The Ullage Group has long been fascinated by changing customs in diet.  Foods go in and out of fashion; what we eat is telling. I have here two menus from meetings of the Order of the Eastern Star, both from September 1950, both from Connecticut.  The Eastern Star was founded as an order for wives [...]

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I had always thought “imitation butter” was margarine; that is, a spread that imitates butter’s oleaginous properties, and could be substituted if butter was unavailable, or too expensive. This simple gag item, however, reminds me that butter has other qualities as well: in this case, the shape and color.  Greasiness is immaterial, because it’s not [...]

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The recent neologism “locavore,” meaning “one who eats local food,” has caused some confusion.  Its spelling is not yet standardized; one often sees the variant “locovore.”  Those wishing to use the word are paralyzed by indecision, unsure what to put for that fourth letter. To solve this problem, I propose that “locovore” be treated as [...]

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Cold weather is here; now is the time to relax in a comfortable chair with a hot beverage.  May we recommend the Ullage Group Toddy?  It’s a simple drink: ginger tea, honey, and brandy.  We cannot guarantee that we were the first to combine those ingredients (ginger and brandy are, after all, soulmates), but we [...]

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Despite his mental problems, Richard Shaver seems to have had a relatively happy marriage with his wife Dorothy, or Dot.  And he always praised her cooking in his letters. Among my Shaver mementos is Dot’s hand-written cookbook.  I’m intrigued by these recipes for fig wine and rhubarb wine.  They sound like some unusual down-home concoctions.  [...]

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Salt and pepper packets occupy a strange position in our strange society.  In a country that monetizes everything, they’re free.  Everybody knows and uses them; and they pass unnoticed.  Other condiment packets contain commercial products familiar to the condiment-eater: the ketchup and mustard look like the bottles in the store.  Salt and pepper are also [...]

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Just do your work and don’t be lazy, Like Giambattista Piranesi. The only drawback of vegetarianism is always being preached at by ghouls. All human speech is monkey chatter; It makes no sense; it doesn’t matter. A woman recently upbraided me for writing a song that didn’t rhyme. I tried to explain that not all [...]

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A few members of the Ullage Group convened this week to experiment with another foodstuff unfamiliar to the dominant American culture.  The subject was chestnut honey: an Italian varietal markedly darker, earthier, and less sweet than the common domestics.  The participants in the study were Doug Skinner, Dr. Mamie Caton, and her associates Susan and [...]

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Cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper) is the simplest of dishes: boil and drain pasta; mix in grated cheese, ground pepper, and a bit of the cooking water; and serve.  It’s a standard dish in Rome; traditionally, it’s made with pasta secca (usually spaghetti) and pecorino romano. It’s not the most nutritious supper (I suggest [...]

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Although we have crossed the Thanksgiving abyss, there are more holidays ahead; and, all too often, turkey dinners will be a part of them. I gave up such nonsense long ago; but I realize that those of you who still eat meat and celebrate holidays may long for some variety.  And so I offer the [...]

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