somewhat vague in its details. Collegiate Mixology, a reminiscence of the sort of event that gives college students their well-earned reputation. Chez Joey, in which the good doctor recalls the sandwich of his dreams, and one of the few things he learned in college. Dinner Date, a bittersweet tale -- all-too-common, alas -- of young lust gone messily awry. Fat Lady Burrito, has a moral of sorts -- it’s that bliss can often be achieved only by willingly courting bodily harm (as in “deciding to risk life and intestinal well-being”). Gatherin’ Mesquite, an expanded version of an aging child’s Texas recollections. Give Me Insurrection or Give Me Indigestion, an account of an early rebellion against the forces of gastronomic tyranny. Hot Wings, or why being half-Texan may not be enough. The Mating Habits of Coconuts. Which, alas, is not nearly as salacious as one might expect . New Coffee Threat, was an April Fool’s joke (in an unmarked page so that you can use it to victimize unsuspecting friends). My Cynara, a tale of artichokes and thwarted lust. Chili Cook-off Judge, yet another adventure in extreme (or extremely thoughtless) eating. On Healthy Living, another of Dr Sanscravat's un-asked-for -- and unjustifiable -- speculations about the nature of the good life. On Sweetening Tainted Meat, one more idle and historically ill-informed ramble from Doc Sanscravat. My Dinner with Zal, in which a Lovin’ Spoonful plays chopsticks. A little something for the ladies: On Asking for Directions, in which Dr Sanscravat attempts to answer an age-old question. Remembrance of Shellfish Past, a travel saga involving crustaceans. A Wreck of Hesperus, an example of what happens when word-fanciers let their imaginations overrule their better judgment. BBQ: How to Do Culinary Research, a discourse on certain academics’ approach to the subject. Smidgens on the Grass, Alas, a little diner etymology. St. Even’s Challenge, an epic saga of a hero facing life-threatening adversity in a quest for glory. At least, that’s what it seemed like at the time... Stop Playing with Your Food! -- or how to frighten and disgust children for fun and profit. Strata originally appeared on The Round Table, a morning radio show on WAMC (an NPR affiliate in Albany, New York). It later ran, in expanded form, in the newsletter Philosophers on Holiday. Thanksgiving -- our private detective seeks, in his usual long-winded fashion, to explain the reason marshmallows are found amongst the sweet potatoes. The Way of All Frogs, a cautionary tale about boys that can be decribed as food writing only of the most tangential sort.
Some of Dr Sanscravat’s stories (“Fat Lady Burrito” and “Bananas”) can now be heard online. While you’re visiting, check out the other readings -- we guarantee that you’ll be amused. Some of Gary’s
radio interviews are available as podcasts, including a panel discussion
on the “Culture
of Food,” on Town Hall Ohio; as a guest on Evan Kleiman’s
show, “Good
Food,” KCRW in Los Angeles; together with the “Restaurant
Guys,” on WCTC in New Brunswick, NJ; and, on “On
the Menu,” on WLFP in Pittsburgh, PA. A number of interviewers have chosen to sully the pages of their respective publications with self-absorbed blather from yours truly. One of these pieces appeared in Chronogram, another in Foreword, another in The Glens Falls (New York) Post-Star. and yet another in the Kingston Times. A wise man once wrote, in impeccable Latin, “Dere’s no accountin’ fo’ taste.” The astonishing thing is that he was able to create that chestnut never having had an opportunity to meet Gary...
Contrary to all expectations, Gary has been dragged, kicking and screaming, into something very much like the current century. He has actually begun... drum roll... wait for it... TWEETING!
Unexpectedly Useful Stuff
Books in Print, or in Progress
The Herbalist in the Kitchen has been published by The University of Illinois Press. In the Spring of 2012, a very different book on the subject, Herbs: A Global History, is due from Reaktion Books -- as part of their Edible Series. Human
Cuisine, an anthology of literary cannibals (or literature
about cannibals), co-edited
with Ken Albala, is finished,
and is finally available. What do we have to say about this momentous
event? “It’s about
bloody time!” You can read an interview about the book here.
It's PDF, so you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader) Information about the author’s other published materials -- “literature” would be something of an exaggeration -- can be found in the bibliography at the ASFS’s website. Gary is currently working on several book projects: How to Serve Man: On Cannibalism, Sex, Sacrifice and the Nature of Eating -- a big book, with more than anyone would reasonably want to know about eating our fellow man, actually or figuratively. The book is currently in the hands of the publisher, who -- no doubt -- is vainly searching for someone with a strong-enough stomach to preview the manuscript. Sausage: A Global History will be a second book for Reaktion’s Edible Series -- we're just starting it now. There are always a few
other books simmering -- or possibly fermenting -- just out of sight. Not all of them are food-related. We'll let you know when any of them seem to be getting closer to completion. Other LinksAssociation for the Study of Food & Society
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