Ambrosia

Posted by ESC on June 07, 2005

In Reply to: Food of the gods posted by Victoria S Dennis on June 07, 2005

: : : : What does a "dish fit for the gods" mean?

: : : This is too easy--there's got to be a catch. A dish is, of course, an entree, a food served presumably on a dish (figure of speech there, "dish" for the food on the dish), and pretty good, since the gods are notoriously fussy about their food, preferring nectar and ambrosia (know where to get those?), but presumably accepting gourmet cooking and expensive wine. So, "dish fit for the gods" means: yummy! SS

: : From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.
: :
: : Ambro'sia.
: :
: : The food of the gods (Greek, a privative, brotos, mortal); so called because it made them not mortal, i.e. it made them immortal. Anything delicious to the taste or fragrant in perfume is so called from the notion that whatever is used by the celestials must be excellent. 1

: : "A table where the heaped ambrosia lay."
: : Homer, by Bryant: Odyssey, v. line 141.
: :
: : "Husband and wife must drink from the cup of conjugal life; but they must both taste the same ambrosia, or the same gall."- R. C. Houghton: Women of the Orient, part iii.
: : didn't we discuss this back in April, here?
: www.phrases.org.uk bulletin_board 41 messages 24.html
: so a "dish fit for the gods" isn't actually as appetising as it sounds!

While we are on the subject of ambrosia: I learned from a friend of mine, a Georgia native, that it is a dish that must be served at Christmas time in the South:

AMBROSIA FRUIT SALAD
Printed from COOKS.COM

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 (13 oz.) can pineapple chunks, drained
1/2 c. miniature marshmallows
1 c. coconut
1/2 c. whipped cream, whipped

Put together in bowl, let set overnight. Put ambrosia fruit salad in mold.

• Ambrosia Bob 08/June/05