orchid314

This poem always gives me chills.

One of Their Gods by Constantine Cavafy

When one of Them passed through Seleucia's
market place, toward the hour when night comes on,
in the guise of a tall and perfectly handsome youth,
with the joy of incorruptibility in his eyes,
with his black, heavily perfumed hair,
the passers-by would stare at him
and one would ask the other if he knew him,
if he were a Greek of Syria or a stranger. But
several who watched with greater attention
understood and would stand aside;
and as he vanished under the arcades,
among the shadows and among the evening lights,
heading toward the district which comes alive
only at night, with orgies and debauchery,
and every sort of drunkenness and lust,
they would wonder which of Them he might be,
and for what questionable enjoyment
he had descended to the streets of Seleucia
from those Adored, Most Venerable Halls.


tr. Rae Dalven

Happy birthday to the magician who cast an enduring spell over the English language–

From Cymbeline

Fear no more the heat o’ the sun,
Nor the furious winter’s rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages:
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.

Fear no more the frown o’ the great;
Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke;
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak:
The scepter, learning, physic, must
All follow this, and come to dust.

Fear no more the lightning flash,
Nor the all-dreaded thunder stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan:
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee, and come to dust.

No exorciser harm thee!
Nor no witchcraft charm thee!
Ghost unlaid forbear thee!
Nothing ill come near thee!
Quiet consummation have;
And renownèd be thy grave!

When I'm really stressed, I turn to two kinds of reading: Georgette Heyer (maybe a post for another day) and cookbooks. There is something so soothing about making one's way through a recipe, turning the page, nodding in agreement with another recipe (or not, as the case may be), filing away a particular tidbit about an ingredient or a sauce for the future, etc.

I haven't cooked much lately just for fun, but there are certain cookbooks that are reliable sources when the urge does strike me:

The Taste of Country Cooking by Edna Lewis: I've never actually cooked anything from this book, but I think it may be one of the most beautiful pieces of writing I've ever come across. It's a love letter to the American countryside, a fairy tale, a restorative tonic.

Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan: Some people thing Marcella is too bossy, but I like her stern precepts and being taken by the hand by someone who has Strong Opinions (that also result in fantastic dishes). I've made so many recipes from this over the years that I've lost count.

Truly Mexican by Roberto Santibáñez: I collect cookbooks about Mexican food, so I have a fair number of them, but this is the one that I cook from the most. The chapter on salsas is the best, I think. And the white rice recipe makes rice that takes like it does in Mexico. He tends to like dishes spicier than I do, so if you do try a recipe, scale back on his chile amounts and work your way up the heat ladder.

Bill Neal's Southern Cooking by Bill Neal: I'm also partial to books about Southern cooking. This is another one that I've pretty steadily cooked my way through and it's never yielded a dud. I love Neal's easy, witty voice.

What are your go-to cookbooks?