The Rum-Cake, Baba Au Rhum

Abstract

Mr Maher, who describes himself as 'no gourmand/gourmet, just an eater and philologist/ culture historian', writes from 6215 N. Drake Avenue, Chicago lL 60659, in terms which imply a readiness to impart his views on points on culinary etymology to any PPC readers who share his interest in this field. The drawings which he has supplied of the Ukrainian babka - baba are, he tells us: '...from the pen of Mrs Alexandra Diachenko Kochman. The decidedly phallic-looking version ... makes me suspect that a particular male idol dug up near Novgorod is the direct inspiration of this one.' Since he has also supplied a printed representation of this idol, we reproduce it also for purposes of comparison.