Cooking With Ideas

Googling for Recipes: Is the Cookbook Dead? The Cooking Magazine?

There is an enormous literature on the advantages and disadvantages of electronic reading devices and the impact they are having on education and on reading. There is also a huge literature on reading itself and its history, including the ways we are extensive or intensive readers, and the kinds of reading we do. The situation today is, I have to admit, kind of baffling. Let me begin with clarity: I read on both the literal page and on the screen. I like it that my phone is my kindle. And, I like to carry books around and to read them -- even though I have been de-accessioning a lot of them lately.

More systematically: On the one hand, people are amazed and pleased that so much reading is occurring. And, on the other, they fear (as I sometimes do) that screen reading portends the coming apocalypse. (It certainly is the case that too much screen time leads me to a sort of mild distraction with everything, and some people around me might not even see it as mild distraction but as. . . well, enough). And, they fear that screen reading and the overwhelming internet information tsunami is the cause of the decline of critical thinking, the rise of alt facts (aka utter lies passing as truth because a) liars and b) lied to who kind of willfully refuse to look and c) bad education and. . . ) 

But, I digress. 

When it comes to cooking, there is similar concern and euphoria about what we used to call the "new media" and the rise of electronic and internet based resources. Yes, it had the effect of "democratizing" both reading and writing (ignoring, here, the digital divide) and yes, it allowed this blog. On the other hand, it killed some wonders like Gourmet Magazine as it has many parts of print media -- including journalism (which we must bemoan given our radical and incredible need for journalists of conscience today and our intense need to encourage critical reading skills given our daily bombardment with what we sometimes call alt facts and know are lies and distortions). But I digress. Again.) 

On the one hand, the screen offers incredible convenience -- with grocery shopping apps attached to recipes and more. On the other hand, those days of foodie inventiveness may be in decline and the relaxing feeling that comes with days spent reading cookbooks or perusing cooking magazines in preparation for. . . . whatever. In preparation for NOTHING! (The decline of the possibility of doing NOTHING is really getting on my nerves. Who can even consider doing nothing these days, given politics. And yet again, I digress. But we do know that growing food and cooking are both cultural and political acts. So, perhaps not!?!?) 

In any case, here is the point (insofar as I have one): I use my iPhone when I cook. And, my partner has commented on this. So, I thought I would take this opportunity to reflect on the ways my use of recipes and thus my cooking has changed. And, as a side note, the impact of this upon my shopping. 

Some days I simply stick a few ingredients I have on hand into the google search and. .  then kind of fool around til I find ways to use ingredients I have. I feel like I am a contestant on Chopped but cheating. The strategy works in two ways: 1) it helps when I am at a loss on how I can possibly use the combination of things in my fridge and pantry and/or 2) when I know I am missing an ingredient for whatever vague idea I had in mind. This strategy saves me from that rush to the grocery store to get . . . a lemon or coriander seeds or whatever I ran out of or just do not have. I rarely just make the recipe I find, but it gives me ideas and then onward I go. 

A few down sides: I don't google very far down past page 1 or page 2 of the search results, so I am probably making things that are . . . risking being boring? I know about how far down you truly find interesting stuff in other arenas -- including googling myself when I once found bitnet conversations from 1987 (but I digress) and from professional work trying to ensure that search results appear far enough up in search results to cause people to actually click on the result. Anyway: I am afraid the google recipe habit is bad and I am not even sure why I am worried. 

I know there are apps to save recipes and all sorts of things that might be useful. I don't really use them. I cannot even imagine at the farthest reach of my imagination a kindle cookbook. And, though I once had a vague desire for an iPad in the kitchen so I could actually SEE what I was trying to do when I use my iPhone, I now no longer want such a thing. Hmmm. 

So, I also read cookbooks and I am trying to get off the few pages I turn to regularly in each one. And, I have to admit, I do mourn the loss of some magazines, even though I am not as in love with them when they come as I used to be. . . . Hmmm. 

Enough. Back to the kitchen. Hmmm. 

