Lonely Planet Extreme Cuisine

Tarantulas in Cambodia, live sea worms in Samoa, maggot cheese in Italy (an actual illegal food!), cobra in Vietnam, scorpions on a stick in Thailand, and yes, even coffee beans plucked from the poop of a civet cat in Indonesia. All of these delights and more await you in this little book. What's more, the author has actually eaten the foods he describes!! I haven't decided whether that makes him studly or just stupid, but he declares most of the "delicacies" in the book to be scrumptious. I'll have to take his word for it. No live octopus tentacles for me today, thanks. I'm not a picky eater, but I don't seek out disgusting and potentially dangerous culinary experiences. They're fascinating to read about, though. There are excellent close-up photos of each (ahem) "food," and entertaining, concise descriptions. For each item, he tells what exactly the food consists of, where in the world it is eaten, how it's prepared and eaten, and what the actual taste/texture experience is like. His sense of humor makes it fun to read. I had quite a few laugh out loud moments.

Some books are meant to be read for knowledge; others for entertainment. //Extreme Cuisine// certainly falls into the latter category. It's the type of book you might buy for your teenage son to occupy his time on a car trip. In fact, I'm not sure how many readers will be able to stomach the content. In addition to the vividly horrific photographs (slimy concoctions, wiggly worms, pigs faces), the unappetizing text confirms that this is not meant as a cookbook: "A fetid flavour is guaranteed if the intestines weren't cleaned well," or, "Assuming you don't have issues with slimy textures and phallic shapes at dinner time, then sea cucumber is a pleasure to eat." //Extreme Cuisine// is a tiny guidebook to the world's most exotic fare. But by "exotic," they really mean "absurd." They've included bull penis, popular in Asia; fish sperm, a delicacy in Japan; cow udder, enjoyed in Italy; and of course, lime green Jell-O salad, an American favorite. (A link to this recipe is included--taking the reader directly to a Sacramento-blogger's website). Each food comes complete with a full-color image to help produce nausea. I don't recommend reading this on either an empty or a full stomach. Perhaps most unappetizing are the ethical issues tied to some of this bizarre food, such as the poison fish, fugu, known to cause death to those who eat it if not properly prepared; or the animals that must suffer to produce it, such as foie gras. Then again, this thankfully wasn't meant as a cookbook; just a close-up look at the weird world of food. In fact, since the fine folks at Lonely Planet produced this unsavory morsel, you might consider picking it up as a guide for what not to eat on your travels. The book explains what each featured food actually is, where you'll find it, how it "works," and what sort of food experience you can expect. The next time you find yourself in Peru being offered a guinea pig sandwich this book might save you from an awkward lunch! The author best describes what it takes to dine on such cuisine, "Some people consider themselves gustatorily liberal, but when push comes to shove, or when eggs over easy become balut, these eaters curl up into a foetal position..." Packed with humor, //Extreme Cuisine// doesn't take itself too seriously. "So if you think you might enjoy the taste of an oversized rat with a hint of turkey flavour, gobble up a nutria." Bon Appetite, if you dare! Reviewed by Amber K. Stott