Having recently provided you with a large number of historical sources about food, I now alert you to a new cookbook that presents "cherished recipes inspired by literature." In it one will find everything “From a soup honoring the Chinese writer Su Dongpo to Pablo Neruda–inspired Hasselback potatoes to Wilkie Collins–themed cocktails to a vegan take on Emily Dickinson’s coconut cake..." Apart from Neruda-inspired potatoes, the table-of-contents lists: "The Line by Line Martini," "The Pear-enthetical Citation," a "Word Salad," "Walt Whitman's Cranberry Sauce" and "Much Ado About Gnocchi."
Although I recently indicated that I should not be buying more books, I do have to get this one based on this description of a cheesecake which "was smooth and lush, with the personality of a warm and well-to-do uncle who knows a hundred dirty jokes and will die of sexual exertion in the arms of his mistress."
Sources:
You should begin first by viewing my very good guide to FOOD HISTORY. Be the first to do so. It also contains some literary references.
Based on the dirty uncle quote I am sure you will want to order the book and you can find it at the MLA Bookstore.
The uncle quotation is apparently from Don DeLillo's Underworld and I found it here: "Bon Appe-Lit! A New Cookbook From the Modern Language Association Celebrates the Subtle and Not-so-Subtle Links Between Literature, Food and Drink," Colleen Flaherty, Inside Higher Ed, Jan. 11, 2019.
Post Script:
If you are thinking about serving madeleines and discussing Proust at your next book club meeting don't forget that the MLA publishes other guides which could serve you well - in this instance: Approaches to Teaching Proust's Fiction and Criticism.
In your eagerness to buy the recipe book, do not also purchase Fruits of the MLA by Edmund Wilson. It is an altogether different book and not about plants.
No comments:
Post a Comment