“The French wooden shoe or clog (sabot) was, in the 18th and 19th century, associated with the lower classes. During this period, the years of the Industrial Revolution, the word sabotage gained currency. Allegedly derived from sabot, sabotage described the actions of disgruntled workers who willfully damaged workplace machinery by throwing their sabots into the… Read More Like a Comfortable Old Shoe
“When did G-free get all…sexy?” – Jennie Bragg, CNN Nope, we’re not on any kind of mission, we haven’t changed our diets (at least not in relation to gluten), but, as the prevalence of people with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, and those who simply think that a gluten-free diet is healthier has increased, it’s become… Read More Don’t Gimme None o’ Dat Gluten
“Chayote (Sechium edule), also known as: custard marrow, christophene (France, Caribbean), chouchoute (Madagascar, Polynesia), brione (France, West Indies), vegetable pear, cho-cho, soussous, chuchu, choko, pipinella, xuxu, mirliton (southern U.S.), mango squash, and huisquil. For all these exotic names, this is simply a subtropical member of the squash family, eaten as a vegetable. It is a… Read More Air Potato
“I don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s a major musical event. I love the Eurovision Song Contest and it will continue long after I’m gone. Just please don’t ask me to take it seriously.” – Terry Wogan, host of Eurovision I’m laying the blame squarely on Eurovision’s doorstep. I couldn’t figure out why no… Read More Paraguay 200
“Bureaucracy defends the status quo long past the time when the quo has lost its status.” – Dr. Laurence J. Peter, educator and writer The first Peruvian restaurant I set foot in in Buenos Aires was Status, Virrey Ceballos 178 just off the Plaza del Congreso. We’ve been back on and off, but not often… Read More The Status of Status
“Detesto l’uomo che manda giù il suo cibo non sapendo che cosa mangia. Dubito del suo gusto in cose più importanti. (I hate the man who eats without knowing what he’s eating. I doubt his taste in more important things.) – Charles Lamb, English essayist Yesterday we started off a new session of our 10-part… Read More Opening up the Door to Italy
“The danzón, created in 1879 by Miguel Failde, a cornet player from the city of Matanzas, is a direct descendant of the Cuban danzas and contradanzas that were played in ballrooms back in Cuba’s colonial past. In those days the typical dance orchestra was comprised of one cornet, two violins, two clarinets in C, an… Read More The Dance
“I seem to you cruel and too much addicted to gluttony, when I beat my cook for sending up a bad dinner. If that seems to you too trifling a cause, pray tell for what cause you would have a cook flogged?” – Marcus Valerius Martialis, 1st century Roman poet I could wait a day… Read More Parrilla Hut