Great writers about food

[jaybee]

No, Steve, you're ignorance of Scottish cuisine is appalling. The "utter" in utter tosh derives from the sound made by the diner (an "utterance") when he (she) bites down on the small. squirming body of the tiny tosh, (which is almost extinct now). He is said to emit a barely audible sigh mixed with a small "oohhh". This is a result of the sensual pleasure the diner has from this exotic feast. It is said that the custom of hoisting his kilt to cover his head while eating the tosh came from the desire to trap all the essences of the taste and smells which are, after all, ephemeral (which means "short lived"). This custom caused the women in attendance to emit an utterance of their own, thus providing the name for the dish. Wilfrid, no doubt, can enlighten us about this hard to find delicacy.

[Steve Plotnicki]

Is it not related to Peter Tosh? And for certain Wilfrid will be an expert on utter tosh. I heard that once upon a time while walking through a market in Scotland, he confused a haggis for utter tosh. Both before AND after he tasted it.

[jaybee]

I can see confusing haggis for Peter's tush, but then, what do I know?

[foodie52]

MFK Fischer.....nothing like her on a hot summer's day in Texas, when you can't stop sweating and you're feeling sorry for yourself. Reading her essays about the Depression and keeping the Wolf from the door...and her enjoyment of food is such a delight. I only discovered her last year.....what a wonderful writer!

[jaybee]

MFK Fischer.....nothing like her on a hot summer's day in Texas, when you can't stop sweating and you're feeling sorry for yourself. Reading her essays about the Depression and keeping the Wolf from the door...and her enjoyment of food is such a delight. I only discovered her last year.....what a wonderful writer!

Foodie, thanks for that. I felt that way initially about her, but found after a while I had to work too hard to sustain my interest in her some of her writing. I don't know whether the fault is mine or hers, but it's always bothered me, given the high regard with which she's held by so many serious foodies. I'd be curious for a "serious" discussion about her merits and demerits among the assemblage, asking that it not deteriorate into a "you stupid clod" debate. And yes, that's a form of precensure.

[Sandra Levine]

I love M.F.K. Fisher, but she may be best in small doses. She can be repetitive, although that is not necessarily negative for me. Think of children who like to hear the same story told over and over with exactly the same words. In general, I wonder if men are less drawn to her writing than women?

[Steve Plotnicki]

The director Curtis Hansen is a huge fan of hers and always wanted to make a movie based on her life story.

[Sandra Levine]

That could be a great movie.

[jaybee]

I love M.F.K. Fisher, but she may be best in small doses. She can be repetitive, although that is not necessarily negative for me. Think of children who like to hear the same story told over and over with exactly the same words. In general, I wonder if men are less drawn to her writing than women?

Two interesting observations, Sandra. Small doses. True, you know. Now you mention it, there are writers I tend to read like that. Normally, I prefer to pick up a book and read it through. Can't do that with her. Kobo Abe is another one I need to dribble out ("Ruined Map"). Women more than men? Good to hear from others on that point. At least you've relieved some of my MFK guilt.

[jaybee]

No, Steve. There are many forms of tosh made in Scotland. Utter tosh just happens to be the most expensive and thus is considered the highest quality, most refined form of the genre.

The Jewish version of this dish is called "hammen tosh" or "hommen tashen" and is eaten as a dessert on a certain holiday, representing the ears of a famous bad man.

Now let's get back to great food writers....

[LaNiña]

Actually humentashn is Yiddish, and it means Hamen's pockets, not the ears. In Hebrew, they're oznei haman, which are Hamens' ears.

[Toby]

MFK Fisher was the writer who let me see that it was OK to write about food and one's life together. Food has always played such an enormous role in my life, memories, imagination, but I'd always thought it was a subject you didn't mix with non-food writing -- that readers wouldn't be interested in the mix of emotion, memory and food.

[bourdain]

The Satyricon by Petronius (the Trimalchio dinner sequence is classic)

Surprising is Trimalchio's "kelleresque" use of puns in dish concepts--something not uncommon in those times--his practical jokes, and "surprises" . A fun and illuminating read--particularly the earthy Oxford edition. Food folks fun and sodomy--the dinner table gossip could almost have happened yesterday.....

[Sandra Levine]

Cabrales, this is what you've been looking for.

[it aint easy being cheesy]

haven't read _Salt_ carefully, but I've seen enough to learn that, in bringing it up to date, he makes no mention of the part that excessive use of salt plays in various major world health problems. Now, I don't want a diatribe on its evils, but there should at least be an acknowledgement of the fact that it has become, for many, a harmful addiction. It would be like writing a book on the social history of alcohol without even mentioning alcoholism.

http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m0815/n...1/article.jhtml

http://www.saltinstitute.org/28.html

Q. Will Cutting Down On Salt Prevent High Blood Pressure?

A. There's a good chance it may help keep your blood pressure down. Most of us eat far too much salt to provide our bodies with the small amount of sodium they need. We also get sodium in other ways besides eating salt, for example:

In snack foods, such as chips, crackers, salted nuts;

In processed foods, like canned soups and vegetables, pickles, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, frozen foods, cheese, ham;

In restaurant foods, especially fast foods, like a burger and fries;

In some medicines, like antacids.