And, as a side note, given how many times phrases involving hands appear above: Kali? 

A few options to continue thinking about this theme: try this piece that favors reading on your iPhone (or, I suppose, Android); or this more balanced (and scientific) bit. Yes, both appeared fairly high up when I googled. 

 

Jonathan Ned Katz on Queer Food and Foodies Chronology

There I was, wandering the world that I used to call the ethernet, and now think of as something kind of vaguely related to life, and I discovered this site: Jonathan Ned Katz on Queer Food Chronologies. How did this discovery occur? Frank Bruni posted about it, someone I have met, who once upon a time was NY Times restaurant reviewer -- and now writes on higher education --  and is a (somewhat conservative in my view) gay man. 

In any case,  I immediately emailed the site to myself in order to peruse it at length and write about it here. As I did so, I thought about my earlier entries in the "que(e)rying food" category of this blog, and also about a "cookbook" I think I might still own that somehow involved honey, lesbians, and recipes. Then, I went to Amazon, and wandered around a bit. No, I did not find the book I had vaguely in mind. Yes, there is a substantial literature on gender and food these days, some of which addresses the notion of "lesbians" and food. 

In any case, a few reflections on Katz's ongoing project (I say ongoing because he asks that folks email him if they have input to the project and as soon as you look at it you will have things to write to him about):

Who is Katz? Perhaps obviously, Katz is a historian of sexuality who has been writing since the 1970s. Indeed, his Gay American History sits on my bookshelf and will always do so because its mere existence taught me an enormous amount in the 1970s and still does on occasion when I re-read portions of it. I can still recall my feelings when I (a) first sighted the large red paperback and asked myself how there could possibly be that many pages of material for a documentary source on gay American history. Imagine my surprise. I can also still recall (b) my feelings on reading the punishments associated with lesbian or gay activities (wink wink) in pre-colonial and colonial America. The shivers that went up my spine were shivers of disgust and fear. Since the 1970s, Katz has written numerous books and articles, and done much more as independent scholar and generally important public intellectual on LGBTQ history --  including the influential The Invention of Heterosexuality. So, someone with credentials in -- indeed a founder of what we think of now as LGBTQ Studies. 

And, in some senses the not in that so very many of the documents included in that early work were negative inspired my own thinking and work to look for positive historical remnants -- and to create them for tomorrow through my own life. 

What does Katz have to say so far about Queer Food and Foodies? Well, what he has posted is, as he notes and I noted above, a work in progress, with a fairly thin set of materials linking food and queerness. It starts with Melville and the date 1849 (which is wonderful), mentions without commentary Alice B Toklas's "cookbook" and . . . stops with May 19, 2017 and the "television premiere" of a documentary on James Beard, "The first foodie." The chronology is followed by the beginnings of a list of persons and things (today, May 11, 2017, this includes around 20 items, including "swish steak").  This is an exciting start on what could be a huge undertaking and I wish Katz well on it. IN fact, I hope he becomes obsessed and really pushes it forward or somehow (perhaps a bit through this blog entry) finds the help to push it forward. 

Other resources? 

My own tidbits from Cooking with Ideas can all be found here, with some more directly related to queer/lesbian matters than others. Among the things you will discover if you are even the teensy teensy-est diligent are some websites and articles on lesbians and food. (Hint, Mr. Katz?) Because I am not patient this morning and, indeed, have a bit of a headache, I will leave it at that and hope that Katz -- or you -- can find more and add them in the comments. 

Hurrah. 

 

Blog Watch?

Well, as the year winds down (pun intended, and thanks to this site for the picture of the vintage wind up fob watch) I have been neglecting this blog -- so I wanted to stop by with an early resolution: to blog more at this site. This is short hand for taking more time for me, away from work, and just pursuing fun. 

For a few bloggish entertaining food related sites see: 

1. Saveur magazine's best food blog awards for 2012 -- find the list here 

2. A list of winners for blog awards globally -- find the list here  (and yes, food is a topic for one of hte awards) 

3. Time magazine's list of the best blogs for 2012 -- yes, this is all about clicking, in this case, here. And yes, once again, there are examples which focus on food; but, there are even more wonderful ones that do not. Hmmm. 

