Carrot Top

To bring this back to the point it must be said that there are "trends" that can be found by people who have a talent for spotting them, within their lifetimes based on what they see and sometimes feel. To my mind, some of this is intuitive. Some people have an eye for the small and unnoticed thing that ties into other things that other people see. This can be used to create opportunities for businesses to thrive within any given period of time. Even food businesses, to bring it back to the point again. But beyond using this ability within a certain narrowly defined parameter to accomplish a certain defined task, it's not my opinion that it can be done "across-the-board". But I'm willing to be persuaded otherwise. Edited to add: Yeah. I just went back and read your original question, Lucy. Somehow the discussion went off track. My apologies for any part I played in it. I really had no idea at all how to answer your first post, so didn't. But the other stuff came up and as it was in the thread, blah blah blah. I talked. What I should have said was: "Just who is this 'we', Kimosabe?" and left it at that.

You showed me in particular with your comment that not only did you know the culture of the Anglo-Saxon kitchen as it usually currently stands in the way of chocolate, but also that you knew the culture of popular music. Not a bad batting average for one single post, TFA.

My point is a philosophic one. And the fact that "I" think of things in philosophic or global terms and that "you" think of things in factual actual what someone presented as an actual history in a book, separates the way we see things right there. Your history is not my history. Yet you and I come from Western cultures. The history and viewpoint of two people from two cultures that are even more disparate than ours would be even wider. History is not a fact. History is written. By human beings. Human beings who can only know what is in front of them within their own culture or the cultures they have been exposed to. Then of course each historian brings their own "stuff" into the writing of history. History, even among historians, is up for debate. It is not agreed upon. I am not "picking" on a word in any way except to define it in the way I see it, and as a word that said a lot within the context of the discussion. Here's a question: Here "we" are, talking with each other in a "virtual community". Here you and I are, and many others. If each of us was to walk away from the computer at this moment, then sit down and write the "history" of even this singular, small discussion, would we come up with the same account of it? "History" has proved otherwise. We all see things differently. Therefore, "truth" is plastic. Except when it is a lie or utter bull. Those are somewhat measurable.

I can introduce you to more than a few people who can not taste when there's too much caraway in the succotash. And then I can introduce you to a few more who would stand around and, although they were capable of tasting the caraway, would endlessly disagree about how much was too much.

The word "we" is the important one in this thought, though. For is there a "we"? Has there ever been a "we" in what "we" call "history"? Available money is determined by a vast amount of factors, a chaos of factors. Finally, though, it is defined by the "we" that does not exist. It is perhaps defined more by the individual persons who are adept at accomplishing what they set out to do. These people who prove that they can "do" , and "do' well, sway and move other people to follow. And often, one of those people has a different agenda in mind than the others. So the available money goes to whomever happens to be best at gathering it in that moment. And even that affects how "history" is written. As for the future, it is important to remember that not everybody wishes the best upon everybody else. That means there is no "we".

I do remember hearing vaguely of a book-club group "somewhere" (somewhere small and local but I've lived so many places that I can not remember exactly where) that read the book and cooked the recipes. It was reported in a small local newspaper. They seemed to enjoy it. I am really intrigued by memories of the book and by knowing that the recipes are right there in it, particularly in the form you described. If I can make it to the bookstore tomorrow, will pick it up.

Looks like a re-read is in order. Might be fun to start a thread on "Cooking from 'Like Water for Chocolate' ". See what happens. At the very least, we would dine well on some lovely things, no?

Yes, technique and proportion. As in so many things.

Wouldn't it be lovely if life itself could be written that way?

If you do find the book, Jaymes, see if you "read" the family influences, the back and forth, as strongly as I did surrounding the marriage? Or whether the narrative was solely focused on the singular and independent relationship between the two suitors? I always like to check on my nuttiness level.

What I can not remember is whether there were actual recipes printed within the book, or within certain issues of the book, or whether there was a separate book printed that held recipes at a later date based on demand. For I seem to remember recipes. Somewhere. But maybe that was just a dream.

