Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Having the peach

"Avoir la peche

 "Having the peach

"Having the peach means being in top form, in high spirits, with a lot of energy. It is an informal expression that is used in casual conversation only.

"This expression appeared in the 1960s, and may have evolved from the word peche as slang for the face or head.

"You may also encounter these related, but somewhat less refined, variations: avoir la patate (having the potato), avoir la frite (having the French fry), and avoir la banane (having the banana)."

Clotilde Dusoulier in "Edible French: Tasty Expressions and Cultural Bites"

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Sunday, October 26, 2014

Soul food



"A soul-food restaurant on an isolated corner in West Oakland was not part of the plan. But then Phil and I moved to the neighborhood. 

 "Phil insists that he bought our home based on the 'vibe'. (Acting on gut is a quality we share.) 

 "It wasn't until after we had moved in that we discovered there wasn't even a place to get a cup of coffee within walking distance."

 Tanya Holland in "Brown Sugar Kitchen: New-Style, Down-Home Recipes from Sweet West Oakland"
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About Me

is a writer and reviewer on the West Coast whose essays and articles have appeared in publications such as the Oakland Tribune, the San Francisco Chronicle, Budget Travel, Brown Alumni Magazine, Saveur, Relish, Gastronomica, Best Food Writing 2002, www.theatlantic.com, www.npr.org and www.culinate.com. She has a bachelor's in English from Brown and a master's in literary nonfiction from the University of Oregon. Send comments, questions and suggestions to: mschristinaeng@gmail.com.

Books I am Reading

  • "James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl
  • "Manhood for Amateurs" by Michael Chabon
  • "The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook" by Michelle and Philip Wojtowicz and Michael Gilson
  • "Rustic Fruit Desserts" by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson
  • "Toast: The Story of a Boy's Hunger" by Nigel Slater
  • "Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life" by Jamie Oliver
  • "The Gastronomical Me" by M.F.K. Fisher
  • "Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China" by Fuchsia Dunlop
  • "My China: A Feast for All the Senses" by Kylie Kwong
  • "Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China" by Jen Lin-Liu
  • "Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance" by Barack Obama

Films and TV Shows I am Watching

  • "Jiro Dreams of Sushi"
  • "Wallace & Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death"
  • "Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie"
  • "Waitress" with Keri Russell
  • "The Future of Food" by Deborah Koons Garcia
  • "Food, Inc."

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