RoR: Forum

I found the essence of this article in those succinct words by Confucius more than two thousands years ago:

"Eat, Drink, Man and Woman, men's eternal pleasures!"

A plainer translation would be "Food, wine, and sex, are the most basic and unvaring pleasures human being enjoys." The Chinese expression "man and woman" could also includes the courting process.

The movie "Eat, Drink, Man and Woman" by An Lee several years back took its title direct from this quote. The Oscar winning Danish movie "Babette's feast" also attests to the magical effects of really good food.

Post 21

Thursday, August 19, 2004 - 2:49pm

I find pastrami to be the most sensual of all the salted, cured meats...

Post 22

Thursday, August 19, 2004 - 3:30pm

Andrew...will you be trying for the trifecta, then? : D

Post 23

Thursday, August 19, 2004 - 5:43pm

I would, if only I owned a television ;)

Post 24

Thursday, August 19, 2004 - 9:02pm

From a recent post on my web site, Gastronomic Meditations:

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Summer Lust - August 18, 2004

Tempting, luscious tomato, why do you torture me? My spirit is counting the minutes 'til you cast aside your shades of green, the verdant reflections of my jealousy. I envy the vine's hold on you, its power to keep you captive, and long for it to release you to me.

For then I shall partake of your splendor, the craving for which drives my soul through the hot months of summer. Each day is an eternity without the taste of you. How I long to bathe you in luxurious oils, releasing your succulent juices and fulfilling my hunger once more. How I crave the scent of your sublime sweetness, filling my nostrils with your heady perfume.

For you see, life is less precious without the sensual fulfillment you afford me.

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<swoon> ;)

Jennifer

Post 25

Thursday, August 19, 2004 - 11:22pm

Pastrami is good, but my favorite sandwich meat is still prosciutto.

And of course, my favorite steak is still the chateaubriand. MMMMM.

Post 26

Friday, August 20, 2004 - 5:40am

Jennifer,
::sweating over post 24, imagining attacking a tomato::
...back to your post to me, though:
Awww thank you! :) You are such a sweetheart!! :::blushing:::
It's such a different world out here for eating italian, if I'm not familiar with cooking too much. The italian place I was told about was said to be actually ~fast~ food, below even eating chef boyarde. And then the pizza I had in the philosophy grad student party yesterday in this place called "Pizza Villa" or something was on crust that was soooo thin, I could've folded the pie into a little ball. I miss Long Island's pizza more than anything (and it's not even as good as NYC pizza, or the best I ever tasted in this place in Brooklyn). And yea, I'm doing the kraft mac-and-cheese deal too. But I did make spaghetti and red clam sauce (though i cheated (myself) with Ragu and canned clams) last week! It's ok, I can work around my budget and eventually learn how to cook some semi-decent food over time, which my health demands for the two years I'll be out here. :)

-Dominic

Post 27

Friday, August 20, 2004 - 6:17am

You said upstate Illinois, right? Despite your love for NY style pizza, I'm going to HAVE to insist that you get yourself into Chicago and go to Pizzeria Uno (I don't care if you've been to one of those awful Pizzeria Uno chain places in NY...they're just that...awful...nothing compared to the original). Just think of deep dish pizza as an entirely different food group and try to enjoy it like that...

Jana

Post 28

Friday, August 20, 2004 - 12:06pm

Jana,
Yea you are actually the third person to tell me to check it out. I was just in chicago this past weekend, and got to go to my first cub game and see a lot of the city, but I didn't try Pizzeria Uno. Next time I will most definitely remember to check it out! :) damn it sounds sooooo good right now.
-Dominic

Post 29

Friday, August 20, 2004 - 5:28pm

Dominic

I have to say Chicago pizza is the best on the planet.* Please try Giordanno's (they are a large chain now with many locations throughout Chicago and its suburbs) at least once to compare to Uno's. Giordanno's stuffed pizza is the pinnacle of western civilization. I grew up in the suburbs and just moved to California a year ago. No pizza like that out here. Btw, you are totally isolated in Dekalb (?) and will have to commute to the city for its vast resources in dining excitement.

Dave

*To the best of my knowledge ;)

Post 30

Friday, August 20, 2004 - 6:48pm

Dave,
::now writing both places down to assure memory won't fail::
I will definitely like to do some pizza-sampling! :-D
Fortunately, I moved to dekalb with some really good friends already in chicago, so I'm able to get shown around everywhere. And with my sense of direction, I need like a child leash or something. ;) Man I am craving pizza! ....Well, when I go to chicago, i'll remember to try both Pizzeria Uno and Giordano's. Right now, I think I'm going to postpone my post-running shower and rush to pizza hut looking like a madman to at least get something better than the sheet of paper I ate yesterday and manage to kill a tad of my craving. ;)
-Dominiic

Post 31

Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 8:37am

Hello Jennifer. New member here, and your article was the first I read. Beautifully written article. As I read I couldnt help thinking about my personal fav - the fiery, seductive scotchbonnet pepper :) Your article connected me to (back to) the pleasure of that aspect of life.

many thanks

Post 32

Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 3:21pm

John,

Thank you for those kind words, and welcome to SOLO. Though I am not a fan of scotchbonnet peppers, I am most assuredly a fan of the fiery and seductive. ;)

Jennifer

Post 33

Sunday, April 24, 2005 - 10:36am

While looking through some older articles, I came across the first one I read on SOLO. Reading it again was a pleasure...again.

btw Jennifer its about time for another article :)

John

Post 34

Sunday, April 24, 2005 - 11:00am

Thank you, John, as always. :)

This, to date, is my personal favorite of what I've written. There will be another article as soon as my new issue of Gastronomic Meditations is up (end of April), but right now I'm busy ruminating on the sensual aspects of cardamom and other spices. Stay tuned...

:)

Post 35

Sunday, April 24, 2005 - 1:49pm

Ahhh - cardamon - use it in my coffee.... and fruits..... great spice..

Post 36

Sunday, April 24, 2005 - 2:00pm

I haven't tried it in coffee yet, but have dabbled with it in tea. Yum. :)

Wait until you see the recipes we have coming out next week -- there is now an official Gastronomic Meditations Test Kitchen, and my chef has been very, very busy.

Chai pots de creme, anyone? Or perhaps a cardamom-infused rice pudding? Awwww, yeah. ;)

Post 37

Sunday, April 24, 2005 - 2:03pm

The coffee deal was from an Armenian friend of many years ago.... and yes, chai - ah now, even better than coffee!!! looking forward to these new gastronomical treats
:-)

Post 38

Sunday, April 24, 2005 - 2:15pm

Cardamom-infused rice pudding sounds exquisite, Jennifer! Indian food is my favorite, and I often will crunch the cardamom pods for a full minute while savoring my vindaloo -- even though you're not really supposed to eat them, they tell me.

BTW, since I'm new to the site, I just read your original article and found myself sweating near the end. ;-D

Post 39

Wednesday, May 4, 2005 - 8:47pm