Superb! Each slurp begins with a tingling on the tongue. And in case you are wondering about Boontling . . .
Here is the irritating git from Sideways waxing lyrical about Pinot Noir:
WALKER PERCY WEDNESDAY – 37
Why is it that bad news is not so bad and good news not so good and what with the bad news being good, aye that is what makes her well and me sick?
. . .
Instead he was thinking of wars and death at home. On the days of bad news there was the same clearing and sweetness in the air. Families drew closer. Azaleas could be seen. He remembered his father’s happiness when he spoke of Pearl Harbor—where he was when he heard it, how he had called the draft board the next morning. It was not hard to see him walking to work on that Monday. For once the houses, the trees, the very cracks in the sidewalk had not their usual minatory presence. The dreadful threat of weekday mornings was gone! War is better than Monday morning.
As his sweat dried, the fleece began to sting his skin.
“—fact number two. Jamie has the best mind I ever encountered. Better even than Sutter, my charming ex-husband. It’s really quite funny. His math teacher in New Hampshire was glad to get rid of him. ‘Get him out of here,’ he told me. ‘He wants to argue about John von Neumann’s Theory of Games—’”
Curtis Mayfield
Born on this day
Andy Clark: What ‘Extended Me’ Knows
Recent talk by Andy.
Keith Floyd: the last great Englishman and Gastronomic Pilgrim
Dear Hector,
I finally decided to take a bit of exercise on the historic pilgrim’s way to Santiago. Incidentally the handmade boots from Jermyn Street are bearing up beautifully. D’you know though it’s jolly solitary being a pilgrim — gives one time to reflect and ponder the quiet beauty that is Galicia.
— Floyd Around the Med, Galicia.
My kind of chap Floyd. As he says, religion, art, music and cooking are all intertwined. Though Floyd died about six years ago I’ve been catching up on programs that I missed and have revisited several episodes of ones I originally watched. I can’t believe it’s been thirty years since “Floyd on Fish”. Despite the rash of so-called “edgy” cooks and “personalities” these days, Keith was the real deal. He was just being himself, scathing, unrehearsed, having a damn good time and knowing a huge amount about food and booze — but always the first to admit when he doesn’t. This was the chap who turned me onto cooking as opposed to merely eating good nosebag. And who couldn’t resist the unlikely use of the Stranglers’ classic Peaches as his theme tune and “house” band — no way he’d get away with that now not to mention his onscreen “slurping”. Floyd: the last great Englishman and gastronomic pilgrim.
One of my favourite of his programs was American Pie and specifically his Louisiana/New Orleans stop introducing me to K-Paul’s Paul Prudhomme, recipes I tried with some success from the eponymously titled book:
See if you can find Keith meets Keith (there are snippets on youtube) but failing that check out this pretty standard documentary:
“The Life of Adam Smith” Author Dies
I’ve been informed that the author of the much acclaimed The Life of Adam Smith has passed away. Though I never knew the man we corresponded vaguely about his getting involved with Propriety and Prosperity. It wasn’t to be.
Hayek and the hermeneutics of mind
Recent article from Francesco Di Iorio in anticipation of his forthcoming book.
The People’s Place: Soul Food Restaurants and Reminiscences from the Civil Rights Era to Today
Coming soon from the very excellent Dave Hoekstra.
Walker Percy
Born on this day.
If you can’t make it to the upcoming Second Annual Walker Percy Weekend and you haven’t already seen this excellent documentary, check it out.
Consciousness and the Novel
An old review of Lodge’s Consciousness and the Novel by Galen Strawson.
manwithoutqualities 