( 5 reviews )
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( 1 of 1 found this review helpful ) Posted: Jan 1 2007
Some of the dining suggestions in this book are too disgusting to read, such as Mackerel Tartare, Monkey Gland Steak and nearly all of Chapter 3, "Food and the Body," which considers the edible qualities of things like scabs and ear wax. But for the most part British writer Gates is a comic adventurer who has gone to absurd lengths in playing with his food so that you won't have to - cooking with aftershave, insects and gold; making stills, margarine, and Fish Sperm on Toast; exploring the elaborate, or at least lengthy, traditions of Birds' Nest Soup, Chicken Foot Stew, Headcheese, and teaching your grandmother to suck eggs. History abounds, along with pointers on recreating such momentous events as Bacchanalian orgies and various Last Suppers. There's Elvis' Fried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich, Andy Warhol's Chocolate Balls, the Deep-fried Mars Bar and various elements of classic British cookery, such as Hasty Pudding, Flummery, Lumpydick, and Gruel, not all of which are considered suitable for eating. There are some practical dishes too, which retain, of course, the spirit of fun off the beaten track - Stuffed Fish Heads, Stargazey Pie, Gravlax, and seasonal suggestions like spring carrot jam and autumn mushroom ketchup. Gates is witty, knowledgeable and irreverent. Recipes are definitely included. For food mavens tired of eating sensibly. -- Portsmouth Herald
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( 0 of 1 found this review helpful ) Posted: Dec 11 2006
Take a healthy dose of humor, add a healthier dose of food savvy, and you have Gastronaut: Adventures in Food for the Romantic, the Foolhardy, and the Brave, which advocates readers go to the 'wild side' of the culinary world to analyze cuisines, meals, and food-related oddities. From 'Why Not Eat Insects?' to an essay on cheese-making and a popular South African 'Monkey Gland' dish with roots in Victorian times, chapters pair hilarious observations, history and analysis with unusual recipes. A fun survey even avid cooks will appreciate for its light-hearted twists and unusual perspective. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch
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( 3 of 4 found this review helpful ) Posted: Oct 13 2006
Anyone who thinks he or she is a food adventurer should read this book. Gates has brought the adventure to a whole new level. I was amazed, thrilled, then aghast in the journey of the Gastronaut. Being a Chinese and a food lover, I never thought a Westerner can be as brave and as romantic about food. While a few of Gates's experience would make me frown and close the book for a few minutes, most stories are quite inspiring. I especially enjoy his "cooking with gold" and would like to try it out myself someday.
