Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Food Studies Handbook Giveaway!

Hey Folks, I received a big box of books in the mail today. The Routledge International Handbook of Food Studies. It's pretty expensive, so for those of you who really need it, I'm going to give away a copy. Just answer this question and it's yours. The first correct answer of course. (Hint: it's not in this book, nor can you peek on amazon.)

What kind of fish did the ancient Greek gastronome Archestratus recommend not be ruined with fancy nonsense like cheese? Just oregano and salt is best. What is this fish called today?

I'd be willing to send another copy if anyone can answer this weird question. From what city were these books mailed to my office? I passed through it just a few of weeks ago.

YOURS, Ken

30 comments:

Green Ridge Farm said...

swordfish?

Carol Spurling said...

Ken, I'm going to guess sardines.

George Ujvary said...

I believe it was Bonito or Tuna

BettyG said...

Some internet snooping points to the amia, which nowadays is a bonito.

JoAnn said...

Are you talking about tuna? "The bonito [Ed. tuna], in autumn when the Pleiades set, you can prepare in any way you please. . . . But here is the very best way for you to deal with this fish. You need fig leaves and oregano (not very much), no cheese, no nonsense. Just wrap it up nicely in fig leaves fastened with string, then hide it under hot ashes and keep a watch on the time: don't overcook it. Get it from Byzantium, if you want it to be good. . . ."

(Copyright 2012 CooksInfo.com. All rights reserved and enforced.) Read more of this snippet here : http://www.cooksinfo.com/archestratus#ixzz25YqiERC2

JoAnn said...

Darn--it took me a long time to prove I wasn't a robot. But I cheated by looking it up...

SilvanaMondo said...

karkharias (shark)sprinkling them with cumin and not much salt.
..add nothing else...unless maybe green olive oil."

Ken Albala said...

JoAnn, So are you sure you're not a robot now?

Anonymous said...

Shark
Terrie Chrones

Greenmangomama said...

Bonito?

Deana Sidney said...

Since I am doing a Greek post in a few weeks and did one a month ago... I know it!!!! Bonito.

AliciaK said...

Did you pass through New York? Oxford? Atlanta?

meg ragland said...

Amia! No Cheese, No Nonsense!

meg ragland said...

Sorry - you asked for the name it is known by today. I believe it is leerfish.

Mike A from grade school said...

kolpos?

Ken Albala said...

Many of these are sort of the right answer. Most older translations taken from Athenaeus do say either bonito or tuna (but certainly not what we think of as tuna - i.e. albacore). Wilkins says it may be one of the bonitos but wisely leaves the word in the original: AMIA. And Meg is correct that the leerfish is still called amia today - at least that's the name Linnaeus gave it. MEG, the book is yours. I'm assuming this is my Megpie? Give me your address.

Ken Albala said...

BUT, the second question still remains! From what city was the box mailed? This is actually something one could figure out online.

Batcaves said...

Florence, KY

Lee said...

Abingdon in the UK

meg ragland said...

Yahoo!

Yep, it's yer Megpie.

95 Munroe St, Somerville, MA 02143.

I hazard a guess of...Chicago? for the second question.

Ken Albala said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ken Albala said...

It's in the mail Meg! And Lee, excellent guess, but Abington is Routledge's editorial offices. Printed books are mailed from someplace else, but it's not anywhere one could randomly guess.

Lee said...

Hmmm... The how about Basingstoke. Looks like a warehouse to me. :)

joyceann said...

Shipped from Florence, KY?

bluukinen said...

If it's not Florence, Kentucky, is it Boca Raton, Florida?

Ken Albala said...

Nope nope nope. You'ld have to figure out where I was a few weeks ago. I'm guessing the box of books and I even crossed paths.

AliciaK said...

Nideggen, Germany?

Ken Albala said...

Nope sorry Alicia, That was earlier in the summer, this was just a few weeks ago. Hint: It's a huge hub for European postage, but I doubt many Americans would even recognize the name of the city.

CJ - Food Stories said...

Just now seeing this post but the book certainly does look interesting ... Happy Sunday :-)

Gretchen said...

Hounslow? Hope it's not too late to try.