Are You Really Going to Eat That?: Reflections of a Culinary Thrill Seeker [Paperback]

Robb Walsh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2, 2004

From the top of the Blue Mountains of Jamaica for the perfect cup of coffee to the jungles of Thailand for an encounter with the abominably smelly “stinkfruit,” Robb Wals has traveled the globe, immersing himself in some of the world’s most interesting culinary phenomena. In Are You Really Going to Eat That? Walsh offers a collection of his best essays over the past ten years, along with some of his favorite recipes.

For Walsh, food is a window on culture, and his essays brim with insights into our society and those around us. Whether he’s discussing halal organic farming with Muslims, traversing the steep hills of Trinidad in search of hot-sauce makers, or savoring the disappearing art of black Southern cooking with a inmate-chef in a Texas penitentiary, Walsh has a unique talent for taking our understanding of food to a deeper level.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The Indiana Jones of food writers.” --Liane Hansen, Weekend Edition

“Walsh approaches food as an amateur culinary anthropologist, exploring the origins and preparations of foods, and seasoning his tales with cultural lore. . . . A treat for cooks and food lovers alike.” –The Christian Science Monitor

“[Walsh] can best be described as a cultural anthropologist with a serious face-stuffing issue. . . . The nice thing about Walsh’s writing is that he’s always aware of the big implications lurking around each subject but resists the temptations of didacticism.” –The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“[Walsh writes] with gusto about everything from the blue-footed chickens of Bresse to Spam musubi on the Kona coast. He ostensibly is discussing food, but is actually taking on far more” –Austin Chronicle

From the Inside Flap

From the top of the Blue Mountains of Jamaica for the perfect cup of coffee to the jungles of Thailand for an encounter with the abominably smelly "stinkfruit," Robb Wals has traveled the globe, immersing himself in some of the world's most interesting culinary phenomena. In Are You Really Going to Eat That? Walsh offers a collection of his best essays over the past ten years, along with some of his favorite recipes.

For Walsh, food is a window on culture, and his essays brim with insights into our society and those around us. Whether he's discussing halal organic farming with Muslims, traversing the steep hills of Trinidad in search of hot-sauce makers, or savoring the disappearing art of black Southern cooking with a inmate-chef in a Texas penitentiary, Walsh has a unique talent for taking our understanding of food to a deeper level.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Anchor (November 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400077168
• ISBN-13: 978-1400077168
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,321,267 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wide array of "gourmet" foods, December 19, 2005

By 

B. Emory (Wilmington NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Are You Really Going to Eat That? (Hardcover)

Walsh is an excellent writer, he can make your mouth water when he reviews cuisine in his magazine and newspaper articles. I thought this book was just a glimpse at some of his best writing, boy was I mistaken. Walsh has compiled articles composed of peculiar and obscure cuisine, and the travels he had to take getting there. Included in this collection are brains from Vietnam, cactus paddle margaritas, Thai Stinkfruit, Chilean picorrocco, and deep fried everything. But to give this book justice there are many selections of true wonderful (typical?) cuisine such as the blue crabs, Trinidadian curry, and the wonderful Creole food. My favorite selections are his search for true Jamaican coffee and Dinner at Darrington which portrays southern cooking at a prison.

The book is laid out in 5-6 page articles and profiles different ethnicities, countries, and esoteric cuisine. This book is great for a gourmand, foodie, but also for those who like learning about culture and people. Walsh highlights not only the foods but the cultivating, cooking, and traditions of this foods. For example stinkfruit is a delicacy to the Thai, sauerkraut to Austrians, spam to Hawaiins, and knishes to the Jewish yet these are probably not mainstays in your kitchen and probably not appealing to your senses.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in different foods and likes culinary writing. Walsh is a true culinary thrill seeker and it is definately exciting to read this collection.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great read for foodies, travel lovers and chefs, March 10, 2006

By 

J. K. Hackworth (Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Are You Really Going to Eat That? (Hardcover)

Walsh's collection of columns and the smattering of recipes is a quick and easy read that takes us around the world (sort of) and introduces some interesting (and some not so) food items and histories.

While some of the pieces feel dated (because they are) and the reader can distinctly feel that they are newspaper/magazine articles without the pictures (as they also are), I still found the book enjoyable and interesting. It's a book you can start and stop as you like, with enough anecdotes to impress your foodie friends--like which peppers are the hottest and where the best coffee comes from. Of course, it's all subjective.

The recipes are interesting, if not the most useful I've ever seen. Definitely don't base your buying decision on that inclusion.

I'll put it this way: after reading this book, if I see Robb Walsh in a magazine, I'll be sure to read the article.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars There's a Bug in His Soup, July 29, 2004

By 

takingadayoff "takingadayoff" (Las Vegas, Nevada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Are You Really Going to Eat That? (Hardcover)

Walsh goes from one epicurean extreme to another, from stinky durian to sublime Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. He must have been one of those kids who would eat a bug if you dared him to.

These essays are entertaining and informative (the crash-course on hot peppers, for example). Lots of fun, but Walsh obviously enjoys many dishes some of us are just not ready for (goat soup).

Too bad this isn't an audio book. I heard Walsh being interviewed on NPR and he was great. If they do issue an audio version, he should definitely be the narrator.