I remember the book. I took it as sexual metaphor. (So what else is new. ) It seemed that there was to be marriage, a gathering together of forces within lots of external happenings. Water being one person chocolate being another person. External forces being heat or cold. I thought heat. The marriage was desirable. Just because it is. But would the water and chocolate mix? Could they mix? Would they meld or not? Or would they remain together in that suspended (together yet not together) state which happens when a drop of water hits chocolate while trying to temper. What would make the water and chocolate blend gracefully? Could heat do it (the external forces of family, culture, society)? Or would it take something more to have this happen. . .a touch of grace perhaps as in some cream or butter. What would that cream or butter be in "real life"? Maybe something magical. Maybe something unknown. Maybe something full of grace. Maybe something sacred. Maybe sex? Really though, I don't know for sure. You might google the thing and find some critical reviews by literary folk.

As they say, "you can not always tell a book by its cover". Thank you for waking me up this morning. The coffee was not really doing the trick.

Are you sure you really want to hear of my inner workings? Heh. Steven King has penned nothing that could challenge my own twisted mind. But really, it would not be proper for me to answer till I hear of everyone elses' wonderful tales, now, would it. Thank you for letting us wander through your own story, Danielle. And I am very jealous not only of your talent and determination but also of the way you can make those quote things work. Whew! (Someday, I say to myself, someday. . . )

Parsi, please, Percy. Perhaps? No, particularly.

Welcome, Genevieve. A beautiful name. And the lucky "seventh" post, too. So therefore your luck with your quest will undoubtedly follow! Thanks for the lovely post.

Dear Food Writer (Aspiring or Actual): Here are some questions. Will you tell us your tales? ................................................................................... Who inspired you most in your decision to write of food? What is it particularly that you write of within the wide-varied subject? When did you take up the pen? Where do you wish to publish your writings? Do you have any specific magazines/journals or publishers that you have an urge to present your work to for acceptance? Why do you wish to submit your work to these particular outlets? How do you hope to have your writings affect the world of food and people? ................................................................................. Thank you for your stories.

Niiiiiiiiiiiice shrimp there, Susan!

There is no assurance that he will not respond. As he mentioned earlier when he did answer several questions posted, he is in the process of opening a new restaurant. Any chef I have known involved in an opening is likely to be working 22 hours a day nonstop. ....................................................... And if I were him, (even if there were time) I would feel inclined to wait till the chatter died down a bit to try to sort out what all the questions and comments were so as to be able to respond to them one at a time in a calm and reasonable manner. There is a sense of feral dogs fighting over meat here. Either that or of children at the tag end of an exciting birthday party where too much cake and ice-cream have been eaten and the house is now being torn apart with the curtains askew and chocolate ice cream decorating the carpet. But carry on, do.

I think you've raised some interesting questions, Bux. If it is true that this book is a memoir (as it seems to be presenting itself) then what is the traditional form and substance of a memoir? How many memoirs can be construed to be accurate and without argument as to the "real" truth? Personally, I haven't read many so don't really know. Those of you who have. . .what do you think? Is this book within the boundaries of what a memoir usually consists of in terms of percentage of the inarguable? Or is it out of the usual boundaries in terms of questions it raises as to "what really happened"? I guess where my question ultimately leads to is: Is it the form itself that is creating the potential for detailed argument among those who were not there, or is it the author. . .in this case? (Not that I really expect to hear any agreement on this question either, but hey. Why not ask )

That is a stunning beautiful second post, mochihead. Welcome. . .happy to have you here.

Clickey: Oranges A quote from the article: "And the nineteenth-century French painter Paul Cezanne was so besotted with oranges, he couldn’t stop painting them." ( ) "A most seductive fruit" is what this author claims the orange is. Do you think so? Or is there another fruit that challenges this claim, to your mind? Just what IS "the most seductive fruit"?

This thread came to mind the other night. We were eating pitas filled with sliced steak and some salad stuff that included very thin slivers of red onion. My eleven year old son ate one and asked for another. Fishing for a compliment, I asked "So you like it?" He looked at me and said, "Yes! And what I really like about the flavor is how the onions are STAPLING the steak. It really works!" "Stapling" the flavor. Yeah.

They do look rather glorious! Is the texture different at all?

And yet the dead horse continues to be arisen and led to water. . .