18 Feb 2010

On pancakes

Mr. Judson, did you ever taste the pancakes that Miss Learight makes?'

"'Me? No,' I told him. 'I never was advised that she was up to any culinary manoeuvres.'

"'They're golden sunshine,' says he, 'honey-browned by the ambrosial fires of Epicurus. I'd give two years of my life to get the recipe for making them pancakes. That's what I went to see Miss Learight for,' says Jackson Bird, 'but I haven't been able to get it from her. It's an old recipe that's been in the family for seventy-five years. They hand it down from one generation to another, but they don't give it away to outsiders. If I could get that recipe, so I could make them pancakes for myself on my ranch, I'd be a happy man,' says Bird.

"'Are you sure,' I says to him, 'that it ain't the hand that mixes the pancakes that you're after?'

"'Sure,' says Jackson. 'Miss Learight is a mighty nice girl, but I can assure you my intentions go no further than the gastro--' but he seen my hand going down to my holster and he changed his similitude--'than the desire to procure a copy of the pancake recipe,' he finishes.

"'You ain't such a bad little man,' says I, trying to be fair. 'I was thinking some of making orphans of your sheep, but I'll let you fly away this time. But you stick to pancakes,' says I, 'as close as the middle one of a stack; and don't go and mistake sentiments for syrup, or there'll be singing at your ranch, and you won't hear it.'

O. Henry The Pimienta Pancakes
To read the end of this delightful classic pancake story by O. Henry, click here.

Then, without checking a dictionary, define the following words:
  • monologist
  • saleratus
  • obmutescence
  • beeves
  • palfrey
  • soliloquised
  • obsequies
  • similitude
Actually, do it before so you don't read them in context first.

How did you go? I managed three...

4 comments:

  1. I am pretty comfortable with three and maybe four. I wouldn't put money on them though - I'm going to grab my dictionary and check.

    Now I know the real reason you married Superman. Even better than the pancake trick, I want to know how he made your daughter disappear!?!

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  2. Hi Jeanne,
    ROFL to Richele's comment about Jemimah disappearing. :D

    Just a query - did you take these photos separately or as a movie?

    What a very clever husband you have! Your kitchen is beautiful - I'm still dreaming about our new kitchen. *sigh*

    Have a wonderful week,
    Blessings,
    Jillian

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  3. LOVE that moment you caught in that 2nd pic!

    http://minivanlife.wordpress.com

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  4. Jillian, they're just separate photos. Different pancakes too - as Richele realised.

    I do have a gorgeously clever husband, don't I?!!

    ReplyDelete

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