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--> --> Oct. 22: Good food, good manners By Jeff Cheek Food, shelter and clothing are essential to survival. Our demand for these essentials have had a profound impact on language, society and history. The etiology of everyday words and phrases documents this impact. 1. Bring home the bacon: Fresh pork spoiled quickly but bacon could be preserved with salt and kept for the winter. A husband was expected to bring home the bacon while the wife kept the house and raised the children. In 1445 the village of Dunmow, Essex County, England initiated a new custom. After one year of marriage, a side of bacon was awarded to the couple who were judged to have lived the past year with the greatest harmony and fidelity. 2. Sub rosa: This is a term, going back to the Romans. It means "under the rose." A single rose was placed on each plate, meaning that the guests should not repeat anything said at the dinner. Modern politicians achieve the same results by saying it is "off the record." 3. Curfew: Houses in Medieval England were made of wood and thatch. Fire was a constant threat. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, a new custom was initiated. Serfs working in the field and forests had to build fires to keep warm. Village church bells were tolled at dusk. This was a warning to "couvre feu" (cover the fire) before coming home. The French term became curfew. 4. Eating humble pie: The intestines of sheep and cattle were called "the umbles" in England in the Middle Ages. The choicer cuts were reserved for the master. The serfs and servants were given the umbles. Today, anyone who is forced to accept a lower position is "eating humble pie." 5. Boarder: Boarding houses were common in america until the 20th century. The word goes back to 15th Century Europe. Tables in most inns were long, hand-hewn boards. The client paid a set price to sit at the board and eat. Eventually, some clients began to pay by the week, becoming boarders. 6. Spill the beans: There is a Greek root for this expression, meaning someone who betrays secret information. Ancient Greek secret societies are models for our college fraternities, where new members are voted in. These Greek organizations voted by putting a white bean ( favorable ) or a black bean in a vase or helmet. Occasionally a clumsy voter would overturn the container. This was embarrassing as it ruined the normally secret ballot. 7. An X for a kiss: Most love letters end with a series of X's representing kisses. There is a religious root for this custom. St. Andrews is the patron saint of Scotland. In ancient Scotland, contracts and agreements were not binding until each signer added St. Andrew's cross, an X, after his name then kissed it. Fixing food for church dinners or organizational potlucks is also part of our culture. A friend sent me this recipe for Quick Cocoa Brownies if you are short of time. INGREDIENTS: 1/2 cup melted butter 1/4 cup cocoa powder 3/4 cup sugar 2 eggs, well beaten 1 tablespoon water 1 1/4 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup crushed walnuts PREPARATION: Mix butter and cocoa powder, then stir in sugar, eggs and water. Add salt and flour, beat well, then stir in walnuts. Preheat waffle iron to medium, then drop rounded teaspoons of batter about 4 inches apart. Bake until center is done, about 2 minutes. 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