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

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30 comments:

  1. Green Ridge FarmSeptember 4, 2012 at 7:58 PM

    swordfish?

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  2. Carol SpurlingSeptember 4, 2012 at 8:01 PM

    Ken, I'm going to guess sardines.

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  3. George UjvarySeptember 4, 2012 at 8:08 PM

    I believe it was Bonito or Tuna

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  4. BettyGSeptember 4, 2012 at 8:11 PM

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

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  5. JoAnnSeptember 4, 2012 at 8:11 PM

    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

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  6. JoAnnSeptember 4, 2012 at 8:13 PM

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

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  7. SilvanaMondoSeptember 4, 2012 at 8:20 PM

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

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  8. Ken AlbalaSeptember 4, 2012 at 8:41 PM

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

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  9. AnonymousSeptember 4, 2012 at 9:24 PM

    Shark
    Terrie Chrones

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  10. GreenmangomamaSeptember 4, 2012 at 11:32 PM

    Bonito?

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  11. Deana SidneySeptember 5, 2012 at 4:16 AM

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

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  12. AliciaKSeptember 5, 2012 at 5:17 AM

    Did you pass through New York? Oxford? Atlanta?

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  13. meg raglandSeptember 5, 2012 at 5:35 AM

    Amia! No Cheese, No Nonsense!

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  14. meg raglandSeptember 5, 2012 at 6:11 AM

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

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  15. Mike A from grade schoolSeptember 5, 2012 at 6:50 AM

    kolpos?

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  16. Ken AlbalaSeptember 5, 2012 at 9:06 AM

    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.

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  17. Ken AlbalaSeptember 5, 2012 at 9:07 AM

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

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  18. BatcavesSeptember 5, 2012 at 10:10 AM

    Florence, KY

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  19. LeeSeptember 5, 2012 at 10:22 AM

    Abingdon in the UK

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  20. meg raglandSeptember 5, 2012 at 10:48 AM

    Yahoo!

    Yep, it's yer Megpie.

    95 Munroe St, Somerville, MA 02143.

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

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  21. Ken AlbalaSeptember 6, 2012 at 5:37 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  22. Ken AlbalaSeptember 6, 2012 at 5:40 AM

    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.

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  23. LeeSeptember 6, 2012 at 8:56 AM

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

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  24. joyceannSeptember 8, 2012 at 4:14 AM

    Shipped from Florence, KY?

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  25. bluukinenSeptember 10, 2012 at 1:02 PM

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

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  26. Ken AlbalaSeptember 11, 2012 at 6:12 AM

    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.

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  27. AliciaKSeptember 11, 2012 at 12:47 PM

    Nideggen, Germany?

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  28. Ken AlbalaSeptember 12, 2012 at 2:07 PM

    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.

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  29. CJ - Food StoriesSeptember 16, 2012 at 8:48 AM

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

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  30. GretchenDecember 28, 2012 at 11:34 AM

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

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