The Premise:
New Yorker staff
writer, Calvin Trillin, reminisces about some of his favorite dishes from
around the world.
The Good:
Mr. Trillin is a tour guide with a wry sense of humor and a
passion for all sorts of dishes, ranging from the local and conventional to the
far away and exotic. He is prone to hyperbole, but readily admits his biases
and moves on. His prose is easygoing, yet descriptive to the point to where you
have to run your sleeve over your mouth, lest any drool puddle on the page. Simply
put: Mr. Trillin would be an exemplary dinner party host—the kind with the
ever-ready story that begins, “This one time, in New Orleans …”
The Bad:
This is a book about food. Do not read it on an empty
stomach or if you are trying to maintain a diet of any variety.
The Verdict:
Buy it and read it. Preferably with a sandwich in your hand.
Or a risotto nearby.
