The most recent edition of the New York Times Book Review features a write-up of A Stew or a Story, a new collection of short pieces by M.F.K. Fisher assembled by Fisher biographer Joan Reardon. The NYT review doesn't exactly make you want to run out and snatch up a copy, however. From what reviewer Julia Reed has to say, many of the pieces in the collection are less than essential reading. Rather, they're mainly instructive pieces that don't feature much of the intertwining of food and emotion for which Fisher was known. Still, if you're already a fan, as I am, A Stew or a Story sounds to be worth a look. If, however, you're looking to get into M.F.K. Fisher, as any human who reads and eats should, perhaps the best place to start is The Gastronomical Me, which is available as a standalone volume or as part of the collection The Art of Eating.Posts with tag collection
A new M.F.K. Fisher collection
The most recent edition of the New York Times Book Review features a write-up of A Stew or a Story, a new collection of short pieces by M.F.K. Fisher assembled by Fisher biographer Joan Reardon. The NYT review doesn't exactly make you want to run out and snatch up a copy, however. From what reviewer Julia Reed has to say, many of the pieces in the collection are less than essential reading. Rather, they're mainly instructive pieces that don't feature much of the intertwining of food and emotion for which Fisher was known. Still, if you're already a fan, as I am, A Stew or a Story sounds to be worth a look. If, however, you're looking to get into M.F.K. Fisher, as any human who reads and eats should, perhaps the best place to start is The Gastronomical Me, which is available as a standalone volume or as part of the collection The Art of Eating.Dinnerware goes alternative
An alternative lifestyle deserves alternative dinnerware and the Piercing Collection of dinnerware certainly qualifies. Not only do the pieces feature black-and-white tattoo-inspired designs, but the cups and bowls are actually pierced with small metal rings. The overall look is edgy and getting dishes with tattoos or piercings is certainly easier (and probably cheaper) than doing either to your own body. The dishes were designed by Barbara Schmidt, are made in Germany and are dishwasher safe.
Only the mugs and bowls seem to be available right now and both are sold separately. You can buy several and make a matching set, or just use one mug at the office to surprise your coworkers. Just make sure there's a good coffee machine wherever you intended to use the mug because, due to the piercing, it cannot be put into the microwave.
Banana Museum
As we've seen, there are museums for all sorts of food-related items: sake, Pez, mustard and moist towlettes, just to name a few. So, it should come as no surprise that there's also a banana museum. Yep, the Washington Banana Museum is in Auburn, WA. Their "virtual museum" features tons of banana ephemera from the collection, including lots of vintage ads, clothing, photographs and assorted tchatckes. According to the website, the museum features around 4,000 banana-related items, all of which are overseen by curator Ann Mitchell Lovell. Everyone needs a hobby...Chopstick wrapper gallery
In a similar vein to the Moist Towlette Museum and the Condiment Packet Museum, I recently stumbled upon Kim's Page O' Chopsticks. Actually, it's a gallery of dozens of paper chopstick wrappers. Far more subdued than some of the specimens in the towlette museum (I didn't see any Star Trek chopstick wrappers), the art on these little paper sheaths sticks mainly to brushstroke characters and the occasional panda bear (the California Blue Shield wrapper is curious). At any rate, I have a soft spot for these sorts of collections and this one is surely worth a browse. There's also a link to a rather extensive chopstick collection.
America's Most Hated Foods
Slashfood Ate (8): Ways to create the perfect cheese plate
A good trick for saving summer herbs for future use
