Hotel CORDEL
Submissions Open 01.10 / 31.10.25
Hotel CORDEL takes its cue from traditional Spanish “Cordel” literatures. A nineteenth century pamphlet culture that owes to the Portuguese literatura de cordel (translating as a “string” or “thread” literature), Pliegos de cordel [cordel sheets] are a cousin to the bibliothèque bleue [blue library] in French publishing tradition; a brother to the German Volksbuch [people’s book]: an inexpensively printed pamphlet containing folk novelettes, poems, political statements and songs. So named because they were hung from strings in marketplaces to display these texts to their potential readers, CORDEL sheets would conform to the traditional chapbook format; printed on a single sheet and then folded into a paper concertina of either 8, 12, 16 or 24 pages.
Re-versioning this tradition, Hotel CORDEL will run as a series of collaborative pamphlets that’ll see Hotel partner with poets, authors, other small press projects, publishers, artists and curators to produce a series of pocket literatures in the Cordel tradition.
Address all submissions to Dominic Jaeckle
via submissions@tenementpress.com.
Please include a brief biographical note, and links to any previous publications and/or exhibited works.
Hotel CORDEL takes its cue from traditional Spanish “Cordel” literatures. A nineteenth century pamphlet culture that owes to the Portuguese literatura de cordel (translating as a “string” or “thread” literature), Pliegos de cordel [cordel sheets] are a cousin to the bibliothèque bleue [blue library] in French publishing tradition; a brother to the German Volksbuch [people’s book]: an inexpensively printed pamphlet containing folk novelettes, poems, political statements and songs. So named because they were hung from strings in marketplaces to display these texts to their potential readers, CORDEL sheets would conform to the traditional chapbook format; printed on a single sheet and then folded into a paper concertina of either 8, 12, 16 or 24 pages.
Re-versioning this tradition, Hotel CORDEL will run as a series of collaborative pamphlets that’ll see Hotel partner with poets, authors, other small press projects, publishers, artists and curators to produce a series of pocket literatures in the Cordel tradition.
Address all submissions to Dominic Jaeckle
via submissions@tenementpress.com.
Please include a brief biographical note, and links to any previous publications and/or exhibited works.
Poetry
Both long form and sequences are welcome / works in translation are particularly encouraged.
Prose
A term to be understood loosely, we welcome fiction and non-fiction alike, alongside statements, manifestos and archival materials.
Songs
In the grain and vein of song collectors—viz. Smith / Lomax / viz. Sharp,—and songwriters alike, collections of lyrics (both historic and original) are encouraged. Works in translation are particularly welcomed.
Recipes
For instance ...
Tibetan Keema
2 tablespoons Cooking Oil.
1½ / 4cm piece of Ginger
washed, but not peeled,
& finely chopped.
3 large cloves of Garlic
thinly sliced.
1 Red Onion, diced.
1 Tomato, diced.
1lb 2oz / 500g. Ground Beef.
1 teaspoon Bassar Curry Masala. *
1 large (or 2 small) Green Bell Peppers **
cut into 2.5cm / 1 inch pieces.
1 tablespoon Sesame Oil.
* Any chile powder would suffice, with heat a question of personal preference.
** Okra works well as an alternative to the bell peppers.
Heat the oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the ginger and garlic and stirfry until golden brown. Stir in the onion, tomato and salt, and continue to cook for a rough five minutes, or until the onion and tomato have softened.
Now add the beef and curry masala / chile, stirring everything together for seven to eight minutes, pressing down on the meat every once in a while to help release its juices. Once these have become reabsorbed, turn the heat down and stir well to stop everything sticking to the pan.
Finally, add the green peppers, sesame oil and stir fry for a further six / seven minutes, depending on how soft you like your peppers. If the dish looks a little dry, add a touch of boiling water.
Serve with rice, partner with a dal.
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