Jamón Ibérico

[Quijote]

Well, here's a link to a photo-article on some great Spanish ham that I love (though it is expensive!). The article refers to it as Jamón Ibérico, but I've always called it 'Pata Negra'. Anyway, I'm getting some in for Xmas.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...te-in-pictures

[Preston]

That was interesting, Quijote. I enjoyed seeing how the pigs would walk freely around the towns. Thought that was very interesting. Won't see that in America.

[Sorrano]

Just finishing breakfast and I'm hungry all over again! Imagine, a walking pork steak!

[Quijote]

[...] Imagine, a walking pork steak!

Ah Sorrano, you have a mind like mine! I take a drive in the country, and there in the back seat is my daughter saying things like "Ah Papa, look! A lovely horse! A deer! Some sheep!" etc etc ...
I'm like that wolf in the Tex Avery cartoons: when I see an animal I see the food on a plate. Depending on the animal, of course. I'll eat almost anything, though.

[Quijote]

That was interesting, Quijote. I enjoyed seeing how the pigs would walk freely around the towns. Thought that was very interesting. Won't see that in America.

Hi Preston, thanks for your reply. Yes, they do that in Spain, though not in Madrid! Anyway, you should go and visit India sometime! Holy Cow!!!!

[Quijote]

Although I will eat almost anything, I have to say there is one French delicacy I can't quite stomach, and that is sheep's brain. I gave it a go once. OK, so I tried it, but I'm not going to rush out and buy kilos of the stuff.
Also Brussels sprouts ... no thanks. And a big "No" to parsnips. Memories of my school canteen.

[Quijote]

Talking about food, I've got that Jamie Oliver "30-minute" recipe book. It's not bad at all, though I'm not into setting a stopwatch as I cook. Apparently he's brought out a new one: "15-minute recipes". OK, why not. And next year? 7-minute recipes? Anyway, I'll be the first to buy any cook book that offers 4'33" recipes. Probably macrobiotic. No meat. On second thoughts, no I won't.

[Quijote]

Hang on, here's a thought: 4'33" recipes: take any foodstuff and cook it according to chance procedures. Enjoy. Please leave a 10% tip for the waiter.

[Quijote]

Oh dear, I think I've just 'cooked my goose' with that last posting, haven't I?

[Quijote]

Have you all noticed the high frequency of food idioms in our language? And indeed the high frequency of food-based (or perhaps more precisely 'tongue-based') adjectives when discussing music? Spicy chords? Delicious harmonies? Sweet melodies? Bitter dissonance?
Crazed posters? Going Dutch (splitting the restaurant bill)? Cauliflower ears? Carrot nose?
[Oh Lord, he's off again. Ed.]

[Quijote]

Alright, I've eaten now, so I'm calmer. But even so, about this 'food and music' connection: I set an exam today to another group of students. I took the melody (rather an 'artificial' one designed to get students to employ Secondary 7ths) from the harmony treatise I use, and even the author suggests that too heavy a use of Secondary 7ths produces a "sticky" effect. OK, the idea of 'sticky' here is more a 'tactile' adjective than taste (tongue), but for me the idea of sticky toffee (clogging up your teeth) came to mind.
Anyway, I enclose the PDF of the exam question, and later I'll post my own solution. No quiz this time, though if you could play it (or get someone to play it through for you), you'll get what I'm driving at.

[Quijote]

And here is your very own Don Quijote solution (see attached PDF). Maybe play it through (or get someone to do so for you) and you'll see what I mean about "sticky toffee" !

[Sorrano]

Talking about food, I've got that Jamie Oliver "30-minute" recipe book. It's not bad at all, though I'm not into setting a stopwatch as I cook. Apparently he's brought out a new one: "15-minute recipes". OK, why not. And next year? 7-minute recipes? Anyway, I'll be the first to buy any cook book that offers 4'33" recipes. Probably macrobiotic. No meat. On second thoughts, no I won't.

The 4'33" recipes have to be done in absolute silence, relatively.

[Sorrano]

Although I will eat almost anything, I have to say there is one French delicacy I can't quite stomach, and that is sheep's brain. I gave it a go once. OK, so I tried it, but I'm not going to rush out and buy kilos of the stuff.
Also Brussels sprouts ... no thanks. And a big "No" to parsnips. Memories of my school canteen.

Parsnips and Brussel sprouts? Those are wonderful! But you do have to cook the parsnips right, along with turnips and rutabagas.

[Sorrano]

Have you all noticed the high frequency of food idioms in our language? And indeed the high frequency of food-based (or perhaps more precisely 'tongue-based') adjectives when discussing music? Spicy chords? Delicious harmonies? Sweet melodies? Bitter dissonance?
Crazed posters? Going Dutch (splitting the restaurant bill)? Cauliflower ears? Carrot nose?
[Oh Lord, he's off again. Ed.]

For a second I thought you had written "Glazed posters" and suddenly got hungry for a pastry.