An interesting essay in the first issue is A Plea For Culinary Modernism: Why We Should Love New, Fast, Processed Food. The writer, culinary historian Rachel Laudan, explains that before the advent of processed foods and cooking appliances, women in some countries could expect to spend one-third of their waking hours preparing meals for their families, and that people went hungry because food spoiled before it could be eaten. She writes: 'For all, Culinary Modernism had provided what was wanted: food that was processed, preservable, industrial, novel and fast, the food of the elite at a price everyone could afford.' In the Spring 2001 issue, Arthur Schwartz, host of a radio call-in show about food, goes on a rant in Mangled Menus. The opinion piece is about the 'new culinary language' - chefs and menu writers who misuse classic culinary names and words. He cites 'potato carpaccio', which in a classical sense would mean thinly sliced raw potatoes, and lasagne that isn't based on sheets of pasta. The summer issue was published in June, and includes essays on mad cow disease, Food Fight - Kimchee In Japan, and book and film reviews. Gastronomica can be ordered on-line at www.gastronomica.org. It costs US$34 (HK$265) per year (four issues) plus US$20 postage for subscriptions outside North America.