The Bookworm Sez

You had a sandwich for lunch again today. most curious thing: much of what If you had to estimate, you’ve eaten thousands of those things over the last you’ll read about will make your mouth water. five years. Chicken sandwiches. Yes, there’s plenty to make you Sandwiches with lunch meat. Sandwiches say “Eeeeeuuuww” and curl your with a burger. Vegetarian sandwiches. lip here, but give authors Cecily Grilled cheese sandwiches, yeah, you Wong and Dylan Thuras a paracould be in a rut. So tomorrow, why not graph to change your mind. What try something different? Read “Gastro Obscura” by Cecily Wong and Dylan Thuras, and see what else is on the menu. Let’s face it: part of the fun of travel is eating, and lots of it. Whether it’s authentic Thai food or locally-sourced fish, Mom’s secret gravy recipe or Grandma’s pies, half the appeal of travel is on a table somewhere, and why not? If you’re thirsty, how about a Irn-Bru from Scotland, a kind of soda with “.002 percent ammonium ferric citrate.” A Mlíko, or “fluffy beer” from the Czech Republic might taste good, and “Naked Boy Tea” doesn’t seem so bad when you know that it’s not from a real boy. And then there’s dessert, maybe ice cream prethey’ve dished up in this book are the kinds of foodstuffs that hosts in other countries would prepare for fancy company. Some of the dishes are ancient, passed down from generations of cooks; others are new versions of old meals similar to some you might

Worst case scenario: you don’t like it but you tried. sented as spaghetti, a dish Germans love; or blood Best case scenario: the best meal ever. candy from Russia, made of cow’s blood. Never

So why not start with something easy. On your mind; how about a stick of gum that proudly tastes next journey, try Bovril, a “beloved” beef product like soap? that’s sold as a paste in England. Go to Italy and But wait – you’re traveling, remember? Yes, and stand in line for the chance to sample “what may be while you’re out, you might take in a “Cow’s Head the rarest pasta in the world.” Have a bowl of “Sumo Barbecue” in Texas, a food tour of the Jim Crow Wrestler Stew,” knowing that no wrestlers were South, lunch in Mumbai, chile school, or a harmed in its creation. These foods would taste great Hollywood studio. when accompanied by bread baked in sand or lava in Libya or the Solomon Islands, and perhaps some Bon Appétit! mustard pickles from Canada. Crack open “Gastro Obscura” and you’ll notice a

THE BOOKWORM SEZ By Terri Schlichenmeyer

“Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer’s Guide” by Cecily Wong and Dylan Thuras c.2021m Workman Publishing $40.00 / $50.00 Canada 440 pages already enjoy. You’ll find treats for kids here, oncein-a-lifetime bucket-listers for discerning palates, and easy-to-learn comfort foods for young adults – and if you don’t believe that, there are some recipes you can try. Reading this book is like taking your stomach on a vacation, and no foodie should be without it. If you’re looking for an unusual something for the gourmand, “Gastro Obscura” is what’s for lunch. The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. She lives in Wisconsin with three dogs and 10,000 books. v