Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Wondrous Words Wednesday

I am reading "Heartland: The Cookbook," by Judith Fertig. I am actually reading the cookbook instead of just using it as a reference for finding recipes, because Fertig has written a lot more than recipes. The book includes a lot of really interesting information about the foods common in the Midwestern United States. She explains how settlers from different parts of Europe brought certain traditions with them and then adapted them to their new surroundings.

Anyway, I was just enjoying the book, and not encountering any challenging vocabulary until I came to page 198 and found a recipe for "Heartland Daube with White Cheddar Polenta." Daube? What the heck is Daube?

I scanned the list of ingredients to see whether there was any Daube in there. Nope. So, I read the recipe. No clues.

Finally, I just looked it up ;)

Here is what Wiki says: "Daube is a classic Provencal (or more broadly, French[1]) stew made with inexpensive beef braised[2] in wine, vegetables, garlic, and herbes de Provence, and traditionally cooked in a daubière,[1] a braising pan." I got the picture of the daubiere from Wiki, as well. So, daube is basically a beef stew cooked in wine using the pictured pot. This recipe calls for it to be served over polenta - which I think would be good!

Wondrous Words Wednesday is hosted at bermudaonion.net. We talk about and share new words that we have come across in our reading - go over to WWW and check it out!

25 comments:

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    1. Oh good! When I am doing this I always wonder whether everyone else knows the word already(!). Thanks for commenting. :)

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    2. I forgot to say 'a little daube will do ya' Are you too young to remember Brylcreem? And thanks for the headsup on my wondrous words link.

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  2. That must be a great cookbook if you're actually reading it cover to cover. Daube is new to me as well.

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    1. It really is interesting. Bethfishreads did a Weekend Cooking on it a couple months ago. And then I saw it at the library and grabbed it. :)

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  3. I knew daube because of my French obsession- it is a lovely word and it's great to celebrate it.

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    1. Nice! I may have to make this recipe after all this :)

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  4. This is a new word for me.

    http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2012/04/wondrous-words-wednesday_25.html

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  5. Libby, I'm so glad to know another person who loves to read cookbooks. (Most people don't get it.) Heartland was one of my favorite books from 2011. It has so many wonderful recipes to try that my book has all sorts of stickers in it. I've gone through the book several times but never noticed daube. I'm off to look it up. I think from now on my stews are going to be called daube.

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    1. Page 198! LOL! I am glad we have that in common :) Heartland is like a travel book for a place where I already live!

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  6. It sounds so mych more elegant than stew!!

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    1. I know - right? Everything sounds better in French!

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  7. Hi Libby,

    I guess if the dish is cooked in a daubiere, then calling it daube kind of makes sense, although I certainly haven't come across either word before.

    Reading the recipe you describe, the dish sounds very similar to beef bourguignon.

    Either way, I guess it sounds a lot more sexy than plain old stew?

    Great word,

    Yvonne

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    1. Hi Yvonne - I thought that it sounded like Beef Bourguignon too. I think that, in addition to the cool new word, this seems like a cool recipe!

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  8. I will look on Amazon for that book it sounds just my cup of tea! I have just blogged on cookery books too!

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  9. That does sound yummy! Especially for a dish I've never heard of.

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    1. Thanks! I will have to make it and post pictures. I wonder how the kids feel about me putting pictures of their dinner on the Internet. Lol!!

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  10. It does sound like a richly delightful stew.

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    1. Thanks, I think it would be good over polenta.

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  11. Yes, "daube" is a French recipe. But I've never made any so I can't tell if it's good or not!
    Maybe because the word is often used to describe something thought to be uninteresting or a bad bargain!
    Thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment;o)

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    Have a great day****

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    1. I didn't know it had another meaning! Thanks for the info. :)

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  12. I admire someone who can read a cookbook!

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