Food curious? Try Gastro Obscura for insight into food, cultures around the world
Cecily Wong and Dylan Thuras, authors of “Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer’s Guide,” have created a highly informative, visually exciting book for readers who are curious about different foods and cultures around the world. If you’re looking for a new recipe book, this is not it. But if you love reading about the interesting, unusual (and even delicious!) things people enjoy all around the world, this book is definitely a great fit for you.
Readers can learn about strange food-related occurrences, like a molasses flood that burst out of a 5-story storage tank and engulfed a portion of Boston, Massachusetts back in 1919, killing horses, destroying buildings, and even claiming the lives of 21 people. Maybe you’re curious about the special stew consumed by sumo wrestlers in Japan (as many as ten bowls for lunch!) in order to achieve their impressive bulk. I was amazed to find out that ancient Persians developed a way to make ice in the desert as far back as 400 B.C., using their own type of icehouse called a “yakhchal,” which looks something like a multi-story beehive—conical in shape, with a wide base tapering to a point at the top of the structure.
The book covers food traditions in over 120 countries. “We love tasty food, but we aim to be explorers rather than gourmands,” say Wong and Thuras. Their book is “a collection of forgotten histories and endangered traditions, obscure experiences, culinary ingenuity, and edible wonders.” Wherever possible, the authors include information on how to visit or experience the foods they’ve selected. The book is organized into geographical sections, including Africa, Europe, and even Antarctica. An index is included for easy reference. Color photos and illustrations highlight each entry.
Of course, I had to check and see if New Mexico foods are included in the book, and I was not disappointed. The authors feature both New Mexico chile and traditional foods of the Taos Pueblo. “The abundance and fervor for chile sauce is largely thanks to the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University,” the authors write. “Mexican-born horticulturalist Fabian Garcia, a member of the first graduating class in 1894, was appointed director of the Agricultural Experimentation Station in 1913.” The authors give credit to Garcia for developing the first chile “with a standard pod and heat level, which he called ‘New Mexico 9.’” If you would like to learn more about the Chile Pepper Institute or order some chile pepper seeds and other items, you can visit their website at https://cpi.nmsu.edu/.
The authors also highlight the food at Tiwa Kitchen, owned by Ben and Debbie Sandoval. Ben’s family lives in Taos Pueblo. He incorporates locally-raised bison on the menu as well as blue corn and red chile grown on Pueblo land. “A rare outpost for home-style Pueblo and New Mexican comfort food, Tiwa Kitchen serves dishes that have been passed from generation to generation—taught to Ben by his grandmothers,” the authors note. You can learn more about Tiwa Kitchen at https://www.tiwakitchen.com/index.html.
Fans of the late chef/author/television personality Anthony Bourdain will enjoy leafing through this bountiful book of world foods and culture. The publication is a project from Atlas Obscura, an online magazine, education, and tourism company. You can borrow the book in print format at Carlsbad Public Library, or download the e-book edition with the library’s free Hoopla app.
This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Try Gastro Obscura for insight into food, cultures around the world