4. In case you want to focus on the phrase "above the 49th" and know what it means, check out this site

5. And becuse, it is what I used to call Christmas Eve Eve when I was a kid, here is a set of Christmas cozies we all ought to have read 

Eating God. . . . And/Or Gherkins and Tomatoes

For those of us interested in religion and food, check out one of my favorite site's (Gherkins and Tomatoes) bibliography in this area here.

Okay, this could keep me busy for a long, long time. And you too.

As if that's not enough, check out this bibliography on religion and vegetarianism, which I found through Gherkins and Tomatoes too. (And this place there too.) 

And this Sufi cookbook discovered similarly. 

Yes, I love Gherkins and Tomatoes.

Wandering the Blogosphere -- Procrastinating and . . . . TWO!

(Thanks again to smbmarketingguide.com for this image.) Last time I focused on the links between murder mysteries and food in the blogosphere. Thought I would remind us we live in a land of politics, feminism, and queer (lesbian) topics as well. Here are a few sites to check out on each of these:

Politics and Food: Yep, still matters. Maybe even more after the results in Massachusetts and the ongoing health care debacle. (Yes, health care is about food.) Keep an eye out on Marion Nestle's blog, Food Politics to know what is what. Really, It's important. Not sure who she is? Click here. And for more, check out this "Top 10" list of food and politics sites. Both Nestle's blog and one of my humorous faves (which has a serious side to it), Obamafoodrama appear on the list, but there are 8 more we should all know about. 

Feminism and Food: Yes, all those political sites I just cited (watch that homonym attack) should attend to feminism. After all, even idiots know that women are now more than 50% of the work force in the US. But, still, given realities of life, it is crucial to keep this concern for women's lives out there when food and water access are crucial for women globally. Not sure the food crisis globally is about women? Try clicking here. Or try this article. Or this one. And if you think this is unrelated, say, to hiv./AIDS. try this pdf (though it is from 2006): programs.ifpri.org/renewal/pdf/icadtoronto.pdf.

One could go on. (Okay, just one more.) And are you interested in feminist food studies? Here's a list of relevant material and her follow up with more. . .

Not to mention a new fave: a site which thinks harpyness is good. Try it. Release your inner harpy.

Lesbian/Queer Matters (and Food?): For some silliness, check out this video of how to make a lesbian joy cocktail. And no, this is NOT a joke. (Might it refer to the island of Lesbos? NO clue.) And here is a great lgbtq manners commentary. What does it mean that all North American lesbians know about the potluck jokes?

More seriously, try here for lesbian politics or here for lgbtq politics. (NOT the same, as I hope you know.) And here for material on lesbians in the news. 

Less seriously, do NOT forget queerfoodforlove.  And check out the queer web project.

And a few more featuring (gasp) religion: Here's a feminist mormon blog where someone says the election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts ushered in the apocalypse for exactly the right reasons. And this irreverent site which pokes fun at the food pyramid/gay conspiracy theme (here's the site's home page.) And yes, the site is Anglican. Hmmm. Am I on a religion kick here? Check out anotherqueerjewishbuddhist on food (and drink) and the home page.

Finally, truly finally, one truly irrelevant and silly site: here. It entertained me, even though I am not truly sophisticated enough to get (read like) Monty Python. Maybe it will entertain you.

Wandering the Blogosphere -- Procrastinating and . . . .

It has been some time since I did a true procastinator's romp through the blogosphere and shared some Cooking with Ideas related sites with you. (And thanks to smbmarketingguide.com for the image.) Here are a few maunderings (right word?):

1. I am indebted to this site for reminding me that Alice B. Toklas actually had a chapter entitled "Murder in the Kitchen" (yes, chapter 4) in her famous cookbook-that-is-not-a-cookbook. And in reminding me of that, of course, I was reminded of deaths in the kitchen that some of us perpetrate. Denying it? Assuming it all occurs in the grocery store or abattoir? Nope. Think lobsters. 

