The Dallas Morning News is warning all good Texans that prices for their beloved pecans -- to make the official state pie, of course -- are likely to be very high this year. This would not normally have caught my eye, had I not earlier talked to James McWilliams about pecans and history. That wa...

“Thinking about the squirm” was just one memorable phrase in Laurie Taylor’s fascinating interview with Alex Rhys-Taylor, who had just published a paper on Disgust and distinction: the case of the jellied eel. ¹ Much was made of the jellied eel as a signifier of the working classes, with an un...

Last night, we came home to a burst water main and the street awash. This morning, the street below was dry and so were the taps in the house. Luckily, there was enough old water in the kettle for a cup of tea each (though not the customary two) or else we'd probably be lying there still, parched. Taking the dog out, therefore, I loaded my backpack with an empty 5-litre demijohn and set off.

I'm getting really sick of websites that make me sign in with one of my other accounts in order to leave a comment. Especially when, as with this latest attempt on Typepad they can't seem to do it right. So maybe I can use that as an opportunity to do more here. ¹

We spent a wonderful weekend at Ravello, on the Amalfi coast, gorgeous despite rain on and off all day Saturday. Among the delights, one of the best menu manglings ever.