A minor problem, but an interesting one, when reading literature from past times is decoding the words that have fallen from general use that would have been easily recognized by the people of the period .

Dr. Bill did a wonderful job yesterday in explaining to me how soft coal gas jets worked that I'd read about in Ethan Frome. From that same work, I came across the term 'fascinator,' which turned out to be, according to Webster's, a knit scarf usually of lace or crochet, which doesn't sound very warm to me for the snowy New England setting.

Anyway, I found a picture on Google of a fascinator:

http://www.modeknit.com/modeknit/images/t_1910_fascinator.jpg

Can't say that I like the term because it would beg argument on certain heads...

If you can think of other terms that you've learned about that fit into this category, please do share. One of the allures of literature for me is stepping back into periods in which I didn't live, particularly when an author is writing who directly experienced that period.

Try Aga, which is in The Mousetrap. Giles says to Molly something along the lines of, "Shall I stoke up the Aga?" It took us quite a while to find out that Aga was an old brand of stove of some sort.

Of course you could never use one to heat the powder room, because then it'd be an Aga Can.

that Aga was an old brand of stove of some sort.

HERESY! an Aga is not some sort of stove, it is the rolls royse of stoves!

i have seen 'home improvement' articles (ok, so not frequently, and i have 'done' several kitchens in my life, and read more than an average number of such magazines) devoted to re-designing a kitchen, around an Aga.

like a sub-zero refriderator, or a wolf stove (a US brand) the aga is specialty item, that is known and loved..

on the other hand, the first time i saw driving miss daisy, i 'missed' the reference to krispy kremes.. --when the power goes out, and the driver brings miss daisy hot coffee from the krispy kreme. i figure out from context that krispy creme was a local place, but i was totally unfamiliar with the chain.

i have always lived in NY, and really haven't traveled much south of philidelphia, (except for an occational trip to DC) and southern references are as likely to throw me as any!

a local fabric store chain here in Northeast is called the ragshop. (the garment industry is always refered to as the 'rag trade') the ragshop has expanded from fabric to yarns and craft items. when people from other parts of US and world first saw the name, they were stunned, "a rag shop"? who would want to buy rags? why would a store call its self a ragshop?..

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It took us quite a while to find out that Aga was an old brand of stove of some sort.

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Not so old. My brother and sister-in-law stayed at her aunt's place near Colchester for a few days over Christmas and came back in ecstasies over the aunt's new Aga.

Aga's website is here: http://www.aga-rayburn.co.uk/4.htm

Bingley

Funny to think about an Aga in an Agatha mystery (ref: Mousetrap).

Bingley's link: Wonder why there are those who report that cooking on an Aga improves taste? The only stoves I've ever known to improve taste were the old woodstoves, but, then again, my taste buds were much younger then. [I'm not including special ways of cooking, such as using wood chips or that kind of alteration.]

[dribble] As a mass heat reservoir device, an Aga or Rayburn encourages use of long slow cooking techniques, which often is associated with high taste (and more tasty cuts of meat such as stewed shin of beef). It is also typically likely to preserve moisture better than some electric and gas devices, so adding succulence... [/dribble]

an Aga or Rayburn encourages use of long slow cooking techniques

Antithetical to a microwave, eh?

Aga: for those days when all you have to do is cook.

Ah, what it must be like to be independently wealthy, or have someone else paying all the bills.

> all you have to do is cook

LOL! If only you knew more about my life :)

Actually they facilitate 'bung it on & forget about it while you do something important' styles of cookery that fits well with a very busy life style. And if you forget the baked potatoes for a few days <ahem>, they toast to a brittle carbon crisp with no trace of smell in the kitchen since the oven vents up the flu pipe!

In truth, I rely on a Rayburn with the addition of a separate gas hob, an electric fan-assisted oven, and a microwave for occasional use (particularly emergency defrosting when I fergit to get something out of the freezer before going off to work...)

But the Rayburn is the warm heart of the house, also supplying our hot water, heating three radiators, supplying warm air to an airing cupboard, and drying all the familiy's clothes when required.

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But the Rayburn is the warm heart of the house, also supplying our hot water, heating three radiators, supplying warm air to an airing cupboard, and drying all the familiy's (sic) clothes when required.

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My gosh. You sound so...British! Are you from somewhere in the British Isles?

>My gosh. You sound so...British! Are you from somewhere in the British Isles?

I think that maverick is from the last stronghold of the Britons, where they still speak phlegmish.

> where they still speak phlegmish

LOL! Spoken like a true Australian :)

Ruh roh! Methinks, maverick, that you'd better prepare yourself for a battle royal!

>Methinks, maverick, that you'd better prepare yourself for a battle royal!

Or not. Since I have an Australian mother, he is not that far from the truth. Now you know my secret shame.

>secret shame

I shall call you Vernon Cobber :)

When you get to know him better you migth call him Peach (Cobber.)