Food History

Today I am announcement central. Or my computer is. Or maybe it’s my blogs.

In no particular order (but if you hang on till the end there’s the best announcement of all - and it involves historic recipes):

1. I’m blogging every day this month. That’s not unexpected, but just to make sure I don’t skip a 24 hour period out of sheer laziness, I’ve up with the good people of NaBloPoMo (national blog posting month, though in my case I’m not from the US, so it really should be AusBloPoMo) who are competing with those other good people who are all writing 50,000 words of novel in a month. Cheer me on and admire my beautiful badge, which is somewhere way down to the right of this column.

2. Another Absolute Writers’ Blogchain starts tomorrow. Or later today. I’ll post you the list of who’s participating (tomorrow) and when we get to my post, I promise there’ll be food or hsitory or both in it.

3. The Big Announcement

“The date is February 29, 1921 and it’s time to party. The place is Hotel Gernsback, New York City.

What are we celebrating on February 29 in a non-leap year? Why, science fiction, fantasy and horror, of course. Scientifiction is about to be named and all over the world writers are creating works of speculative fiction. How are we celebrating? At a fine hotel, with a fine dinner and fine costumes. Unleash your imaginations and start preparing to rejoice in fascinating feats of human imagination.

Bookings aren’t open yet (how often do you book a dinner nearly twelve months in advance, honestly?) but we’ll let you know as soon as they are. In the meantime, think of February 29, 1921: an evening set aside from 2008 specifically to celebrate works of art and literature that take us out of time, space and even reality.

The menu is being designed by Dr Gillian Polack, with dishes tested by a team of brave volunteers. The courageous team of amateur cooks is especially looking forward to testing the cocktails (New York in 1921 – alcohol is illegal and very much enjoyed). You can join this intrepid team of testers by sending an email to banquet(at)conflux.org.au with a message headed ‘SEND ME RECIPES, PLEASE.’ You can get a list of many of the books and stories published during Prohibition (though not necessarily in alcohol-free zones) by emailing banquet(at)conflux.org.au with the subject ‘BOOKLIST PLEASE.’ What you put in the body of either message is entirely up to you.

PS The date of February 29, 1921 in our current reality will fall during the weekend of October 6 2008. Hotel Gernsback will - just for this one night - be mysteriously relocated to a location in Canberra, Australia.”

Yes, the recipe tresting for the next Conflux banquet is upon us and the theme is Prohibition New York.