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--> --> Famous food facts and phrases By Jeff Cheek The earliest known cookbook is a Babylonian cuneiform dated 1792 BC, now part of the Yale University Babylonian Collection. It is being translated by a prominent French Assyriologist, Professor Jean Bottero. Gourmet Bottero says he "would not wish such meals on my worst enemies." However some common foods have strange and humorous origins. ONOMATOPOEIA: The formation of words from their sounds, like the English word, cracker, when the brittle, salty wafer is eaten. Simmer is from the gentle, muted noise water makes when it is just beginning to boil. Hiss is rooted in Victorian melodrama. The audience showed their disdain for the villain by hisses and catcalls when he appeared. HORS D'OUVRES: These hits of finger food are served to keep the guests busy while the main meal is being prepared. Hence, it is translated as "outside the work." CANAPES: These tasty morsels are indigenous to every cocktail party. The name comes from the French word for a couch, as each cracker or bread slice serves as couch for a piece of meat or shellfish or cheese. SYMPOSIUM: Webster defines symposium as "a meeting or conference at which several speakers discuss a given topic." Sounds very grand and erudite. The original Greek word was "sumposion." This was a drinking party, a continuation of a formal dinner, to stimulate thirst and discussion. ESKIMO: The Eskimos call themselves Inuits "the people." Lacking cooking fuel, they consumed most of their food raw. Foreigners called them Eskimos, from the Inuit phrase "eating raw fish," and the name stuck. VERMICELLI: These tiny strands of spaghetti are popular, despite the fact that it means "little worms" in Italian. DOG STEW: Stew comes from the Old English stewen, "to bathe in hot water." On the Lewis & Clark Expedition, 1803 to 1806, Lewis was their doctor. He made dog stew for his men, to cure bad colds and bronchitis. He also made a broth from ground rattlesnake rattles for Sacagawea, to lessen her labor pains when her son was born. CREDENZA: This piece of furniture it still used. It is a sideboard to hold a breakfast buffet. It was called "the credence table," in the Middle Ages, meaning that the servants had tasted each dish, risking their lives to protect their master from being poisoned by a rival. The credence table evolved into credenza. RABBIT SAUSAGE: Rabbit is more popular in Europe, especially France, than in the United States. Horsemeat is also eaten. There is a classic court case where a Paris sausagemaker advertised his sausages as being half expensive rabbit, half cheap horsemeat. He insisted it was half and half. He ground up one rabbit with one horse! SMORGASBORD: This Swedish word comes from the old Norse "smor" ( fat ), "gas" ( goose) , "bord ( table.) SOMMELIER: Fancy restaurants employ a sommelier, or wine steward. Lacking knowledge of wines, I was intimidated by these experts. It helped to remember that his title comes from the French term "bete de somme" ( Beast of burden.) Broccoli Salad is fast and easy to fix if you are busy. INGREDIENTS: 2 16 oz. packages frozen broccoli, thawed 1 1/2 cups stuffed green olives, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1 8 oz. can water chestnuts, sliced 1/2 cup mayonnaise PREPARATION: Chop broccoli into bite sized pieced, mix with other vegetables. Add mayonnaise and stir well. Serve chilled. Jeff Cheek lives in Medford Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing