The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: January 2016

Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the works they enjoyed most over the previous month.  Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.  If you wish to add your own review to the conversation, please sign on to the link list at the end of my post.

Title: American Fried
Author: Calvin Trillin

via Goodreads

Calvin Trillin falls in the M.F.K. Fisher tradition of food writers, those who are more eaters than cooks.  That would be an accurate reflection of my own relationship with food, too.  While I am trying to learn to cook - mostly baking - I am far more experienced in appreciating the hard work of others.  Trillin eschews what passes for high cuisine in the United States - restaurants with names like Maison de la Casa House - in favor of low brow, greasier. American Fried describes numerous quests for such ideals as the best barbecue in Kansas City and the best bagels and schmears on the Lower East Side. 

Trillin published American Fried, the first of his Tummy Trilogy, before the word "foodie" attained its current cultural relevance.  Incidentally, I hate the word "foodie."  It's snobbish and elitist, as if one has to make a hobby of eating in order to appreciate food.  In my experience, there are entire nations of humans who love food without requiring such designations.

I rather doubt Trillin himself would take well to being called a foodie.  Food fanatic seems a better term.  The quantities he describes consuming border on absurd, yet he's particular.  Once he finds what he likes, he wastes no time shoveling it down his gullet.

The humor is top shelf - not quite embarrassing-to-read-on-a-plane funny but good for a healthy chuckle.  The change in food prices from the early '70s is quite comical though, of course, unintentional.  Trillin's fun.  I look forward to the rest of his trilogy.

Please join us and share your own review of your best read from the past month.  This month's link list is below.  I'll keep it open until the end of the day.  I'll post February's tomorrow.  Meetings are the last Friday of each month.  Next gathering is February 26th.