288069 Tue Dec 11 15:04:40 -0800 2001 7 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1552860 The recurring donut discussion on the Bay Area Board triggered a craving that prompts me to resurrect the ongoing discussion of books that have lots of good chow in them. In this particular case, the book that came to mind so strongly I had to pull it off the shelf and re-read it was _Farmer Boy_ by Laura Ingalls Wilder -- the book she wrote about her husband's childhood. Unlike the Ingallses, who were scraping out a living on the prairie (and almost starved one winter), the Wilders had a prosperous farm in upstate New York, and though the work was hard, they fueled themselves well, and the descriptions of the meals eaten by the hungry growing boy are mouth-watering. Here's the donut passage (I hope it isn't too long for the copyright purists): "All day long Mother had been baking, and when Almanzo went into the kitchen for the milkpans, she was still frying doughnuts. The place was full of their hot, brown smell, and the wheaty smell of new bread, the spicy smell of cakes, and the syrupy smell of pies. "Almanzo took the biggest doughnut from the pan and bit off its crisp end. Mother was rolling out the golden dough, slashing it into long strips, rolling and doubling and twisting the strips. Her fingers flew; you could hardly see them. The strips seemed to twist themselves under her hands, and to leap into the big copper kettle of swirling hot fat. "Plump! they went to the bottom, sending up bubbles. Then quickly they came popping up to float and slowly swell, till they rolled themselves over, their pale golden backs going into the fat and their plump brown bellies rising out of it. "They rolled over, Mother said, because they were twisted. Some women made a newfangled shape, round, with a hole in the middle. But round doughnuts wouldn't turn themselves over. Mother didn't have time to waste turning doughnuts; it was quicker to twist them." In addition to the lavish meals, there are descriptions of the pie-laden tables at the county fair; baking potatoes in a bonfire during the potato harvest; collecting maple sap for syrup and drinking the "thin, sweet icy-cold sap"; and pawing through the snow for wintergreen berries until he "found the red clusters and filled his mouth full. The cold berries crunched between his teeth, gushing out their aromatic juice." This is a great book to read with kids, by the way. You can enjoy the wonderfully detailed descriptions, and it's a fun way to teach kids a little social history. Tue Dec 11 15:04:40 -0800 2001 0 Ruth Lafler 1 1552865 Here's a link to purchase Farmer Boy on Amazon with commission credited to Chowhound. Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/006026425X/chowhoundcomA/107-6841296-1302155 Tue Dec 11 15:48:34 -0800 2001 1552860 0 Melanie Wong 2 1552872 Very clever, Melanie!!!!! Tue Dec 11 16:48:30 -0800 2001 1552865 0 Vital Information 1 1552889 Great thread! You reminded me about a book by Robert Ruark, that I must have read 40 years ago or so. Unfortunately, I cannot remember the title -- although it may have been something like "The Old Man and the Boy"??? But i do remember it had similar scenes of farm meals that make me drool. Does anyone know this book? Tue Dec 11 19:24:52 -0800 2001 1552860 0 Suzanne Fass 1 1552890 great recommendation, Ruth. I've always loved the detailed food descriptions in all the Little House books, but they're certainly most lavish in Farmer Boy. I love the chapter where the parents go away for a week, and by the end of the week, the kids have emptied the sugar barrel meant to last the whole season, because they've eaten nothing but ice cream, cakes, and candy. (Never mind the poor piglet they feed fresh taffy to...) If you want to go further than just reading about these 19th-century foods, you can check out the Little House Cookbook, which recreates foods described in the series. Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0064460908/qid=1008116473/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_10_1/107-6111650-8957309 Tue Dec 11 19:28:45 -0800 2001 1552860 0 Caitlin McGrath 1 1552906 Far away from the world and time of Laura Inglis is that of Jim Crace's "The Devil's Larder." It promises to be an eccentric "novel" that will interest those among us who like intricate dishes. I'm calling it to your attention while there are still shopping days before the holiday as it has just recently come out. It is a beautifully published little volume and thus perfect for gift giving. Disclaimer: I have purchased it but not yet read it, so please do not hold me responsible for your enjoyment of it. My sense of it is that you may find it has an unusual flavor for fiction for I confess to having nibbled at it. Tue Dec 11 23:21:48 -0800 2001 1552860 0 Saucyknave 1 1552928 Chowhounds who are also college football fans will definitely enjoy Saturday Afternoon Madness by Bob Waldstein and Phil Silverman (disclaimer: I have known these guys for a long, long time). It's a very funny account of their travels to big-time college football games a couple of years ago. Much of their in each venue is spent gorging on the indigenous cuisines, such as ribs in Tuscaloosa and cajun food in Baton Rouge. Here's a link to get it at Amazon. Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0964857103/qid%3D1008169795/ref%3Dsr%5F11%5F0%5F1/104-4667102-2683124 Wed Dec 12 10:11:49 -0800 2001 1552860 0 Bob W. 1 1552933 For a little lighthearted trash paperback reading, try Peter King's "Gourmet Detective" series. The detective hero gets involved in various murders with some connection to the food industry, which gives the author an opportunity to focus on interesting subjects of food esoterica. Whodunnit isn't as important as where to go for the next meal. He provides detailed descriptions of every meal consumed by our hero, along with lots of commentary and comparisons. Home base is London, but most of the action takes place in other countries. Wed Dec 12 11:03:14 -0800 2001 1552860 0 Sharuf