News and views from the Regrettable food
I can't believe I haven't posted about this book, which is one of my favorites in the collection. The Gallery of Regrettable Food by James Lileks (641.50207L627g) is an ode to the "cuisine" of the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, and beyond, particularly as represented in food producers' cookbooks of the time. The book is an offshoot of the author's Institute of Official Cheer, which itself is a branch of his wildly creative website, lileks.com.
Here's what he has to say about the sardine industry, as illustrated in the photo below: "No matter what they do, their product looks like fish torsos with the tails and heads chewed off. Which, of course, is exactly what they are. If you'd like to disguise this fact, just smother the piscine torsos in a vinyl sauce colored with melted peach crayons. Note: If you let this dish stand for an hour before serving, it will not move even if you turn the plate upside down."
Here's what he has to say about the sardine industry, as illustrated in the photo below: "No matter what they do, their product looks like fish torsos with the tails and heads chewed off. Which, of course, is exactly what they are. If you'd like to disguise this fact, just smother the piscine torsos in a vinyl sauce colored with melted peach crayons. Note: If you let this dish stand for an hour before serving, it will not move even if you turn the plate upside down."
posted by franceylibrarian at 1:00 PM
6 Comments:
Ewwwww....that looks really, really disgusting. Who would want to eat sardines anyway. Nasty, nasty seafood. Yuck,
I don't know, I think there's something delectably enticing about the idea of vinyl and fish parts brought together as a delight for both the eyes and the palate. The value of this culinary stroke of genius is only enhanced when you consider that someone not only created this concoction for the camera, but some other poor soul may have actually had to *eat* it in some test kitchen or other.
What is perhaps more disturbing is that when I was weeding the Uni Library collection in 2002, I came across a whole series of cook books from the '50s that, in all seriousness, gave the actual recipes for entirely regrettable foods similar to the ones in this book. I think this was the Better Homes and Gardens series... But since the UofI library rarely actually throws anything away, if you're diligent enough you can probably find these gems scattered throughout the universisty's libraries. Try searching for subject=cookery (remember, that's "cookERY", not the more standard American English usage "cookING") and the phrase "Better Homes and Gardens". While you're at it, limit the search to before the year 1975. That's the good stuff.
The most promising, I would say, are "Cooking With Cheese" from 1966 (641.673 B46C) and the "Better Homes and Gardens Ground Meat Cookbook" from 1969. There might be some really good stuff doing a similar search, but for Betty Crocker instead of BHaG.
I have many other fond memories of rare nuggets found while weeding...one of the best was an account of how one of the Vatican councils in the 1950s (or 60s?) took up the important question of the design of nun's habits and their relation to automobile safety. It was decided on this important question that the then-current design of nun's habits limited peripheral vision and represented a hazard while operating a motor vehicle, so a commission was appointed to redesign the habits. I suppose it would have started to look bad for the Church if nuns were found to be at the center of a wave of unfortunate pile-ups on the freeways.
I'm rambling now--this has departed from a discussion of unsettling historical trends in food preparation to favorite mildly disturbing books--but I have to get in this last one. The one weeding find that made my heart skip a beat was the illustrated instructional book "How to Fly a 747" by Tim Paulson, (1992, Q. S.629.1325216 P285h) also found in the Uni collection but since moved to Education Remote Storage. It may seem odd that one could learn such a complicated endeavor as flying a commercial aircraft in a 47-page picture book. But this is not the remarkable point about the book. It contains a startling and obviously entirely innocent foreshadowing of the 9/11 attacks that must be read to be believed. I will say no more--check it out for yourself.
Okay, I've gone on long enough. But here's to books, which capture our most embarrassing and mundane moments for generations upon generations to marvel at. Oh, and they transmit some valuable cultural and intellectual heritage as well....
-Maurice
You know, I tried like heck to find a way to talk about How to Fly a 747 in my book. I thought it would be perfect for the mini-section on psychic cataloging. You know, the fact that catalogers couldn't very well come up with subject headings for an event that hadn't happened yet. In the end, it was too much of a stretch to include it and I gave up. Still, a chill went up and down my spine when I re-read those magic words, which were along the lines of (SPOILER ALERT) "Pull up, Chuck! You don't want to fly into the World Trade Center!"
Maurice, you've inspired me to write an entry about weeding. Yes, the collection is now more current and relevant after you and Robin and Lori went at it. But I can't help but think it's a bit more boring. I kind of miss The Boy's Book of Electronics (or something like that). Not to mention the classic cookERY books.
My curiosity has forced me request a copy of "How to fly a 747" -- I've always wanted to know. According to a friend of mine who flies one, a complete set of instruction and maintenance manuals for the 747 weighs more than the plane itself. I'm keen to find out how they've reduced all that finicky detail to just a few dozen pages!
Thanks for your post Francey,
i have an italian reciples blog Ricette and i also wrote about one tasty sardines recipe, you can find it here: alici marinate. The language is italian but google translator works fine :-)
I hope you enjoed so much as i enjoyed yours.
Regards
Nucci Morosini
I must say that your sardines look much better than these!
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