Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide (Atlas Obscura) Hardcover – October 12, 2021

Gave as gift. I should have bought one for myself!

This unique book takes you all over the world as it covers historical information as well as interesting food recommendations in many different countries. The book is divided into sections by geographic region: Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, Canada, The United States, Latin America, and Antarctica. The regions are further divided into areas, and then specific chapters on places in that area. ( ie – The US has a subsection for New England, which contains chapters on Connecticut and Maine etc.)Most chapters are focused on a specific food from a specific place in the world. The authors write a few paragraphs explaining the history of that food in that area, and then there is a “How to try it” section where they give suggestions on where to go if you want to sample this food yourself.There are also extra chapters that deal with more general information; like “Table etiquette in the Victorian Age”, which describes specialized utensils like ice-cream forks and mustache cups. There are also plenty of beautiful pictures; showing images of the foods, pictures of the historical places, old photos, advertisements, and more. There are mini chapters about “Food Pioneers” like Tom Carvel and Sina Gerard, and even some recipes included throughout the book.Overall I really enjoyed this book, and I'm sure I will be referring to it in the future if it ever becomes easier to travel again to some of these places. There is a ton of interesting information here, and great suggestions for the adventurous food aficionado. This is a great combination of history book and food/travel guide, and I appreciate the authors collecting all of this obscure information in one place.

As a self-proclaimed foodie, I'm always on the lookout for unique and off-the-beaten-path culinary experiences. That's why I was thrilled to come across Gastro Obscura, a food adventurer's guide that takes you on a journey around the world to discover the most bizarre, fascinating, and delicious foods you've never heard of.This book is an absolute treasure trove of gastronomic wonders, from the fermented shark of Iceland to the chocolate-coated ants of Colombia. Each entry is filled with captivating anecdotes, historical context, and mouthwatering descriptions that will leave your taste buds begging for more.But what truly sets Gastro Obscura apart is its sense of adventure. The authors are not content to simply list strange foods; they want you to experience them for yourself. They provide detailed instructions for preparing each dish, as well as recommendations for where to find them around the world. Reading this book is like embarking on a culinary odyssey, and I can't wait to try out some of the recipes for myself.

When I saw this for sale, I knew it was a good gift for my foodie friends. They travel to go to exotic restaurants, farm to table, etc. they really enjoyed reading the descriptions and added some Destinations to their trips.

Not really a cookbook or a food travel guide.

I always love Atlas Obscura publications - they're well-researched, well-written, and entertaining. I noted another review stating that this is not a cookbook; that's true! This definitely is not. I'd also say that it's not the type of book you read page-by-page per se, but rather one you pick up and go through bit by bit. I dove in the second mine arrived in the mail and have already found a lot of really interesting tidbits (and a familiar local favorite appeared in one section, tickling me pink). The book itself is a nice size if you like having interesting coffeet table books out that people will actually want to pick up and leaf through.What I appreciate most about Atlas Obscura is that it's so reader-guided; readers submit locations to the site, and readers give suggestions ultimately used as part of the book as well. You feel a little more connected to what's listed because of that; these are delicacies and locations someone has gone to, enjoyed, and cared about enough to mention those to others. I also feel that you can trust that what is mentioned for locations feels truly authentic to the area, and all of what's there is folded in well with informative and interesting research into local culture. I'll be enjoying this book for a while to come.

As with all the other awesome Atlas Obscura books, this one introduces one to food prepared all around the world.

I checked this book out of my local library and liked it so much that I bought one for each of my children's families. They also like it and enjoy reading it to their children, my grandchildren. Besides the stories being interesting, they are usually only a page or less in length so it they are perfect to read when waiting or before going to bed.