The Gastronomical Tourist: Memories and Recipes of a Bistro Crawler at Home and Abroad

Rating:
Summary: Henry Miller would have liked this book
Review: I was lucky enough to see an advance copy of this book and hear a reading from it. Bloomfield has the story-telling skills of Henry Miller or Garrison Keilor as applied to both the details and the romance of food preparation.

The background for the recipes is a range of travel, literary, and personal discoveries that give food and cooking a whole new dimension.

Starting with a table of contents laid out like a high-class menu with entrees salads fish meat chicken vegetables, and wrapping up with desserts, Bloomfield is like a Nabokov at the stove as he listens to the musical pitch of a simmering tomato sauce.

And that's a mere throwaway line in this welter of literary, culinary and travel interweavings.

He's like Miller in the way he includes multiple sensibilities both in his narratives and in his culinary instructions.

Bloomfield does for cooking what Miller does for sex--he makes it adventurous and really tasty again....

A great book to read to friends (before or after dinner).

Also recommended: Henry Miller Colossus of Maroussi

Copyright (c) 2002 by Daniel Duncan. All rights reserved.

Rating:
Summary: Over 200 bistro recipes
Review: The Gastronomical Tourist: Memories And Recipes Of A Bistro Crawler At Home And Abroad combines over 200 bistro recipes with an affectionate recollection of fine dining in small bistros around the world, and discusses such varied topics as what makes a Nicoise Salad, and memories of eating Peruvian Chowder in San Francisco. Mouth-watering descriptions blend with dishes which are equally appealing and surprisingly simple.

Rating:
Summary: Unique and delightful
Review: This book combines great eating and great travel experiences into a unique reading experience. I can't imagine any reader putting down this book without either running eagerly into the kitchen or booking a flight to some of the romantic eating places described here. A wonderful bonus is the delightful writing style.

Rating:
Summary: A must for food lovers, travelers and cooks!
Review: This book is a delightful page turner! It shares treasured eateries and makes you want to indulge in the people, places and well indexed catagories of dishes provided. You can't help but make the "Home Bistro" meals--they ensure great creations that celebrate places, people and well proven finds abroad--right in your own kitchen, at home! The PLATS DU JOUR is a wonderful recipe--Vegetable Pudding XXIV is also a must! Thank you Arthur Bloomfield for sharing your treasures!