How to Braise a Miller and Boil a Baby

[balmagowry]

All ye culinary historians;

All ye historical cooks;

All ye curious as to either or both, particularly as regards the early 19th century;

All ye fans of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin Novels;

All ye fans of "Master & Commander [and/or] The Far Side of the World" in any medium;

- or anyone else for that matter -

On Thursday May 20th at 7:00 PM I shall be in Baltimore to give an illustrated lecture based on my book Lobscouse & Spotted Dog, which as some of you may know it's the official gastronomic companion to the Aubrey/Maturin novels. It's more a wild roller-coaster ride than an official sort of lecture, being a somewhat irreverent description of our experiences in researching and testing not only the eponymous recipes but a good many others from the sublime to the ridiculous, not excluding the eccentric and the occasionally disastrous. If you've ever wondered how to raise a coffin, how to simulate a cow, how not to handle suet, and how to build the Galapagos out of meringue and custard (at 2"=1 nautical mile), this is your chance: all these and more I will reveal, with copious pictures and anecdotes. And I think there's some kind of informal Q&A/book-signing thingy afterward.

The lecture is part of the USS Constellation's 150th Anniversary Season lecture series, and is being given at the Maryland Historical Society. Information is available via the Constellation's Web Site. Oh, and Ken Ringle just sent me this:

(Don't be fooled: the day of the week is correct, the date is not.)

I always have fun doing these things; meeting any local eGulls will be an additional kick to make my cup runneth over.

Oh - and if you've somehow escaped encountering me in these parts before, here's my bio thread, here's my foodblog, and here's some info about an article I published recently. Don't bother telling me to get a life....

Edited May 15, 2004 by balmagowry (log)

[winesonoma]

You already have a life. Sailboat, house on Gilgo and the LIRR for transport. Does the train go to the airport yet?

[hjshorter]

Lisa, I was in Baltimore yesterday and saw the poster next to the ship. I read it and thought to myself that it sounded interesting...then realized that it was you!

[balmagowry]

You already have a life. Sailboat, house on Gilgo and the LIRR for transport. Does the train go to the airport yet?

Not exactly. Not in any way you'd want to put up with. That's OK - that's why we have cars.

[balmagowry]

Lisa, I was in Baltimore yesterday and saw the poster next to the ship. I read it and thought to myself that it sounded interesting...then realized that it was you!

None other. I don't know exactly what prompted me to use my married name on the book - I think I did it mostly for symmetry with my mother's name, and perhaps as an unconscious sop to ill omens. Now of course it dogs me, because that's the only thing I've ever written under that name, so I'm stuck with "Thomas" for the life of the book. Which I naturally have to hope will be long.

My cousin Jo Heifetz did the same with one of her books, only she went me one worse: used her married name (Mrs. Byrne) in the title. Many years later the book went into a new edition and she got the chance to remedy this, publishing under her own name and completely changing the title of the book. So now the problem is that a lot of people don't realize it's the same book.

Moral of the story... obvious, I imagine.

So - can you come?

[Emily Kaiser]

I'm sorry I can't make it, but what a fantastic book, I look forward to perusing a copy. Congratulations!

[balmagowry]

Thank you kindly. Hope you enjoy.

[hathor]

Oh... I'm checking in a day late.. hope this was a lot of fun for you. I'm sure it was for everyone who attended.

Regards!

[balmagowry]

Oh... I'm checking in a day late.. hope this was a lot of fun for you. I'm sure it was for everyone who attended.

Regards!

Thanks, Hathor!

Just got home from it a little while ago, and I'm pretty wiped out. Not to put too fine a point on it, it was a whacking huge success, a total love-fest, a blast. Sold/signed a lot of books, met some good people, have been invited back to do future events on the ship. Had a long leisurely tour of the ship today - a gorgeous restoration, still in progress. (Seriously considering the possibility of trying to crank up the lecture activities - the travel part gets a bit wearing, but the gigs are awfully rewarding. I'd forgotten how much fun it could be.)

And then I log on here and "View New Posts" nets me 17 pages of hits. Guess I'm back, all right....