Reading the labels on foods and medicines for the terms "salt" and "sodium" may help you

http://www.junkscience.com/news/salt-hypertension.html

http://www.saltinfo.com/salt%20health1.htm

http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~foodsaf/il042.html

Low Sodium Diet after DASH: Has the Situation Changed?

Cohen HW, Alderman MH.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology & Social Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. hicohen@aecom.yu.edu

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial adds to the large body of evidence indicating a direct association of dietary sodium with blood pressure, and showing that rigorous reduction of dietary sodium can reduce blood pressure over a 30-day period by statistically significant amounts. DASH, however, neither addressed nor answered whether a reduction of dietary sodium reduces morbidity and mortality. Data linking baseline sodium to mortality and morbidity outcomes are sparse, with only six known studies. Of these, two showed no association, two showed an inverse association, and two showed a direct association only in obese subsets. No studies have examined outcomes after sodium reduction, and no studies have linked sodium to outcomes or even a blood pressure benefit among treated hypertensives. Universal recommendations for sodium reduction or dietary sodium goals should await evidence that such interventions are both safe and effective as measured by morbidity and mortality outcomes.

PMID: 12117462 [PubMed - in process]

Salt Bad?

[foodie52]

Apropos small doses...

I find that when I am reading about food ( be it cookbook or narrative) I can't concentrate for more than half an hour or so. I wonder if there is a correlation with my preferring tasting menus as opposed to large portions of food? I literally get bored after a few bites and am ready to move on to new flavors.

However....

I can read novels for hours on end...and I can eat a roast chicken until it's all gone! I just KNOW there is something in this worthy of psychological analysis!!!

[John Whiting]

Salt Bad?

There's pretty strong evidence that at least a large minority are adversely affected by salt in large quantities. These days most of it comes in processed foods. My own reaction is that I rarely eat commercially processed foods, even crisps/chips or salted nuts; I infrequently eat in restaurants (not more than a couple of times a month); and what I cook myself or my wife cooks for me I salt to taste. I don't like the taste of salt but neither do I like the blandness of unsalted food; I aim for the fine edge in between.

Following that pattern, I know that I'm getting much less salt than the average Anglo/American.

[jaybee]

Actually humentashn is Yiddish, and it means Hamen's pockets, not the ears. In Hebrew, they're oznei haman, which are Hamens' ears.

Fer crissakes Nina!

[g.johnson]

Salt Bad?

There's pretty strong evidence that at least a large minority are adversely affected by salt in large quantities.

There is? There are studies that show that reducing salt intake can reduce hypertension. Are there studies that show high salt intake causes hypertension?

[jaybee]

haven't read _Salt_ carefully, but I've seen enough to learn that, in bringing it up to date, he makes no mention of the part that excessive use of salt plays in various major world health problems.

I haven't read any of the book, but, if it was presented as an essay on the history and role of salt in civilization, the fact that it contributes to illness by promoting retention of water and a rise in blood pressure deserves mention. The functional role of salt as a preservative is long since obsolete in modern societies. It's role as a condiment is important, eg. frites or tomatos taste better with salt on them. There are members of my family who reflexively pour salt on their food as though it were a magic powder. I can count on a pounding headache and elevated blood pressure within a day of over- indulging in salt, so their habit makes me cringe.

It is curious why the down-side of salt was ignored by the author.

[helenas]

but, if it was presented as an essay on the history and role of salt in civilzation...

This reminds me: what do egullet members think about "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies". I was really impressed.

[g.johnson]

haven't read _Salt_ carefully, but I've seen enough to learn that, in bringing it up to date, he makes no mention of the part that excessive use of salt plays in various major world health problems.

It is curious why the down-side of salt was ignored by the author.

Kurlansky does discuss salt and health, albeit briefly – about a page on p442. His conclusion

The theoretical debate continues, but clinical evidence shows that people who consume large quantities of salt are not as healthy as those who don’t.

(This seems to me to overstate the case against.)

[John Whiting]

The theoretical debate continues, but clinical evidence shows that people who consume large quantities of salt are not as healthy as those who don’t.

(This seems to me to overstate the case against.)

As usual in dietary matters, the evidence is stacked by the food manufacturers. For a run-down on changing governmental policy in the UK in response to pressure from big political contributers, see: http://www.healthmatters.org.uk/stories/bussell.html The recommendations exceed in stringency my own personal practice, but that's because I err on the side of self-indulgence.

[g.johnson]

It’s impossible to evaluate the claims in that article since no references are given. The papers cited by the CDC (here for example) show only that reducing salt intake reduces blood pressure in hypertensives. There are plenty of epidemiologists out there looking for evidence that high salt intake causes hypertension, but (as far as I know) no convincing evidence has been found.

[Lady T]

I've just finished Madeleine Kamman's 'When French Women Cook', which has recently been reprinted. It's tough to tell which I love better: the recipes (I've been cooking from the book practically every night as I read) or the narratives of Ms. Kamman's life with the eight women she profiles. Marvelous, marvelous stuff.