Book Review: Gastro Obscura

Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer’s Guide by Cecily Wong
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This gigantic, heavy book is perfect for any wander lusting foodie, like me! I can’t travel as much as I’d like, but I can roam the globe in search of foods I can’t find in my town. And it doesn’t need to be read in order. Pick a location and hunker down with a local delicacy.

I’m a Californian by birth, so I flipped to that section first. Secretive, unlabeled bottles to make a drink called a Zombie that a bartender would only make you two of before cutting you off? Nice! How to make Hollywood sound effects with lettuce, celery, pistachios, ice cream cones and more? Fun!

In Colorado, I learned a brilliant way to dispose of those inedible holiday fruitcakes. After roaming the USA, I flew overseas, to learn about armpit apples in Austria, how buccaneers pirated chicken dinner recipes in Martinique, and even went into space to learn how Russian Cosmonauts dined.

These are just random samplings. There’s so much more, from every part of the globe, and ranging from sublime to nauseating. Remember, this isn’t a recipe book. It’s an adventure guide!