[Sca-cooks] HELP? What makes a good book on Gastronomy?

[Elaine Koogler]

To begin with, this is going to be somewhat difficult to do when it comes to
Japan...but it can be done.  The problem is locating cookbooks that are in
our period...I assume that this is what you mean by "premodern."  We are
currently working on one that dates to the 1640's.

When talking about Japanese gastronomy, it will be very important to tie it
to their philosophy and way of life.  In fact, a friend and I were just
talking about this yesterday.  You can't really consider their cuisine
without looking at all other aspects of their culture.  Things like the tea
ceremony and the meal that accompanies it have a definite philosophical
aspect to them.  There are also words that the Japanese use to describe
aesthetics that will come into play...the bad news is that there really
isn't a good English equivalent to them, so you'll have to do as many others
have done...try to explain what the terms mean.

I'd love to see what you come up with when you finish with it...and if there
is any way in which I may be of assistance, please let me know.

Kiri (who's been trying to understand these things for most of her life!)

On Tue, Mar 3, 2009 at 2:40 PM, emilio szabo <emilio_szabo at yahoo.it> wrote:

>
>
> > I am working, very very slowly, on a
> > modest monograph about premodern Japanese gastronomy.
>
> What is "premodern" in terms of Japanese culture, society, gastronomy?
>
>
> What makes a good book on gastronomy? Good question.
>
> Hm.
>
> You must know _all_ the sources and mention the relevant ones.
>
> I appreciate authors who introduce their sources.
>
> You must show how cooking, food, eating, drinking are related to a way of
> life.
>
> You must write in a good and lively manner (I guess Adamantius could write
> a good book on gastronomy)
>
> Nowadays, you also need pictures.
>
> Combine global visions and sufficient detail.
>
> You are not supposed to make false statements, unless you have good reasons
> to do so.
>
> Declare to the reader if your book is a scientific book or a more popular
> book. (Or which sections are written for which kind of interest.)
>
> I fear, these are not points you didn't already know (some of them may be
> far from the mark)
>
> ARE there good books on gastronmy?
>
> E.
>
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