Gastronomy 101

Okeh, so .... last week I was using my laptop and there happened to be this glass of champagne in the vicinity. And while I was gesticulating to emphasize a particularly clever point, my hand hit the glass and the drink went flying. Result? The letters A through L on my laptop don't want to type anymore. That makes it a little difficult to write blog posts because I need pretty much all of those letters to do it. I was hoping the keys would miraculously start working again, but no such luck. So my little keyboard is going to "The Genius Bar" tomorrow, where geniuses like me go to fix their computers. Posting will resume when I have my letters back.

The Culinary Historians of Southern California (CHSC) annual used cookbook sale will be held on Sunday, August 26, 2007. The CHSC Annual Used Cookbook Sale is held at the Hollywood Farmers' Market. It begins at 8:00am and lasts until 1:00pm (or until books are sold out). For additional information, please call 213.228.7201.

The food world is abuzz with discussion about books like The Omnivore's Dilemma, and The United States of Arugula, but one book I haven't heard anything about until this morning is The Gospel of Food , by sociologist Barry Glassner, who also wrote The Culture of Fear, about fearmongering. He is a professor at the University of Southern California. I do not hold that against him. I'm going to disclaim by saying that I have not read this book (although I intend to when I am able). I have only heard the author speak about it, but I think it's an important addition to the commentary and one that should be paid close attention to by people who are interested in the politics and sociology of food. In an interview I listened to this morning on The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe , Mr. Glassner was interviewed in part about this book. From what I gathered, this book is about the way people's perceptions about food are manipulated or distorted unintentionally, and also a...

My favorite wines to try are wines from little-known or unusual locations. Especially areas that have a tradition of growing certain grapes in a certain way and that are known for a unique flavor. Alsace is one such region. A little bit France, a little bit Germany, Alsace has changed hands between the two a few times until coming to rest as part of France after World War I!. The wines of Alsace reflect this duality. Some grapes are the same as grown in Germany (Riesling, Gewurtztraminer), while others are the same as grown in France (Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris). When Alsace fell into French hands after the Thirty Years' War, and royal edicts issued offering free land to anyone willing to restore it to productivity. People from many countries and regions took them up on the offer - Germans, Swiss, Tyroleans and Lorrainers. After the Franco-Prussian war, Alsace came under German Control until passing back to France after WWI. At that point, Alsace began to arrange its vineyards follow...

All right, I know I am lacking in posting lately. Before I get to the good stuff, let me explain what's going on. A lot. The main reason is that I have been taking some classes. One of them required me to spend the last four Monday nights learning, and the other one is a journalism class and I have to do a lot of writing. Unfortunately, after spending the whole day at work and then coming home and writing fake news articles, it's hard to get it together to write blog posts too. But do not worry readers, I am not abandoning the three of you! This is somehow fun for me, so I'm gonna keep posting as much as I can. So remember my last post where I talked about the Great American Bake Sale? Well if all of you are as busy/lazy as me, you won't be able to have your own bake sale. So now I have one for you to go to. Food blogger Tannaz of All Kinds of Yum and her friends are having a bake sale and hootenanny that they call No Cookie Left Behind . No Cookie Left Behind will tak...