Rating: 
Summary: The Food Taster
Review: "The Food Taster" is the story of the frightening yet often humorous life of an Italian food taster. Ugo is a peasent who is taken from his home along with his daughter to go work for the Duke Frederico. Soon, not only is Ugo faced with the terror of his every bite, but the protection of his beautiful daughter Miranda. "The Food Taster" gives an entertaining and dark look at Italy during the middle ages, and the roles played by the nobility and peasents of the kingdom. The author combines humour and history to make an original and twisted story that will have you eating it up in seconds.
Rating: 
Summary: Another man's poison
Review: A comic tale of intrigue, wits, lust, and food that takes place in 14th century Italy. Ugo Difonte is saved from starvation on his failing farm by being kidnapped by one of the most hated and feared noblemen in his county. He is saved only to replace the lord's old food taster who has just died of food poisoning, a seemingly standard practice in those days of getting rid of your enemies. And Ugo's nobleman-saviour has more than most (This guy is one of the best Evil Antagonists I've read in a long time - he's BAD). The plot revolves around Ugo trying to stay alive and learn the intricacies of antidotes faster than his lords enemies can come up with poisons, while also trying to protect his young and pretty daughter from the lechery of his lord, the love of a young-but-poor suitor, and the back- stabbing manipulations of his own, long-lost, double-crossing brother. "Great characters, a good story, & well told". A Bonus: some really interesting, 14th century recipes - sans the poison, of course.
Rating:
Summary: Another man's poison
Review: A comic tale of intrigue, wits, lust, and food that takes place in 14th century Italy. Ugo Difonte is saved from starvation on his failing farm by being kidnapped by one of the most hated and feared noblemen in his county. He is saved only to replace the lord's old food taster who has just died of food poisoning, a seemingly standard practice in those days of getting rid of your enemies. And Ugo's nobleman-saviour has more than most. The plot revolves around Ugo trying to stay alive and learn the intricacies of antidotes faster than his lords enemies can come up with poisons, while also trying to protect his young and pretty daughter from the lechery of his lord, the love of a young-but-poor suitor, and the back- stabbing manipulations of his own, long-lost, double-crossing brother. "Great characters, a good story, & well told". A Bonus: some really interesting, 14th century recipes - sans the poison, of course.
Rating:
Summary: Italy, as it might have been
Review: Having recently resided, for almost a year and a half, in Italy, I found this book to be an absorbing account of life 400 years ago. It contains the flavor (no pun intended) of Tuscan life as it probably was lived then, and the atmosphere of Tuscany today.
It's part history, part mystery, part love story. And then there's the food, it's preparation and consumation centuries ago, and its place in the society of that time.
The central character Ugo Difonte, "The Food Taster", played a crucial role in the court of the nobility, as close to the seat of power as anyone. We see their behavior through his eyes with all the flaws, decadence, cruelty, and occasional kindness, of the players. No trace of them remains, save Ugo's journal.
His story is a remarkable one, hidden for four centuries. It's discovery, and translation, just as remarkable.
Rating:
Summary: A Wild Italian Romp
Review: I rarely find time to read a book these days. I keep up with the news and professional journals, but I found this novel impossible to put down. Very fast paced, it devours time and events with a nakedness and flavor that left me spun in shock and laughter. I highly recommend it. If you like to cook, great, but it doesn't really matter, the story is delicious enough.
Rating:
Summary: The food taster kept me up nights
Review: I'm ashamed to admit that in the past several years I had given up reading fiction. I would pick up a new release and lose interest after a chapter or two. The Food Taster was the first book I picked up that I just couldn't put down. The humor and disasterous circumstances of Ugo Defonte's adventure kept me awake all night. I was dissapointed when it ended and can't wait for a sequel or the movie version of this story with Benini playing the roll of Ugo.
