Food & drink takeaways - 17 August
A curated taster menu of every day’s food & drink associations
Entry to a dance by watermelon is released into the annals of the movie world, the culinary task facing volunteers as an internationally-famous festival gets off the ground and we’re all buzzing for bees.
Some of the ingredients that give 17 August its distinctive flavour. Click on the links for more information.
Food on screen
1987
Oscar-winning musical romance movie Dirty Dancing starring Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey and Jerry Orbach premieres in New York unleashing a feast of often-to-be-repeated one-liners including "I carried a watermelon.'
"You may think that the 1987 film Dirty Dancing is about coming of age, dance lifts, and Patrick Swayze’s arms in a tank top, and true, you’d be partly right. But . . there is the added bonus of food symbolism, illustrating character attributes, and of course, sexual innuendo, which really gets us back to the subject of all those tank tops"
"With sweaty counselors gyrating on the dance floor all around her, Baby provides a reason why she has been allowed in a “no guests allowed party.” Even Baby knows this is a lame first impression for Johnny when she spouts it, but watermelon is a classic summer fruit: red, juicy, ripe, and so, so satisfying when it’s hot.'
Celebration days
World Honey Bee Day (third Saturday of August)
UK: Afternoon Tea Week (Aug 12-18)
UK: National Allotments Week (Aug 12-18)
"A chance for Gabonese households to show off their dexterity in cooking Gabonese food, such as poulet nyembwe {spicy chicken}, brochettes {meat skewers} and dongo {traditional soup made with okra}"
"Tumpeng is a typical dish that is usually served at special celebrations, including for Independence Day. The yellow rice that is made into a tumpeng in celebration of the Indonesian Independence Day has a symbolic meaning as a form of gratitude."
Unoffical
USA: Vanilla Custard Day
Leftovers. . .
1947
First Edinburgh International Festival opens
"Volunteers manned the Festival Club, which prepared and cooked 2,500 meals every day for visitors, while the Festival Society liaised with the Ministry of Food to ensure a sufficient supply of ingredients."