2. And, I actually loved this site. Totally loved it. Visual. Meaty (yes, that would be a bit ironic). And thought provoking. Yes, it is called "Murder in the Kitchen" and no, it is NOT photographs of Robert F. Kennedy's murder in the kitchen, which are available elsewhere on the net.

3.Weird short movies your thing? Try this snack attack flik. Or this one. 

4. A whole list of murder mystery books/authors (all cozy in genre) many of which I had never heard of. . . here. And a mix of one's I knew and I did not: here. (The latter, now appearing on the typelist on the side of this blog, brings together foodiesd and mystery writers!)

Check Out These Blogs

Ok, here's a new (to me) blog to keep your eye on -- Food and Art in the Finger Lakes -- which is described by its writer as a blog which "chronicles my culinary and artistic meanderings aroung the Finger Lakes region. . . This is not a restaurant review column, but simply a highly-subjective selection of my best dining experiences.I am also a sculptor and member of the Spirit and Kitsch Artists' Collective in Ithaca, NY." What sort of artist? In the self-description, the blogger says the art is inspired by the mobiles of Alexander Calder and is available for sale at the Etsy (on line) and in person at the Spirit and Kitsch Art Gallery. I like the entries -- which vary from reviews of restaurants in Ithaca and beyond to notable greens available for purchase to (right now) a very wonderful entry on the use of Orchids to sell real estate. 

If you are heading to Rochester rather than Ithaca, check out Eat Out Rochester. This blogger also does a regular column at Chowhound for Rochester. Most recently reviewed? The Gate House with an executive chef many Genevans know: Kristen Flores-Fratto. (In case you are reading this months later, click here for the review of the Gate House!) 

There are endless foodie blogs out there. There are even more than I can possibly read -- and I may even need to figure out a new way to do my typelists on the sides of Cooking with Ideas. Meanwhile -- have fun! And keep me posted on ones you think I should check out.  

Feminism is a Verb. . .

Women matter. We do. And so feminism matters. And for many, recognition that food politics (like all politics) affects women because women are, for example, disproportionately affected by poverty, means writing about that topic. For an example, check out Feministe, where Thomas wrote recently about the topic "Food is a Feminist Issue."  Or this old piece from Ms. on Food, Farming and ... Feminism. Or Engendering the Food System, etc. 

Even if it is not about food, I think the F-Word Blog is well worth visiting. I particularly like their idea "Ask a Feminist." While they are from the UK -- actually maybe because they are from the UK -- maybe they can explain the Democratic Party? In the meantime, they are definitely not afraid of feminism. Hurrah. In a similar vein, try Finally, A Feminism 101 Blog. Or, drop on over to the Feminist Review. And if you want feminism and Ithaca, NY, try My Simple Life in Ithaca. 

And yes, I have been googling. Here's the best thing I found: a film which features 9 teenage girls in a multicultural theater group traveling from San Francisco to Seneca Falls, NY. Can we get this? Why did I not know about this already? Yes, it is not new. Yes it is new to me. Is it new to you?

Perverse Foodie Paradises

Ok, I do not equate queer and perverse. Nor do I equate perverse with immoral -- and certainly not with a fondness for food. Perhaps there is more to this unconsciously, but I just thought I was not writing enough for the section of Cooking with Ideas focused on Que(e)rying Food. So, I started cruising the web. Wow. So, I thought I would share some sites to tickle your delight. Let me know what you think?

So, what is queer food? For David Mehnert's answer, subtitled "Notes on Camp Cuisine," which opens with the sentence: "You can pick out fags in a diner because they always order BLTs." click here. Did you know that the NY Times has asked: "Does Queer Food Make Queer People?" The subtitle, "An Hour with the Vegetarians," reminds me of an old joke about the 1970s lesbian and the vegetarian potluck. The connection only made sense when I realized that google had led me into the past: the article was from the New York Times Archives and the article's date is Sunday, March 11, 1906. Yes, the ways we use words definitely has changed. (On this, if you have not read it, see George Chauncey's article on 1920s court cases in Newport, Rhode Island published, among other places, in Que(e)rying Religion: A Critical Anthology. The title: "Christian Brotherhood or Sexual Perversion? Homosexual Identities and the Construction of Sexual Boundaries in the World War I Era.")

