Bibliographies – CYNTHIA D. BERTELSEN

Down the Rabbit Hole: Wandering through an Amazing Maze of Links

January 24, 2022

A long time ago, like many children, I read Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. The White Rabbit always intrigued me. Walt Disney’s interpretation of the character, with his twitching, nervous upper lip and hoppity movements, made me laugh. As did his habit of clutching his timepiece, which I called a grandfather watch. Just like the … More Down the Rabbit Hole: Wandering through an Amazing Maze of Links

A Plethora of Food/Culinary Memoirs for Your Reading Pleasure

September 12, 2020

In doing some research recently, I realized just what an amazing treasure we food-and-book-lovers have with all the food/culinary memoirs that have been surfacing for years. And as luck would have it, as is wont to happen these days with a few clicks and the right keywords, I came across an amazing bibliography compiled by Jessica … More A Plethora of Food/Culinary Memoirs for Your Reading Pleasure

What’s That You Say??? Medieval Culinary Terminology Unmasked*

May 23, 2019

If you’ve ever tried to read Chaucer in the original language, you know what you’re up against when you tackle a recipe dating from the poet’s time period. Actually, when you read The Canterbury Tales, you have it fairly easy, for there’s a multitude of resources to help you as you plunge through Chaucer’s Middle … More What’s That You Say??? Medieval Culinary Terminology Unmasked*

Transcription of Medieval Documents, or, What an Online Resource!

May 15, 2019

As I mentioned, albeit briefly, in “A Hastiness of Cooks”: A Practical Handbook for Use in Deciphering the Mysteries of Historic Recipes and Cookbooks, For Living-History Reenactors, Historians, Writers, Chefs, Archaeologists, and, of Course, Cooks, transcription is one of those things that makes all the difference when you’re trying to recreate historic recipes or analyzing … More Transcription of Medieval Documents, or, What an Online Resource!

Prelude to a Bio-Bibliography

May 20, 2018

“Let me take your coat, my dear.” I heard her voice as I stepped off the elevator, into the penthouse suite at the Chicago Hilton on a snowy day in late December. The tall, white-haired woman standing there, holding out her hands to me, drew me over the threshold, welcoming me. The color of Forget-Me-Nots, … More Prelude to a Bio-Bibliography

The Joy of Bibliographies

May 14, 2018

Compiling bibliographies is a bit like blowing bubbles, for you never know how big the bubbles will be or how far away they’ll float through the air. Or where they’ll land. And that’s the exciting bit about bibliographies. You can’t know when you set out on the journey where you’ll end up. If you compile … More The Joy of Bibliographies

And More Gifts: A Selection of Food and Culinary History Books Published in 2013

December 15, 2013

Before I list my choice of books for 2013, a caveat: I have not read all of these yet. What I attempt here is to list the food and culinary history tomes that interest me (and hopefully you!), published in 2013. The descriptions of these books come from various sources, usually the publisher. That said, if … More And More Gifts: A Selection of Food and Culinary History Books Published in 2013

*”Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new”: A Sweet Potato Rhapsody

January 25, 2013

“Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new,” or so confessed St. Augustine, a Catholic saint born in 354 A.D., in what is now Algeria. And I, I could also say the same, about many things. One of them being sweet potatoes, a beloved Southern staple.** It was a Thanksgiving Day. I … More *”Late have I loved you, beauty so old and so new”: A Sweet Potato Rhapsody