Rating:
Summary: RICHLY IMAGINATIVE AND RIOTOUSLY FUNNY
Review: If you've an appetite for a richly imaginative, ribald and riotously funny tale, "The Food Taster" is your dish. We learn in the foreword that while visiting a Tuscan village some five years ago translator Elbling befriended an old rogue who soon died. Found in the departed's possessions was a yellowed manuscript which was given to Elbling. Upon returning to the U.S. Elbling consulted rare book experts and learned to his amazement that the manuscript was authentic. Since he is a bit of an Italophile he decided to translate the manuscript himself, and publish it for our pleasure. Are we to believe this yarn? Only if we're very gullible. Yet, Elbling presents his "find" with such persuasiveness and charm that readers tend to forget that it is a product of a fertile imagination with a camera's eye for period detail and unerring ear for authentic dialogue. The "long hidden manuscript" is the biography of Ugo DiFonte, who is by turns audacious, foolhardy, pitiful, and laugh-out-loud funny. A poor Italian peasant Ugo lived in 16th century Italy with his young daughter, Miranda. Just when life could not possibly take a turn for the worst the pair are torn from their hard scrabble farm by a portly, ignorant dictator, Duke Federico. Ugo soon learns that he is to be the Duke's food taster, a position now vacant since his predecessor's tongue was cut out as punishment for inefficiency. In order to survive Ugo quickly learns the tools of his new trade: antidotes, poisons, and the taste of every herb, meat, sweet, and vegetable that will be served at the castle. Thus, a man who was quite recently starving is now forced to taste glorious food, but he cannot enjoy it. On top of the dire machinations steaming from the castle's kitchen Ugo must also try to keep his willful and more-beautiful-each-day daughter in line. That in itself would be a 24/7 job as she is soon the object of lascivious stares and courted by young Tommaso, a kitchen helper who aspires to be a chef. However, when push comes to shove Ugo is able to drive all feelings of romance from Miranda's heaving young bosom with a potion of "the juice of an apple mixed with the powder of a dead frog." Despite the plague sweeping throughout the country, an evil brother who would destroy him, and sundry threats to his person the widowed Ugo is able to find love from time to time. First, there is Agnese, a washerwoman from Bosnia, and then the fair Helene.
Will the beleaguered Ugo ever find happiness? Such a life.......such a story.....such an entertainment! - Gail Cooke
Rating:
Summary: Hilarious and surreal
Review: Imagine graduating from starving peasant, to someone who suddenly sees more food for one meal than he'd ever seen in his life. Now, imagine that you can't enjoy this for one moment, because every bite might be your last. This is "The Food Taster," and I'm pretty sure that the folks on the plane thought I was crazy because I kept laughing out loud. This is a wonderful portrait of a transitional period in the Italian Renaissance, as well as a sometimes surreal and dark tale in a voice so memorable that lines will pop into your head for days after you finish reading. For those whose mouth water at some of the meal descriptions, there's even a collection of recipes in the back!
Rating:
Summary: A Gem.
Review: Loved it! Ugo and Miranda are kidnapped by the duke and taken to his palace. Ugo works as a food taster, replacing Lucca - who has just been killed. He makes friends with a lad called Tommaso (who later has an enchanting romance with Miranda). He falls in love with Agnese, who falls pregnant and dies...blah blah blah. One really has to read the book for oneself. It is awesome...something that words can't elucidate. It's one of the best fictions I have yet come across.
I recommend "The Foodtaster" to anyone looking for a good fiction. The storyline is unpredictable. Each chapter is thrilling to read and filled with suspense and adventure. Ugo is a character with foibles and flaws, which makes him very much human and easy to relate to. Indeed, this duality of fiction and realism is what livens up fiction novels.
Chapter 26 reminded me of "The DaVinci Code". I was hence forced to compare and contrast the two fictions. There is simply no comparison. "The Foodtaster" has a stronger, more solid plot. So, "The DaVinci Code" simply pales in comparison, in case you've read it before.
The novel has sprinkles of twists every now and then that make it even sweeter - not like those found in other obnoxious fictions though. This novel is simply a joy. They don't write them like this these days.
Rating:
Summary: A Taste of Renaissance Italy
Review: This book is the life story of Ugo DiFonte, who rises from misery to be the food taster of Duke Federico, a coarse prince in Renaissance Italy. Ugo finds, however, that escaping hardship of one kind only leads to more hardships of other kinds: he has to defend himself both from the Prince and from those who might attempt to kill the Prince; he has to find his way around the intrigues of the court, and he has to protect her daughter, who is becoming a woman---and who does not make his job any less difficult. Elbling---the alleged translator of this autobiography---plays a lot around with contrasts, like those between poverty and wealth, starvation and feasting, freedom and servitude, reason and superstition. The Food Taster is highly entertaining, and it touches upon many different topics: art and politics of the Renaissance, the Inquisition, the plague, among others. But it revolves around food. It contains detailed and vivid descriptions of cooking, feasts, and food, so you might find yourself standing in front of your fridge, book in hand, eying the contents for something to accompany the pleasure of reading. Some of Elbling's metaphors, especially with food,are wonderful.My personal favorite is "the sugary pulpiness of a soft brown pear lying on your tongue like a satisfied woman."
|