So what about lesbian food? Is it all healthy and potlucky? If you google "lesbian food," the first thing that comes up is this site on, you guessed it, "lesbian food joke." (click away. It's a classic.) You have to go a bit further down to actually get to anything that is truly about food and/or drink. First: a video on how to make a lesbian joy cocktail and then, immediately thereafter, lebanese food is different from lesbian food. No -- the second one has no recipes; yes, it is about that obvious problem of confusion. Somehow the google-ing of "lesbian food" is not entirely what I expected. Ok, I did find a fascinating article entitled "'Lesbian Appetites': Food, Sexuality and Community in Feminist Autobiography." Then I added quotation marks. I googled "lesbian food" instead of lesbian food. I could spend hours on this.

One historical note: I was reminded in the midst of googling of the comment on something called The New York Lesbian Food Conspiracy in the history written by Lillian Faderman and entitled Odd Girls and Twilight Lovers. So what was it? According to Faderman, lesbian-feminists of certain sorts had a goal of self-sufficiency and so the NY Lesbian Food Conspiracy was a food coop "where food was sold at cost..." (p. 236) Who knew?

And gay food? Turns out about.com has a whole page devoted to gay food and drink. Yes, this includes gay cocktails. Lots of them. And No Milk Please blogged on restaurants in NYC (yes, Soho) under the rubric "gay food porn." Wait. Wait. Wait. There is even a site called gayfood.com. Who knew? Did you ? Do you have more to share?

gay food
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Food History: Yes!

One way to think about food history, of course, is to think about mold and slime and the yucky things that happen to things that drift (ok, I am convinced that they do it on purpose -- there is agency there, I know there is) to the back of the refrigerator. But there is more to the notion of food history than food that is about to become history because I am cleaning my fridge. Loyal Cooking with Ideas readers know that there is more --because of this interview with Susanne McNally or this one with Derek Linton. Both are historians. Or, you could learn this from books discussed here such as Curry which is by a historian. But there is more, oh so much more.

I am particularly intrigued by sites which focus on New York food history. One to start with is www.nyfoodmuseum.org/; yes, that's right -- a NY food museum on line. When I discovered the site, it was focusing on a traveling exhibit on the Jewish Candymakers of NY. Alas, I missed it. But wow. They have an on-line exhibit looking at how people ate 100 years ago as well as a section called "The Pickle Wing" which tells all about, you guessed it, the pickle -- but also a street fair. And, there is also a virtual exhibit on cooking on the Lower East Side. Here you get interviews with various chefs and others involved with food in the area.

While we all know that NYC is too often mistaken for the whole state (both by people from NY State itself and from elsewhere!), there is more to NY food history than the five boroughs. For some food history related to Buffalo, for example, you can check out Buffalo Business History on the Web which includes several entries on foodie matters. For Finger Lakes history and food, check out this entry at York Staters, entitled "Early Thoughts on a Finger Lakes Cuisine."

Can't quite cope with Bush's America -- or even its historical predecessors? Or just prefer Canada, because that's your home or you love their progressive health care or? Check out the nearby (ok, I am confusing geography, geopolitics and happy clicking on line) Culinary Historians of Ontario. Among other things, this site has swell links. Or, for a broader sense of culinary history (and guidelines for how to start a culinary history group), click here and find all you could ever want to know. to get back to upstate NY, of particular interest to Finger Lakers on this site is the mention of the Genesee Valley Food History Guild (!!?!?) and their website. They have events coming up in May.

So: food history. And even upstate NY food history. Hurrah.

food history
culinary history
food museum
Finger Lakes