Writing about History: A Few Words about the Dangers and Fallacies of Presentism

pres·ent·ism /ˈprezenˌtizəm/ noun uncritical adherence to present-day attitudes, especially the tendency to interpret past events in terms of modern values and concepts. Many years ago, David Hackett Fischer published Historians’ Fallacies: Toward a Logic of Historical Thought. Despite the many years since its publication – 1970 – and the now somewhat dated examples he provides to prove his…

“Take a Goose or Duck” Now Available!

Take a Goose or a Duck is full of culinary stories about old friends like Markham and Mrs. Beeton and essays that give fresh insight. It proves that British food is intriguing and wonderful. It will be my favourite bedtime reading for the foreseeable future. ~ Regula Ysewijn, author of Pride and Pudding and The Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook In Take a Goose or a Duck, Cynthia Bertelsen…

Lessons from “The Great British Bake Off”

I binge watch cooking shows.

Instead of reading intellect-stimulating tomes such as Homer’s The Iliad (who amongst you can say that you have???), lately I’ve been spending my precious time on earth transfixed by Paul Hollywood’s piercing blue eyes, calmed by Mary Berry’s soothing voice, cheering on the indomitable bakers of “The Great British Bake Off.”

The successes, and many failures, of the…

Tomatoes Breathing Fire: A Universal Sauce

I am of the unpopular opinion that no one owns cuisine. In spite of UNESCO decrees and loud cries from the lecture stand or pages of popular books, the fact remains: Food and ingredients travel with people. People share food. People love food. People want the recipes. Or at least the basic facts about how to recreate tastes that enticed them on the road, in a dive of a tavern in the middle of…

Just a Few Pictures, and a Few Words

Florida is a state where nearly everybody hails from another place. (1) And that idiosyncrasy makes the state an exciting social laboratory for curious (nosy?) people like me.

One of the most intriguing questions right now, out there in the wide expanse of the world, is how people deal with “other people’s food.” (2) The key word here, note, is “Other.” Now, socially entrenched (and powerful)…

A Juneteenth Commentary: Edna Lewis and the Myths Behind Southern Cooking

Powered by the mythology that has grown up around Southern food over the last several years, many voices claim ownership, hurling harsh accusations of cultural appropriation, and silencing and shaming contrary opinions. The argument is not easy to prove, as it remains hampered by a lack of statistics, contemporary documentation, and clear evidence of outright ownership of recipes.

The buzz…