One thing becomes clear after reading through Christa Weil's Fierce Food: One person's fierce is another person's fantasy. I won't be saying "Pass the bat" or "I'd like to try the human placenta" in the near future, but grasshoppers, barnacles, and betel nut? I'd try them. Foie gras, blood, and bone marrow? I cook them at home.
Weil's culinary sideshow of "the unusual, exotic, and downright bizarre" globetrots in a series of short features. Each spotlights a "fierce food," headed by an iconic key that provides an at-a-glance summary of the item. Supposed aphrodisiac? You'll know by the northeast-pointing arrow. Noticeably stinky? Watch for wavy lines. High likelihood of making you ill? A lit bomb.
But the small treatises that follow the hieroglyphics are worth your extra time. Weil has a casual and humorous writing style, but she hasn't skimped on research. Each digestible chapter empathizes with the reader's reactions—she's tried many of the foods—and delivers a wealth of useful information. You'll get lessons on dragonfly aerodynamics, the tough life of a barnacle harvester, the proper recipe for a scorpion restorative, and more. The book is more armchair eating adventure and useful reference than stow-it-with-you guide, but you'll enjoy each fierce food foray.
But before you dive in, could you pass the fat-tailed sheep's tail?
This book was sent to me as a review copy.
