Author: Matt Goulding
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: Harper Wave
Publish Date: October 27, 2015
Source: Library
What's the Story?:
From Goodreads.com: "An innovative new take on the travel guide, Rice, Noodle, Fish decodes Japan's extraordinary food culture through a mix of in-depth narrative and insider advice, along with 195 color photographs. In this 5000-mile journey through the noodle shops, tempura temples, and teahouses of Japan, Matt Goulding, co-creator of the enormously popular Eat This, Not That! book series, navigates the intersection between food, history, and culture, creating one of the most ambitious and complete books ever written about Japanese culinary culture from the Western perspective."
My Two Cents:
"Rice, Noodle, Fish" is a travelogue through the delicious and fascinating food culture of Japan. When I travel, one of my favorite things to do is to explore the new place through their food. This is a gorgeous book that takes us to many different parts of Japan to show us how the Japanese prepare and eat their food. One word of warning: do not read this book while you are hungry. If you do and you don't have quick access to authentic Japanese food, you're probably going to eat the book and that's really frowned upon! So count yourself warned...
This is not only a book about food but a book about the culture around the food. In many different cultures, food brings people together. It's no different in Japan. This book was published under Anthony Bourdain's publishing imprint and that's no surprise: this book feels like a readable version of "Parts Unknown," a show I absolutely love! The author talks not only about the food but about the people who make the food and the people that eat the food. This whole book is a treat for the senses and could only be made better if it actually came with the food that the book talks about.
I have never been to Japan before but it is definitely on my list of places to visit someday. I really, really want to visit now after reading this book!
Hi! Nice review. I enjoyed this book but I liked his one on Spain even more (Grape, Olive, Pig: Deep Travels Through Spain's Food Culture). If you haven't read it I hope you can get access to it.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I liked it more because I've been to Spain and haven't been to Japan. Or perhaps because Goulding lives in Spain and is married to a Spaniard so the book seems more intimate. Or maybe it's just a slightly better book.
I used to have a big interest in Japan and read a lot of novels about it, but since I've gotten older the Caribbean calls my name. :-)
ReplyDeletesherry @ fundinmental