04 Oct 2010, Posted by admin in MEET, 0 Comments

Diana Kennedy’s Oaxaca al Gusto: Cultural History Captured in a Cookbook

Diana Kennedy. Those two words mean esquite expert to some, proper tamale-making instructor to others, or as so many have dubbed her, simply the “Julia Child of Mexican cuisine.” That last one is the only title that the pedigreed author of the new cookbook Oaxaca al Gusto doesn’t deserve, as Kennedy is so much more than simply a reference point. For starters, that this book was published by an academic press, the University of Texas Press, is not incidental. In the Introduction, Kennedy says the seeds for that mole verde Oaxaqueño (green Oaxacan mole) began in 1994, when the governor asked her to catalog the state’s regional foods.

28 Sep 2010, Posted by admin in EAT, 0 Comments

A World of Cake Cookbook: Where To Read + Eat Your Cake Culinary History

Back cover cookbook accolades usually offer little more than a glimpse into the author’s connections, be them personal or professional, though it’s no secret they’re typically chosen for their relevance to the book. In Krystina Castella’s A World of Cake: 150 Recipes for Sweet Traditions From Cultures Near and Far, the kudos are an odd mixed bag. Baking Queen Mother Dorie Greenspan offers a paragraph of praise alongside Anne Byrn, she of just-doctor-the-damn-Duncan-Hines-cake-mix fame. And so a well researched, thoughtfully organized, almost documentary-like survey of cakes around the world by someone who has written several dessert books (Booze Cakes, Crazy About Cupcakes), perhaps best politely described as whimsical, was exactly — but then again not quite — what we expected.

23 Sep 2010, Posted by admin in EAT, 0 Comments

Einkorn Pasta: Bronze Age History With A Trademark + The Heritage Wheat Conservancy

Anything that comes off a press release usually goes straight to my trash bin, but toss in the word “last meal” and I’m hooked (Texas barbecue, caramelized roasted potatoes and onions, kale or asparagus, perhaps, fried something, lots of wine and even more desserts, though the menu is subject to change.). And so begins the press release for a new pasta: “When scientists unearthed the body of Ötzi, the Bronze Age man found perfectly preserved in a glacier in the Italian Alps in 1991, they discovered he had eaten an ancient species of wheat called einkorn for his last meal.” The pasta brand, called Jovial, is made from einkorn wheat grown in Italy.

13 Sep 2010, Posted by admin in EAT, 0 Comments

Food History News Rehashing: Jefferson’s Vineyards + Monticello Wine Tours Now Open

That Thomas Jefferson was a fan of wine (and beer, by the way) is hardly breaking news, but this article in Forbes from a while back is worth revisiting. Author James M. Gabler gives the cellar bottle count at various times in Jefferson’s life, but what’s interesting is how that plot of land adjacent to Monticello wound up being converted to a vineyard. Gabler says Philip Mazzei, who grew up in Tuscany, selected the spot in 1773.

12 Sep 2010, Posted by admin in EAT, 0 Comments

The New Portuguese Table: New May Be Relative, But This Cookbook Is A Keeper

What defines new vs. old? Five seconds, several months, years? You could argue that it depends on whether you’re talking about cheese or cars, or you might take the position that nothing is ever truly new, as the moment something appears in our conscious it is already aged by definition. Right. Anyway, David Leite’s The New Portuguese Table falls into the not-exactly-new category, as it was published last year. I missed that little detail when I asked for a review copy after seeing the words “new” and cookbook in a Tweet. Oops. Now if only I could change the newspaper’s definition of new, as this is a fantastic book that combines family and cultural history (Leite has sturdy milho frito — fried cornbread — Portuguese roots) with new twists on classic Portuguese dishes.

11 Sep 2010, Posted by admin in EAT, 1 Comments

Fresh Dates By The Pound: History Not Included

For another few weeks, if you’re lucky enough to stumble upon fresh Barhi dates in their khalal stage of ripeness at farmers markets, Arabic markets (where I found mine) or online, grab a few pounds while you can. That they’re so completely different from fresh dates (Barhi and otherwise) that have fully matured into those exquisitely wrinkled, dark caramel nuggets is part of their charm. And because dates are one of the earliest cultivated fruits — the palm trees were grown in Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia as early as 6,000 years ago — tasting them in their fresh state should be on everyone’s edible history lesson list. Or at least such was my excuse for buying them.

08 Sep 2010, Posted by admin in EAT, 0 Comments

Cultural History (And Just Plain Fun) Cookbook: Cider Beans, Wild Greens And Dandelion Jelly

This is one of my favorite cookbooks of the summer. Why? I’ll start with the molasses stack cake above. Cultural history in cake layers. Is it the sort of book that temps you to make every single recipe? Not exactly. Personally, I’m going to skip the chicken noodle casserole made with canned cream of chicken soup — a little too literal on the 1950s translation for me. But I loved reading the stories behind each of these dishes, regardless of whether all the ingredients wound up on my grocery list (though I’ve gotta try a Kentucky “Hot Brown”). More, from my LA Weekly review…

02 Sep 2010, Posted by admin in EAT, 0 Comments

All Homesteaders — And Radishes — Were Not Created Equal

History books tend to focus on the Homestead Act of 1862′s pivotal role in populating much of the U.S., particularly the Midwest, Southwest and West coast (by the 1930s, more than 270 million acres had passed from government hands to nearly 2 million Americans). And that the project wasn’t always successful (turns out it’s tricky to be the first to settle in an area when you’ve got no nearby community infrastructure to turn to in lean cactus pad salad months). All well and good. But I find it impossible not to think about what these people ate.

27 Aug 2010, Posted by admin in EAT, 1 Comments

Better Homes And Gardens Cookbook, The 15th Edition: Will This One Be A Classic?

So many cookbooks these days seem to simply capitalize on a trend, be it our obsession with celebrity chefs or home canning and preserving. But some, like The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, define an era — for better or worse.

The 15th edition, released this week, marks the 80th anniversary of the red and white plaid, ring-bound cookbook that was among the must-have books for multiple generations of home cooks.

01 Jul 2010, Posted by admin in MEET, 2 Comments

Nancy Rowland: Her Grandmom’s Relish Has A Hollywood Tang

There’s nothing that says Hollywood quite like jalapeño jelly, mango chutney and corn relish (or was that flavored vodka?). During the 1930s and 40s, I like to think food was still part of the draw at the swankiest starlet parties (Back then, didn’t “bottle service” still refer to the milkman?). But before we fondly reminisce for those forgotten years of foie gras and truffles, remember this was an era when pillows of cream cheese appeared on top of just about every appetizer, and cocktail hours weren’t complete without a canapé or three.