Fun Fact: masseter

masseter

Anatomy def: One of four pairs of muscles of mastication; masseters close the lower jaw during chewing or gritting the teeth.

Outlander def: Muscles of intense energy, activated by agony, frustration, aggression, torment, trauma, or anger! Etc., etc., etc.

Learn about masseter muscles, mandible, and mastication in Anatomy Lesson #26, “Jamie’s Chin – Manly Mentus.”

Read about Jamie and his clenched jaw (and Clair’s) from Dragonfly in Amber book:

“Jamie,” I said, into the folds of his plaid. “I’m going back with you.” He started back, staring down at me. “The hell you are!” he said. “I am.” I felt very calm, with no trace of doubt. “I can make a kilt of my arisaid; there are enough young boys with the army that I can pass for one. You’ve said yourself it will all be confusion. No one will notice.”

“No!” he said. “No, Claire!” His jaw was clenched, and he was glaring at me with a mixture of anger and horror. “If you’re not afraid, I’m not either,” I said, firming my own jaw. “It will … be over quickly. You said so.” My chin was beginning to quiver, despite my determination. “Jamie—I won’t … I can’t … I bloody won’t live without you, and that’s all!”

See Jamie’s contracted masseter and clenched jaws reveal his fierce warrior side as he heads into battle against the redcoats (Starz episode 210, Prestonpans). Mayhap his sword and dirk will meet up with Captain Black Jack? No, not this time, Jamie, but soon!!!!

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

Anatomical Gastronomy: An Outlander Kitchen Cookbook Review

outlander-kitchen-coverOutlander Kitchen is a veritable feast for the anatomical senses! This delightful cookbook by trained chef and food writer, Theresa Carle-Sanders, will charm all five senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch.

Pupils will dilate with pleasure as you behold the gorgeous photographs allowing you to visually sample delectable dishes inspired by Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books. Who can resist the image of Rosamund’s Pulled Pork with Devil’s Apple BBQ Sauce? Yum! Even the typography used throughout the book is delightfully designed to awaken the senses.

Ear drums will vibrate as you hear yourself oooh and ahhh with pleasure over the variety of dishes designed to make your stomach grumble, from Mrs. FitzGibbons’s Overnight Parritch to Murtagh’s Gift to Ellen, cleverly presented in the form of Puff Pastry Boar Tusks, to Black Jack Randalls Dark Chocolate Lavender Fudge (who knew BJR had a sweet tooth? Apparently, the only sweet trait he possesses!).

Taste buds will rock and roll once your dishes have been prepared and you take that first bite of Jocasta’s Auld Country Bannocks or Jem’s Bread Pudding with Maple Butterscotch Sauce. Your mouth will feel satiated with your stunning successes because Theresa’s expertise leads you through the basics of a Mrs. FitzGibbon’s worthy kitchen with informational tutorials and thoughtfully written recipes throughout.

Oh! And the smells! The olfactory system will go into overdrive as you catch a whiff of Pheasant and Greens at Ardsmuir glazed in “a sweet, luscious sauce of orange and apricot…” You can’t help but sniff deeply over Lord John’s Upside-Down Plum Cake as you pull it steaming from the oven. Your nostrils will flare with Sarah Woolam’s Scotch Pies as fragrant beef, onion, pepper and nutmeg hit your olfactory receptors.

bridie-bookAnd finally, wait until your fingers feel Roger and Brees Pizza; you just know as you pick up the first slice that the crust will be crispy and the inside chewy. Mayhap you’ll hesitate as your lips touch the rim of your glass with The Comte St. Germain’s Poison but you can’t resist the elderflower liqueur and lime twist. And, Briannas Bridies, with their flaky pastry and hand-pie size, will fit perfectly in your palm.

While I’ve focused on a few of the anatomical benefits of this cookbook, there are so many more treasures inside including Diana Gabaldon’s wonderfully humorous forward that begins with “Food disappears all the time…!” Hah! Throughout are passages from Outlander books, historical references, and clever adaptations of traditional recipes for today’s discriminating palate.

Give yourself a full-body, anatomical experience with this fabulous cookbook!

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist

Fun Fact: cicatrix

cicatrix

Anatomy def: Connective tissue remnants marking a healed sore or wound.

Outlander def: Horrific marks wielded by a lash with such fury as to permanently mar the beautiful back of a Scottish warrior!

Learn about cicatrices and how they form in Anatomy Lesson #37, ““Outlander Owies, Part 3 – Mars and Scars!”

Read about scars throughout Diana’s books. This great example from Dragonfly in Amber book showcases BJR’s handiwork!

The soap bubbles ran down across the wet, gleaming curves of his shoulders, and my hands followed them, spreading the slickness so that my fingers seemed to float on the surface of his skin. He was big, I thought. Near him so much, I tended to forget his size, until I saw him suddenly from a distance, towering among smaller men, and I would be struck anew by his grace and the beauty of his body. But he sat now with his knees nearly underneath his chin, and his shoulders filled the tub from one side to the other. He leaned forward slightly to assist my ministrations, exposing the hideous scars on his back. The thick red welts of Jack Randall’s Christmas gift lay heavily over the thin white lines of the earlier floggings.

See these sad cicatrices as Jamie sheds his shirt for cousin Jared, in Starz, episode 201, Through A Glass Darkly. Laying eyes on that battered back, Jared now regrets doubting Jamie’s loyalty to Scotland!

A deeply grateful,

Outlander Anatomist