Passover Seder: Greek Symposium?

The Haggadah (הַגָּדָה‎) is a Jewish text that sets forth the order of the Passover ritual meal, the Seder.

“There’s a reason the haggadah feels goyish: Formally speaking, it’s Greek. It’s a Judaicized version of a Greek genre called ‘symposium literature’. Plato loved the form. So did Xenophon. The symposium enshrined the most appealing traits of the Hellenic personality: conviviality, Epicureanism, a love of good conversation.”

–”Platonic Form,” Judith Shulevitz, Tablet Magazine

The ancient Greek symposium (συμπόσιον) was a drinking party; drinking four glasses of wine is a Passover obligation. Diners are supposed to recline while they do so, just like the Greeks.

There’s a cute Passover tradition, breaking a piece of matzoh (unleavened bread) and hiding half of it. The bread can only be eaten at the end of the meal, after the family’s children discover it. That piece of bread has a funny name, afikomen, but its origin isn’t Hebrew. You guessed it, it’s Greek:

“In Greek, the word is epikomen and is made up of two smaller words: epi, which means after (as in an epilogue), and komos, which means a banquet or merrymaking, and is the same word that inspired the English word comedy. For centuries, Jews have taken afikomen to mean ‘that which comes after the meal,’ more commonly known, of course, as dessert.”

– “Breaking Matzah,” David K. Israel, Mental Floss

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Passover Seder: Greek Symposium?

The Haggadah (הַגָּדָה‎) is a Jewish text that sets forth the order of the Passover ritual meal, the Seder.

“There’s a reason the haggadah feels goyish: Formally speaking, it’s Greek. It’s a Judaicized version of a Greek genre called ‘symposium literature’. Plato loved the form. So did Xenophon. The symposium enshrined the most appealing traits of the Hellenic personality: conviviality, Epicureanism, a love of good conversation.”

–”Platonic Form,” Judith Shulevitz, Tablet Magazine

The ancient Greek symposium (συμπόσιον) was a drinking party; drinking four glasses of wine is a Passover obligation. Diners are supposed to recline while they do so, just like the Greeks.

Pyongyang Restaurants: Have it Kim’s Way!

Can’t make it to North Korea for dinner? While famine is kind of an issue there, you can dine like Kim Jong Un’s best bud at a Pyongyang Restaurant near you. They’re conveniently located in Beijing, Shanghai, Jakarta, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Siem Reap, Vientiane, Kuala Lumpur, and Amsterdam. Coming soon: Scotland? Cream of Puppy Soup is not on the menu in Europe, but reviews rave more about the chain’s singing, dancing musician-waitresses than the food anyway.

More:

“Dining With Dear Leader,” Daniel Otis, Slate

“Pyongyang Restaurants Extending Reach in Southeast Asian Cities,” Yong Nie, VOA

“Pyongyang: Northern Exposure,” Kyle Long, Culinary Backstreets

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Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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General T, USA

The Search for General Tso, directed by Ian Cheney; produced by Jennifer 8. Lee and Amanda Murray; released by Sundance Selects.

America’s favorite Chinese-style chicken dish doesn’t have much to do with General Tso (Zuo Zongtang) but lots to do with the USA, according to this documentary film. The film crew provides some answers and even a recipe.

A Day Without Burgers

Don’t forget to pack a lunch this morning. Fast-food workers across the country are striking for a living wage, so’ll you’ll want to stay out of McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King. Don’t like cold sandwiches? Read this.

More:

“Fast food workers plan biggest US strike to date over minimum wage,” Dominic Rushe, The Guardian

“Fast Food Workers Plan Another Strike in 150 Cities,” Victor Luckerson, TIME Magazine

Best Burger in North Korea?

In Pyongyang, Kim Jong-eun did a stately pleasure dome decree … and built a goofy water park.  A hamburger at Munsu Water Park will cost you $76.00. You want fries with that?

Elsewhere, the UN Food Programme continues to provide nutritional assistance to North Korea’s starving women and children.

Best New York Pizza?

“Di Fara Pizza, located in the Midwood section of Brooklyn, might just be New York City’s best pizza. It’s been praised by Anthony Bourdain and named the best pizza in New York by Zagat, the Village Voice, and even New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio.”

— “Is This New York City’s Best Pizza?” Melanie Dunea, Yahoo Travel

Pizza is serious stuff in the Big Apple, and opinions differ; Google gives 135,000 million results for Best+NYC+Pizza. Some family pizzerias are being documented by the New York Pizza Project.

More:

“Take a Trip Down Pizza Memory Lane With the New York Pizza Project,” Zachary Feldman, Village Voice

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Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

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Competitive Eaters

“The history of competitive eating dates back to the 13th century. According to Norse myths, the god Loki and his servant participated in an eating competition that was only won after the servant ate his plate. Roman emperor Vitellius once served more than 7,000 birds at a feast. American railroad tycoon ‘Diamond’ Jim Brady was known for regularly chasing a typical dinner of seven lobsters with two pounds of bonbons for dessert. And then there was Eddie ‘Bozo’ Miller, considered by some to be the greatest eater ever. According to his obituary in the Wall Street Journal, in his heyday, Miller existed on a daily diet of 25,000 calories, and in 1963, reportedly ate 27 two-pound chickens in one sitting. Organized competitive eating, however, is a relatively new phenomenon.”

— “Why would someone eat 50 hot dogs?” Robert Pursell, PBS Newshour

UPDATE:

“Appetite for Destruction: Megatoad Is the Future of Competitive Eating,” James Montgomery, Rolling Stone

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Red-Meat Republicans

In the 2014 Republican primary, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s campaign and PAC spent nearly $170,000 at DC power steakhouses, chiefly Bobby Van’s and BLT Steak. His victorious opponent Dave Brat’s entire campaign cost $122,000.

“”It’s rare that you would see a fundraiser at a Ruby Tuesday or a Chipotle,’ said Lisa Spies, a veteran GOP fundraiser …. ‘You’ve got to spend money to raise money.’

In the 2014 cycle, all federal candidates have spent just over $9,000 on Chipotle, and $1,229 at Ruby Tuesday, according to numbers compiled by CQ Moneyline. In the same span, they have spent more than $400,000 at Bobby Van’s.”

—  “Why Eric Cantor chose Bobby Van’s,” Eric Tau, Politico

It works. Cantor’s campaign raked in $5.5 million and his PAC took in $3.5 million more while Brat raised $206,663.

But the median annual household income in Virginia’s 7th District is $64,751, the value of the average family home is $188,400, and it’s a pretty long drive to Bobby Van’s.

Related:

“Elites Beware: Eric Cantor’s Defeat May Signal a Populist Revolution,” Ron Fournier, National Journal

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Short link: http://wp.me/p6sb6-jqI

Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

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Passover Seder: Greek Symposium?

T

The Haggadah (הַגָּדָה‎) is a Jewish text that sets forth the order of the Passover ritual meal, the Seder.

“There’s a reason the haggadah feels goyish: Formally speaking, it’s Greek. It’s a Judaicized version of a Greek genre called ‘symposium literature’. Plato loved the form. So did Xenophon. The symposium enshrined the most appealing traits of the Hellenic personality: conviviality, Epicureanism, a love of good conversation.”

–”Platonic Form,” Judith Shulevitz, Tablet Magazine

The ancient Greek symposium (συμπόσιον) was a drinking party; drinking four glasses of wine is a Passover obligation. Diners are supposed to recline while they do so, just like the Greeks.