Japan with Anthony Bourdain

In the second part of his book “A Cook’s Tour”, Anthony Bourdain continues travelling around the world. He tells us about Cambodia, Mexico, Vietnam, England; but the country I enjoyed the most was Japan. Bourdain visits only Tokyo; however he explores all the aspects of its gastronomy. He goes to every place, from sea food markets, most exclusive restaurants, to the most traditional places of the city. He also talks with fishermen and tries the most exotic Japanese food. I think this is the best way to cover all the food aspects of country. It gives us a general perspective of the different culinary cultures, but at the same the most specific details.

One of the most interesting things that Anthony Bourdain does in Japan was visiting the Sumo school, as they live all together. He wanted to evidence how much food Sumo wrestlers usually eat. One of the characteristic food has are that people always create stereotypes around it. For example, we typically say that Mexicans only eat spicy food or that Germans have the best beer or that hamburgers are American. All these ideas are no necessarily true. I have met in Kalamazoo a German girl and the first thing I asked her was “Do you miss sausages?” and she respond me “I hate sausages”. Most of the food stereotypes are false, and Bourdain had also that wrong idea about what Sumo wrestlers est. “I would assumed they eat in order to blow up the refrigerator – sized grappling machine of fat and muscle, vats of fatty pork and lasagna – density starches” (157). Nevertheless, their nutrition is based on chicken, fish, tuna and vegetables soup. The only difference is that they eat several times per day.   

This book is also really interesting because Bourdain is genuine with what he thinks. Although, Japan has one of the best gastronomies; he hated Japanese breakfast food. “Nothing not bugs, not iguana, not reptile parts, nothing I would ever eaten approach the horror of these few not unusual Japanese breakfast items” (153). He is always praising food, but there are also certain circumstances he carps it. Some times when we try new foodstuff it’s hard to get use to its flavor, texture, even smell. Once you have experimented several times the same dish or food, probably it will be more delicious. It takes time, though! That happened to me with Chinese food and sushi when I was little. Each time I went to a Chinese restaurant, I cried because all their food was based on vegetables. While the years passed, I began to enjoy Chinese. Now I am the best client of Spice and Rice here at Kalamazoo!

Finally, I loved the Tokyo’s chapter because the author didn’t describe only food ingredients and composition; it also illustrates the culture that surrounds food. The geishas are part of Japan’s culinary culture; they are the ones who serve food in a special and particular way and entertain their customers with music and dance. During the meal you have to fallow a set of traditions. For example, people including guests, have to hold chopsticks like Japanese and wear elegant clothes. Anthony Bourdain book show how rich and different is food and how our culture is reflected in what we eat. Definitely, gastronomy is an incomparable world!