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Preface |
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| Celebration is an integral part of
our lives. We celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and events. Most
these celebrations generally involve food and occasionally drinks. Sometimes
these foods are special desserts such as wedding cakes and birthday cakes.
Sometimes they are favorite foods of the people whose lives are being celebrated
or with whom we share the celebration. Sometimes they are traditional foods
served for specific events such as New Years Day, Valentines Day, St. Patrick's
Day, Easter, and Thanksgiving. On a few occasions, they are eponymous dishes
named after the persons or events that we celebrate. Everyone has something to teach us. Some have shaped our history. Some have made choices in their lives that have lessons for all of us. Others have done such stupid things that we all appear to be less of an idiot by comparison. But all lives have value and in some unfathomable cosmic mystery have directly or indirectly affected each of our lives.
Celebrations make the day special and
hopefully memorable. And the pleasurable memories of these celebrations often
involve the food that we share with our family and friends. One of our goals
should be to make every day special and memorable. This book provides an
opportunity to make more of our days special and memorable, and remember some of
the people and events that are or should be associated with foods and that
have shaped our history and popular culture -
occasionally with loving irreverence. |