Category: Lavinia Dickinson

What Ales You

3/12/2018

From our food editor Verla Burrell-Bordelon:

March 12th is trending on Twitter as #312Day, some sort of beer holiday, and I’m not sure why. It’s not National Beer Day – that is April 7th, a date set by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request) in 1861 to mark the day that President Lincoln signed a law allowing people to buy, sell and drink beer containing up to 3.2% alcohol by (or 4.05% by volume). After signing the law, Lincoln said, “I think this would be a good time for beer.”

No, it seems as though #312Day is a made-up holiday concocted by the Goose Island Beer Company which is located in Chicago. The company brews “312 Urban Wheat Ale” and “312 Urban Pale Ale,” named for an area code in Chicago, 312.

Whether you enjoy a beer today or on National Beer Day, April 7th (or even on every night in between), we thought you’d enjoy Emmett Lee Dickinson’s ode to beer, “Our share tonight of beer” (below on the left). Dickinson’s poem inspired his third cousin Emily Dickinson to down a case of tall boys and pen her poem “Our share of night to bear” (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

Our share tonight of beer,
Our share of cold ones.
Our tank of bliss to fill,
Our tank of cold ones.

Here a draft, and there a draft,
We’ll find our way.
Here a malt, and there a malt,
After who’ll – pay?

By Emily Dickinson:

Our share of night to bear,
Our share of morning,
Our blank to bliss to fill,
Our blank in scorning.

Here a star, and there a star,
Some lose their way.
Here a mist, and there a mist,
Afterwards – day!

Pictured at the right: A familiar site on March 12, April ;7 (National Beer Day), or any spring, summer, or fall day in Amherst, Massachusetts: Lavinia Dickinson on the front lawn of the Dickinson Homestead with beers in hand.

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The Cat's Meow

2/17/2018

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From our 19th century historian Eudora Dickinson:

Today is World Cat Day, established in 1853 by Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson’s third cousin, twice removed – at her request) to honor third cousin Lavinia Dickinson who, unlike her sister Emily, loved cats. Emmett Lee Dickinson loved cats too.

Lavinia Dickinson was very appreciative of Emmett Lee’s establishment of World Cat Day – “a day when cats can think they are the rulers of the world,” she said.

“Just like every other day,” replied Emily.

Pictured at the right: Lavinia Dickinson and her cat Drummy-Doodles.

Emmett Lee Dickinson wrote several poems about cats, including “My Human – I’ll meow” (below on the left). His poem inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem “My Maker – let me be” (below on the right).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

My Human – I'll meow
A Word of two for thee –
But knowing this
When mad I'll hiss –

By Emily Dickinson:

My Maker – let me be
A World of two from thee –
But nearer this
I more should miss –

Picture below: A photograph of Emmett Lee Dickinson's cat, Little Ricky, outside Emily Dickinson's home in Amherst, Massachusetts:

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Tears of Joy

6/22/2017

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From our food editor Verla Burrell-Bordelon:

June 22 is an important date when it comes to the common onion (also known as the bulb onion), for on this date two important milestones occurred.

First, on June 22, 1852, Emmett Lee Dickinson (Emily Dickinson's third cousin, twice removed -- at her request) invented a delicious onion soup (a recipe for which the French later took credit).

Prior to this date onions were known as "devil spheres," and they were used sparingly if it all. People would wear garlands of onions to ward off common maladies such as sluggishness, biliousness, and the lure of unattractive suitors. However, Dickinson's soup became so popular that by 1857, June 22 was named "Day of the Onion."

A few years later, on June 22 1863, Emily Dickinson's sister Lavinia invented onion rings. Originally called "devil loops," a New York Times food editor dubbed them "onion ringlets," and the name was later shortened to onion rings. In a matter of just a few months, the popularity of Lavinia's concoction eclipsed that of Emmett's soup recipe, and by 1881 the "Day of the Onion" was changed to "National Onion Ring Day."

Pictured at the right: A letter from Emily Dickinson to Emmett Lee Dickinson about Lavinia's new culinary delight (click the image to enlarge). The letter reads as follows:

"Dearest Emmett,

A new recipe is always a chance, but a fried concoction by Lavinia -- which she calls devil loops -- resulted charmingly. They are as delicious as they are mysterious, though, for she protects the recipe like a druggist's formula.

Emily"

Before June 22 was changed to "National Onion Ring Day," Emmett Lee Dickinson wrote about the "Day of the Onion" in his now-classic poem "Some Days are better than the rest" (below on the left). We don't know if Dickinson's poem inspired Lavinia Dickinson to create onion rings, but the work did inspire Emily Dickinson to pen her poem with the same first line (below on the left).

By Emmett Lee Dickinson:

Some Days are better than the rest
In some distinction lie
Like when Day of the Onion comes
And you're obliged to cry

By Emily Dickinson:

Some Days retired from the rest
In soft distinction lie
The Day that a Companion came
Or was obliged to die

Below: Lavinia Dickinson's recipe for "devil loops" (aka "onion rings").

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Call It A Day

4/11/2017

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From our current affairs editor Lemuel Stuart III:

Today is National Pet Day, a day established in 1878 by Emmett Lee Dickinson in honor of his dog Monte. Dickinson came up with the idea for a national day in honor of pets after he wrote his now-classic poem "Some Days rise above the rest" (below on the left). Dickinson's poem also inspired third cousin Emily to pen her poem "Some Days retired from the rest" (below on the right).

Of course Dickinson's poem was an immediate favorite of all of the Dickinsons, bcause one thing alll of the relatives shared was a love of their pets. Emily Dickinson loved her dog Carlo, Lavinia Dickinson adored her fox Gambler, and Austin Dickinson cherished his bear Motya the Bear.

Pictured below, left to right: Emmett Lee Dickinson's beloved dog, Monte; a Newfoundland, the type of dog owned by Emily Dickinson; Lavinia Dickinson and her fox Gambler; Austin Dickinson and his dearly loved bear, Motya the Bear. Click the images to enlarge.