THE OMNIVORE'S DIALOG

The Sound of One Crumb Falling

I rarely eat alone. Though I greatly enjoy having time alone....I love the quiet, having time to think and reflect.... if I eat when I'm by myself I realize I tend to rush and get a stomach ache - no attention to table manners whatsoever. If I'm eating alone, I'll put the radio on and now, and at times I'll even bring the laptop computer to the table. This adds a whole other dimension, since between bites I can search the world wide web and, for some odd reason, feel jutsified to just browse around, in a less directed way than I normall do. This afternoon I sat down to lunch, alone, and found this "test" on laughing.

A Tale in Every Bite

OK; here we go: What do Jerry Garcia, lead guitarist of the Grateful Dead and Vittore Carpaccio, the 16th century Venetian painter have in common? Does it help to know that Carpaccio is best known for his painting cycle, The Legend of Saint Ursula? Didn’t think so. Well; here’s another hint: What does Marie Ana Smith, the 1868 Australian gardener share with Rudolph Hass, a 1920’s California Postal worker? Still stumped? Think Sylvester Graham, the entrepreneurial 19-century Presbyterian minister and….. here’s the big clue: Dame Nellie Melba, the famous soprano singer.

YES ! All have foods that bare their name.

Horticulturists and artists, heads of state and entrepreneurs, restaurateurs and chefs have long embraced the old maxim: You Name It, You Claim It. To name a soup or a sauce, a beverage or a candy, a fruit or a dessert in someone’s name, or claim it in your own, has been an honor when bestowed upon others, and at times, just plain good marketing!