mid-afternoon insanity

[incandescens]

So one of my coworkers is just back from vacation, and has brought some turkish delight with her. Fairly genuine stuff, a box of rose and a box of coconut/hazelnut. (I've been sticking to the rose because I don't like coconut.) Another coworker has, in a non-serious way, been complaining because it isn't chocolate-coated turkish delight.

The non-serious complaining on both sides escalates.

At this point I suggest that maybe it's the sugar-coated type to allow easier arsenic poisoning. (See Strong Poison by Dorothy Sayers for further details.) While my manager, who has been listening, mimes stomach pains and collapse (it is Friday afternoon, after all) I explain to another coworker about the plot of Strong Poison (hero bluffs villain who he suspects to have become immune to arsenic poison by taking small doses, convincing him that he has actually taken large dose while eating turkish delight, and thus proven his immunity to the poison and thus his guilt). I also go into a digression about the old "poisons book" in chemists, about how one could buy arsenic or strychnine to kill rats or wasps, and how arsenic used to be nicknamed "inheritance powder".

My coworker wonders out loud how come I know so much about arsenic.

I excuse myself by explaining it's because of my interest in classic Golden Age crime fiction.

(But I suspect that now she knows too much . . .)

Comments

[nagaina-ryuuoh.livejournal.com]

....What does rose Turkish delight taste/smell like?

::shifty eyes::

[incandescens]

Roses. :)

Well, at least, it smells of roses. And it's sweet.

[archangelbeth]

Hee hee hee.

[incandescens]

One can get a little insane at 3pm on a Friday afternoon. :)

[mikeneko.livejournal.com]

I didn't know about "inheritance powder"! (But I did know the rest. Uh.)

xsmoonshine sent me a box of turkish delight a few years ago so that I could try it. Pretty box, yellowish, gellish goo to pry apart, white powdery substance on top. C.S. Lewis leads you to believe that it's the most awesome of imaginable foods, but it turned out to be rather mild and meh. I didn't really know what to make of it. Maybe it's a subtle tastes thing.

[incandescens]

I think it's one of those things that you either like or you don't. (And there was probably evil magic involved in the C.S. Lewis version.)

[houseboatonstyx.livejournal.com]

And as someone pointed out, this was in WWII and candy was rationed.

[incandescens]

Good point. As an example of the most exotic thing which it was scarcely possible to get . . .

[summer-queen.livejournal.com]

I can safely say I never once saw chocolate covered Turkish Delight in Turkey. I adore the stuff ... and chocolate, but cannot imagine combining the two. Ever.

[incandescens]

I regret to inform you that one can obtain chocolate-covered Turkish Delight in England. Though personally I prefer the proper stuff. Without chocolate.

[flit.livejournal.com]

Now I want to go read Strong Poison again!

And never ever give anyone arsenic, of course. ;)

[incandescens]

But of course not. :)

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

Not really off-topic: You wouldn't happen to have any of your Wimsey books handy, would you?

(I too know way to much about arsenic poisoning.)

[incandescens]

I'm afraid not. They were family copies, and when I moved up to Leeds, I left them behind with my mother.

I do remember chunks, but I'm afraid that I can't check references. Was there something in particular you were thinking about?

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

I need someone with a copy in hand (I may have to find mine) because I might be ripping off the cryptic crossword for a fic and have yet to find it on the magical Internets.

[incandescens]

Aha. Yes, I remember one. The ... Fascinating Problem of Uncle Meleager's Will, was that it? Sorry, I can't help you.

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

Yeah. It's no problem! I was just thinking of it and then Wimsey came up.

[incandescens]

Good luck finding it elsewhere!

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

Thank you!