Midori Snyder

Author Midori Snyder lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she teaches English at a Jesuit high school.

Midori Snyder wrote the Folkroots column in the February 2007 issue of Realms of Fantasy magazine.

The column was sub-titled, "Hail to the cook, who has the power to transform through the magic of food."

It is an intensely personal column, with anecdotes about her father, and samples of poetry that Ms. Snyder and her daughter wrote for each other.

According to Ms. Snyder, "The very best cooks are wizards and tricksters. They must be, for they are capable of powerful acts of transformation."

It is a fascinating piece that draws on diverse sources such as Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, the myths and legends of Circe and Baba-Yaga, a German tale "The Most Indispensable Thing," and an Italian tale "The Daughter of the Sun."

Ms. Snyder also interprets more modern stories, such as the movies Chocolat (one of my favorites) and Like Water for Chocolate.

Ms. Snyder furnishes some interesting quotes:

"A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness."

- Elsa Schiaperelli

"What does cookery mean? It means the knowledge of Medusa and of Circe, and of Calypso, and Sheba."

- John Ruskin

This is a column well worth reading, more than once.