[Sca-cooks] Gastronomica - olla article

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Ginny Claphan wrote:
>
> Gwyneth commented:
> > I too received a free sample issue. One of the sample articles described the
> > olla, a type of Spanish earthenware cooking pot, glazed on the inside. It was
> > interesting, but when the author (Alicia Rios) invoked  bizarre imagery by
> > comparing the pot's shape to a female's womb, I shuddred. Can a pot *be* just
>
> a
> > pot?!!
>
> Stefan asked:
>
> Does this article mention the type of foods cooked in this "olla"?
> I'm wondering if this is the source of the name for the Olla Podrida/
> hollopotrida etc type dishes we talked about a while back?
>
> ----
> It mentions olla podrida, which the author says may have been traced back to
> the Jewish "adafina," a stew which the author claims that the Spaniards
> Christianized by adding pork.
>
> The olla podrida combines meat, meat bones, greens, chickpeas. Regional
> traditions may dictate proportions of these ingredients.
>
> She also mentions the varying etymology of the word - podrida (rotten). She
> offers a second interpretation--poderida or poderi'o (power), "which refers to
> the value and vitality of the elements that make up the dish."
>
> Unfortunately, there is only 1 page of this article in the sampler. I'm
> guessing the rest of the article goes into some of the historical details.

I seem to recall that the "olla" in "olla podrida" does refer to the
pot, so "olla podrida" is a "putrid pot", presumably a joking reference
to its aromatic nature.

Adamantius
--
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com

"It was so blatant that Roger threw at him.  Clemens gets away with
things that get other people thrown out of games.  As long as they
let him get away with it, it's going  to continue." -- Joe Torre, 9/98