Customer Reviews

Eater's Digest: 400 Delectable Readings About Food and Drink

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love this book. I say "love," in the present tense, because I've been sampling it every day, reading a few passages at a time to string out the enjoyment. While my husband is cooking, I read passages aloud to him so that we can enjoy it together. It's jam packed with fascinating information about every possible aspect food and eating: where marshmallows came from; which piece of silverware to use for the courses at a formal dinner; everything you wanted to know about Spam; the perils of marinating meat; what every pantry should stock on its shelves, etc., etc. Lorraine Bodger's voice is warm, funny and likable. Whether you're reading it aloud or to yourself, you have the sense that you're spending time with a very funny, very intelligent, and very talented friend. This is a gem.

Whether you want a decent reference book or simply an entertaining book about food, culture and eating habits, this book doesn't cut it. It's chock full of stale tidbits culled from other sources.

Open the book to any random page and you'll find something you've seen dozens of times before. Take page 42, for instance, where our diligent researcher points out that rice pudding, mashed potatoes and cinnamon toast are comfort food. Good info for those who thought these comprised Nouvelle Cuisine. On page 55, we are informed that apples, bananas and oranges are among the most popular fruits in America. Page 69 reveals that lettuce, cucumbers and watercress are low in calories, while the following pages warn that goose fat, lard and duck fat are not. Page 73 provides a real shockeroo: an entire box of filled chocolates contains many calories (and so does an entire strawberry cheesecake...no wonder my diet isn't working). Page 89 pulls the curtains back from the Secrets of Sugar, advising us that granulated sugar is grainy, while powdered sugar is powdery. Page 110 gives us a list of yellow foodstuffs, in case you were wondering what color yellow squash and yellow cake might be, or thought that lemons and bananas came in assorted designer shades.

Page 127 tells us what a latte is, pages 128 and 129 provide the disturbing news that potato chips are a favorite kids' snack, while bitter foods and something the author describes as "soggy yogurt" are not. On pages 140 and 141, we are told that parsley is a good choice for garnish, and ketchup, mustard and relish are popular condiments. But wait, there's more. Other revelations include: T-Bone steaks are generally enjoyed by most people who like steak; chopped celery may be added to tuna salad; cleaning the oven is an unpopular pastime; mashed potatoes are not usually found on pizza; Genoa salami comes from Italy; the Japanese eat miso soup for breakfast; minced ham, peppers and onions are good in an omelet. Page 197 lists such unusual stuffed foods as grape leaves, cabbage and mushrooms. We are also warned that the mushrooms called Death Cap and Death Angel should not be eaten. Drat, there goes my dinner menu.

Beyond the silly lists, author Lorraine Bodger also takes the time to give us brief essays. One of these explains that crepes and blintzes are quite similar, another tells us that breast milk is good for babies. My favorite essay, which appears on page 286, deals with Food Safety Away From Home. Blodger advises us that all restaurant kitchens are dirty. "If you saw the inside of most restaurant kitchens, you'd never eat out again." She comes right out and warns us: "Don't eat sushi in restaurants." So where do we go? The bus station? She also lets us know that those specials at the top of the menu are the restaurant's revenge on clientele, comprising "the chef's fervent desire to unload the eighty-two pork chops and 12 pounds of crabmeat that didn't go over too well last week."

Get the picture? This could have been written in two hours by anyone with access to Google. Save your money. Buying this book will just leave a bad taste in the mouth.

Lots of fascinating tidbits about anything related to food! I keep this out in my kitchen and anyone that looks at it loves it

This is another "used" book that I bought for $0.01. Not used at all! It was brand new! I recommend searching for "used" books!

If you're a picker, a snacker, or even a cafeteria-style foodie reader, you'll enjoy rambling through this mixture of odd, old, tempting, and tasty selections. It's a tad uneven in its quality of pieces but, hey, it's like food.

Eater's Digest: 400 Delectable Readings about Food and Drink, by Lorraine Bodger, is a fun and easy read for lovers of food trivia and history, but it is not for the expert. The passages are brief and filled with interesting information, but, as a foodie, I had already learned about half of the information included in this volume. For newcomers to the vast world of gastronomy it is of value, especially when shared with others.