The Folklore Food Blog: Boats

I've always wondered how story influences food choice. So, I started a study. Culinary Folklore: A Study of Fiction as an Influence in Traditional Foodways Practices. Nursery rhymes are a great place to start. Soon I'll be moving on to; Wives tales. Superstitions Omens. Folktales. Claims & Benefits. Practices. Comparisons. Warnings/luck/misfortune. Special Powers. Ballads and other songs. Fables & Local legends.

BOATS

Hitch up your cattle
And drive to Seattle
To see all the boats come in,
From Kibi and Kobi
And Panama Dobi
And some from the Islands of Myn.
They’re bringing us rices
And cocoa and spices
And pineapples done up in tin,
And maybe Aunt Dinah
Will come back from China
If ever the boats get in.
In this American rhyme of the old west, we find the rhyme notes, trade routes, commodities, and the unpredictable nature of long distance voyages of the time. By asking the question, what did Aunt Dinah cook? We can extrapolate what she served if her ship were ever to arrive.
Children learn to; ask a question, do background research, construct a hypothesis, test the hypothesis by cooking, analyze the data (Eat) and draw a conclusion, and finally ask, is it good or bad?
Cocoa-Spiced Beef Tenderloin With Pineapple Salsa
1 beef tenderloin roast (16 oz)
For salsa:
Ingredients:
½ c fresh pineapple,
¼ c red onion, minced
2 tbs fresh cilantro
1 Serrano pepper minced
1/4 cup lime juice

For seasoning for the meat:
Ingredients:
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 tbsp. cocoa powder (unsweetened)
2 tsp. ancho chili powder
¼ tsp. salt

1. For the salsa. Dice the onion and pineapple, and mince the cilantro and serrano. Put it in a bowl. Season with salt, give it a squeeze of lime to complete this rhyme.
2. The seasoning: combine all the seasonings and rub the steak. Give the dry rub at least 2 hours to work its flavorful magic and grill the steak to your liking. Serve with rice.