Category Archives: Food Writing

The Burial of Hunger

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Francois Lachance

In a paragraph referencing culinary history from Apicius on the order of courses, Mario Pei presents a sentence containing and extending a long repeated pattern: Once the arts of civilization are established, it seems normal to open the meal with … Continue reading →

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Nitpicking “Picnic”

Posted on May 30, 2013 by Francois Lachance

Hélène Matteau Les mots de la faim et de la soif Sets us to rights about the origin of pique-unique in case you thought it came from the English … [L]e pique-nique est un repas constitué de plusieurs plats dans … Continue reading →

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Pot, Pan, Skillet – Gas, Electric, Charcol

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Francois Lachance

I always thought the cover was quite fetching with its photography by Anthony Denney depicting a cupboard well-stocked with pots and pans, copper, enamel, ceramic. I kept returning to a phrase that granted permission for substitution. (with in my mind … Continue reading →

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Fresh

Posted on May 26, 2013 by Francois Lachance

Curononsky died in 1956. This bit comes from a volume edited by Jeni Wright published in English in 1989. A menu, however, is not an abstract exercise. Its composition is based on whatever shopping has been done. A chef or … Continue reading →

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Cartographies à la carte

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Francois Lachance

Jennifer Moxley “The Honest Cook’s Insomnia Druthers Brimful of good advice on not only cooking but also reading (by way of analogy). Don’t be smug about outdated foods. Remember, even iceberg lettuce was once thought elegant. However much of an … Continue reading →

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Respect, Care, Cooking

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Francois Lachance

Signe Johansen in the introduction to Solo: The Joy of Cooking for One cites Nigel Slater and provides good company for the cook. Consider Solo: The Joy of Cooking for One as a sisterly companion, a book that celebrates those … Continue reading →

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Like Elegance in Mathematics

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Francois Lachance

A short accessible piece by Joe Morgan on the question of whether to teach coding to children has appeared in Slate. One of its themes is about cultivating an appreciation for quality. Of course, getting something working is just the … Continue reading →

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Sugar, Sugar, Honey, Honey

Posted on April 21, 2013 by Francois Lachance

A certain song rings in my head when I contemplate the over-consumption of sugar — how it sneaks in everywhere like an earworm. Useful to be reminded: But while parents can say no, and theoretically so can children, I’m not … Continue reading →

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Hat Trick: Knock, Shush, Soothe

Posted on April 20, 2013 by Francois Lachance

The triple triumph: Chilli & Coconut: Coconut milk enfolds Thai ingredients in a sweet forgiving embrace. It knocks the sharp edges off lime, shushes foul-mouthed fish sauce and soothes the heat of chilli, whose active component, capsaicin, is soluble in … Continue reading →

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Tummy Trouble?

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Francois Lachance

Jeanne Marie Martin Hearty Vegetarian Soups and Stews (revised edition, 1991) No doubt written before the advent of the popularity of Ayuervedic medicine in the West, this seems to trash how I like to make dal (unimaginable without turmeric) … … Continue reading →

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