![]() This story manages the difficult task of making simplicity and austerity things to be treasured. However, the stories in this collection are disparate enough, and intriguing enough, that I wanted to be able to quickly reference who wrote what and what it was about.)įood on the Hoof, by Jan Morris is a paen to the joys of eating while moving, the feeling of rushed happiness as one moves from one locale to another in search of whatever new adventure may lie in wait around the next corner.ĭaily Bread by Pico Iyer is a quiet nod to the Californian monastary where the author retreats to a silence that is broken only by the Sunday lunch put on by the monks after mass. (I don't normally make it a habit to take notes, however brief, on each story in a collection. Some of the stories are quick and simple like a light lunch grabbed from a trattoria at a railway station in the north of Italy, while others are more substantial, more thoughtful, more deserving of a glass of wine and pleasant company. This wonderful collection will bring a smile to your face, in addition to a craving to your belly.īorrowing its name from the Hemmingway classic, Lonely Planet's entry into the burgeoning travel + food genre is a thoughtful sampler menu of meals eaten around the globe. While the unifying here may be food, it's also love - of travel, of discovery, and of life. And, of course, "Mango Madness", "Peanut Butter Summer", and "Breakfast Epiphanies", all of which made for delicious reading! "Speciality of the House" and "The Icing on the Japanese Cake" are both hilarious stories of adopting a "just say 'yes'" philosophy while traveling, and - oh, forget it. ![]() But let's not forget "Siberian Chicken", "The Scent of Love", or "Tijuana Terroir" all of which moved me in ways beyond just stimulating my appetite. It might have been "The 'Cue Quest", about a father and son's mission to find the best barbecue joint in the midwest, or perhaps "Long Live the King", a story of a particularly pungent fruit found on an island in the Western Pacific. It's hard to say exactly which story I enjoyed the most. ![]() ![]() But I didn't mind, because there are more than enough great stories here to make up for the odd misfire. But his name sells books, so there it is. His story is only two pages, and, were he not Anthony Bourdain, I am quite certain it wouldn't have been included at all. The weakest story probably comes from Anthony Bourdain, whose inclusion is shouted about on the green sticker adorning the top right of the page. Naturally, every short story collection is going to feature stories that range in quality, and that's no different here. This is one of the best short story collections I've ever had the pleasure of reading - and it's from Lonely Planet! The unifying theme here, in case you couldn't tell by the title, is food, so what we have is an assortment of 38 stories - or courses - of culinary experiences from around the world. The Rooster's Head in the Soup / Tim Cahillģ Stars = I enjoyed this book. The Best Meal I Ever Had / Andrew McCarthy Italy in Seventeen Courses / Laura Fraser The Icing on the Japanese Cake / Stefan Gates Les Tendances Culinaires / David LebovitzĬhai, Chillum and Chapati / Sean McLachlan Speciality of the House / Simon Winchester Just What the Doctor Ordered / Alexander LobranoĪdrift in French Guiana / Mark Kurlansky Of Boars, Baskets and Brotherhood / David DownieĬouscous and Camaraderie / Anita Breland I have included the table of contents, for your reference. I still miss him, and his down-to-earth honesty. It was bittersweet to read Anthony Bourdain's contribution. It combines two themes I love to read about.
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