A Cook's Tour

The second to last sentece of Bourdain’s Introduction reads, “Traveling around the world, writing, eating, and making a television show is relatively easy.” Would anyone argue otherwise? Sure, worldwide travel supported by the Food Network’s dime has its issues. Vomiting, land mines, potential for alcohol poisoning and did anyone think the book was going to end with Bourdain’s death on the boat in Cambodia? In class we talked about some of Bourdain’s best qualities and what attracted some of us to him. I think Marin put it best when she said he can tell a story. Every adventure had me intrigued and truly jealous. Bourdain’s book does not contain any hidden metaphors.  This is real life. I found that simple aspect to be the most attractive piece of his book. I do not consider myself to be a picky eater, but I am definitely not a “foodie” either. Growing up I was rarely presented with the opportunity to dine on many types of food and I blame this for my lack of a sophisticated palate. I have simple tastes. After reading Bourdain’s book though, I feel almost inspired to expand my eating horizons. He has a way of making even the most disgusting sounding food seem intriguing, unique and delicious. Bourdain’s tales make me feel like I’m missing out on special parts of life. I need to try beating cobra heart for myself. Bourdain was blessed with an opportunity to explore cultures of the world through food. Not only was I envious of the delectable meals he described, but of the company he kept as well. I wish I could meet Madame Ngoc or hang around a group of men from Basque and just take in what they have to say. Food is something every culture partakes in. Although we all do it differently, everybody does it. Food is life. To be able to enjoy such a simple, but sacred action with people all over the world is an amazing opportunity. Preparation and taste are one thing, but in many instances ceremony is just as important. Bourdain witnessed first hand that in many places, food meant a gathering with specific actions followed to the T. He was able to experience each dish exactly how it was designed to be enjoyed. He ate in packs, in solitary, restaurants and homes. He sometimes ate with only his fingers, while other times he used those same hands to kill the meat he would soon enjoy on his plate. It’s fitting that Shelby presented her choose your own adventure topic right before we began Bourdain’s book. He constantly gets at dining experience and it’s addition to the meal at hand. Throughout his adventures, Bourdain never did find the perfect meal, but I think he returned home from his journey with a better understanding of what the perfect meal means. Setting, company and the amount of alcohol consumed are all a part of the ideal meal. When it comes down to it though, taste, the universal language, is what’s most important.