Gingerbread NYC will give New Yorkers and tourists an opportunity to celebrate the city, as well as draw attention to its local businesses and artisans.  Two bakeries and/or bakers from each borough will be selected to create a gingerbread display that will follow the theme of Winter in New York and best represents their respective neighborhoods, communities, or boroughs.  Prizes will be awarded in a variety of categories, such as:  Most Representative of Their Neighborhood, Most Creative, Good Enough to Eat, Most Intricate, Grandest, and more.  Displays through Sunday, January 8, 2023 at 1220 Fifth Ave at 103rd St., open Thurs 10–9, Fri–Mon 10–5  https://www.mcny.org/gingerbread-nyc   

Hailing from Seville, serranito is a classic bocadillo sandwich variety dating back to the 1970s.  The sandwich typically consists of either a viena andaluza (an oblong, crusty bread roll) or a mollete (a soft, rustic white bread roll) which is cut in half lengthwise and filled with slices of fried pork tenderloin (lomo de cerdo) and Serrano ham (jamón Serrano), strips of fried green peppers (usually the Italian variety), and tomato slices.  Some versions may also include a slice of tortilla or french omelet, lettuce, cheese, or slices of crispy fried bacon, while others may use chicken breasts or beef instead of the pork tenderloin.  After the sandwich became a great hit at tapas bars in Seville, the name serranito was soon patented and turned into a brand by José Luis Cabeza Hernández, who was nicknamed José Luis del Serranito.  Considered one of the best tapas in Seville, the sandwich is usually enjoyed for lunch or dinner, and it is usually served with a side of french fries and an ice-cold beer.  Posted by Red Panda  https://recipesxp.com/2021/01/18/spanish-serranito-sandwich-serranito-bocadillo/   

Inventor of the Kaleidoscope  David Brewster (1781-1868)  "Father of Modern Experimental Optics"  Reflective symmetry has been observed since ancient times.  Legend claims that early Egyptians would place two or three slabs of highly polished limestone together at different angles and watch with fascination as mandalas were formed by human dancers.  It was not until centuries later, however, that this optical phenomenon was encased in one small tube and given a name.  The kaleidoscope was invented and exhibited in 1816 by Sir David Brewster.  (The patent would be granted in 1817.)  While Brewster was granted a patent for his kaleidoscope, as well as acknowledgment and acclaim for his invention, he did not realize any remuneration.  Others did, however.  There was some fault with the patent registration and before Brewster could claim any financial rewards, kaleidoscopes were quickly manufactured by aggressive entrepreneurs who sold hundreds of thousands with great financial success for themselves.  There is no doubt that Brewster would be surprised and perhaps disillusioned to find that his most enduring legacy is the kaleidoscope.  His achievements and contributions to the world of science, and to the social and cultural history of the era, actually covered a much broader spectrum, as did his numerous inventions, including the lenticular stereoscope, binocular camera, polyzonal lens, polarimeter, and lighthouse illuminator.  See graphics at https://brewstersociety.com/kaleidoscope-university/sir-david-brewster/   

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From:  Joan Perrin  Subject:  bibliophagist  The word bibliophagist reminds me of the song in the musical She Loves Me, sung by shop girl, Ilonia.  She sings that she found the man of her dreams after a Trip to the Library (video:  5 min; lyrics).

From:  Lawrence Crumb  Subject:  prosateur  The title character in Molière’s Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme was delighted to learn that he had been speaking prose all his life.  

From:  Margaret Breuer  Subject:  Bibliopole 
A charming and au courant book store is Square Books in Oxford, MS.  There are four separate shops located around the town square.  Each shop has a different emphasis.  One of the shops focuses on rare books.  The proprietor is forward thinking and all authors of note have book signings in his store when they are promoting their books in the South.  When I lived in Atlanta, my book club took a road trip to Oxford to pay homage to William Faulkner (we’d just finished reading Absolam, Absolam!) and to visit Square Books where we had a meet-and-greet with the owner and bibliopole, Richard Howorth. It was a delightful and memorable experience.  

From:  P . Larry Nelson  Subject:  bibliopole  I’m guessing the best-known bibliopole might just be the angel Aziraphale in the book (and the 2019 Amazon six-part series) Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.  His bookshop, A.Z. Fell and Co. in Soho has very rare and first edition books, but Aziraphale goes to great lengths not to sell any, having collected them for himself for over 200 years.   

Cartoon of library worker suggesting books would be more charming arranged by color.  See slide #10 of #12 at https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/12/19   

Dec. 20 is the earliest date for Winter solstice's eve in the Northern Hemisphere.   

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com   Issue 2608  December 20, 2022