Romaine Wasn't Built in a Day: The Delightful History of Food Language

Overall Ranking 5) Probably Skip this one

Romaine Wasn't Built in a Day: The Delightful History of Food Language by Judith Tschann, 2023, Voracious

What is the book about?

Have you ever bitten into a sandwich and wondered why it's called a "sandwich"? Or sipped a martini and pondered its namesake? In "Romaine Wasn't Built in a Day," Judith Tschann dives headfirst into these delicious linguistic mysteries, serving up a fascinating exploration of why we call our food what we do. It is packed with bite-sized anecdotes about the surprising origins of words ranging from "absinthe" to "zest."

Tschann, with her keen linguistic eye, reveals that many familiar food names are actually toponyms, words derived from places. Think about it: "mocha" comes from al-Mukha in Yemen, "cantaloupe" from Cantalupo near Rome, "jalapeños" from the Mexican city of Jalapa, and even "martini" potentially from Martinez, California. 

On the flip side, you'll discover eponyms—words named after people. The "Caesar salad" pays homage to a restaurateur, the "Reuben" to a deli owner (or grocer, the true origin is debated), and the "sandwich" to an earl. And for a fun twist, Tschann even sets the record straight on "Baby Ruth," which got its moniker from the baseball great, not Grover Cleveland’s daughter. You'll also learn about linguistic quirks like back formations, such as "orange," which was once the Arabic nāranj until English speakers simply dropped the first letter.

So, who is Judith Tschann, and why should you care about her insights? While her name might be new to many, she is a distinguished scholar in the history of the English language. As a Professor Emerita at the University of Redlands, where she notably chaired the English Department for five years, Tschann has dedicated her career to understanding the intricacies of language. Her numerous teaching awards, including the Mortarboard Professor of the Year Award, underscore her ability to make complex subjects accessible and engaging. With "Romaine Wasn't Built in a Day," she brings her profound expertise to the everyday language of our kitchens, offering a unique and endlessly fascinating perspective on the words that flavor our meals.

Would I recommend reading it?

I read cover to cover and couldn't tell you one single thing I learned. And it's not for lack of trying. This thing is as packed with as much info as a tungsten cube of cooking and food entomology. And that is its ultimate downfall. Like a sandwich that's too big to fit in your mouth you end up just scattering your thoughts and factoids all over the place. 

Allow me to share a one of the small exert from page 111 where we are introduced to "Food-Related Words for People". It will give you a taste for what I am talking about:

"Humans can be lampooners, lechers, and lickspittles, all of which are connected, if indirectly, with drinking, via licking and lapping. Lampoon, 'to satirize,' comes from French lampons, 'let's drink,' from lamper, 'to gulp down,' from laper, 'to lap up.' A kin word of lampoon is lambent, 'glowing or flickering,' from latin lambere, 'to lick.' Lecher comes from French, ultimately Old German, 'to lick'. A lickspittle (from Old English liccian, 'to lick' and spittan, of imitative origin) is a toady or a sycophant, which brings us back to food -- specifically figs"

You'll read a paragraph that looks like it was pelleted by an entomology shotgun and once you move on it gets cocked and fired again at the next paragraph. 

The information? Fascinating. The depth of research? Astounding. The cover art? So freaking good. The delivery? Too fast and too furious. I like to think of myself as being a touch smart, but this had me drowning. It doesn't allow for the information to stick in any meaningful way. For that reason, I am recommending that you skip this one unless you are into more informationally dense works and can handle the sheer magnitude of information thrown at you. 

Books to Bowls OUT!

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