Top Ten Tuesday is an original weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish. I thought this would be a fun way to share a condensed version of potential rambles and thoughts that I have.
This Week’s Theme:
Top Ten Books If You Enjoy
Literary Gastronomy
Initial Thoughts:
Do you like food? I like food. Love, even.
…Did I really just open up this post with that prompt. Oh dear, well there’s only going up from here—I hope.
What a potentially questionable choice of mine to take this route. This week’s theme is based on “books you would enjoy if you like X” subbing the variable for anything of entertainment. My focus considers foodie moments in non-food/culinary-centric novels. I mean, I’m sure we’ve all gone through a love/hate relationships with people who eat food on screen because it’s food. For readers who don’t know, gastronomy is just a fancy term for, as defined by Merriam-Webster: the art or activity of cooking and eating fine food. And no, I’m not detailing cookbooks…but rather memorable scenes with the involvement of food. The only cookbook I use is Google anyways.
I’m sure we’ve all come across mouth-watering scenes involving food or maybe just we were hangry (that’s hungry + angry; especially when anger results from hunger) during the read that sparked the need to feed and find sustenance. When I look back on some novels, I’m actually perplexed at the fact that sometimes…there’s no indication that they’ve eaten food. I guess it doesn’t come across as interesting but the inner foodie in me says otherwise.
I apologize in advance if you are starving and begin to salivate as this entire post is talking about food.
1. Lord of the Rings (J.R.R Tolkien)
Although lembras bread is quite the novelty, the real winner in this entire post is:
2. Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling)
From bertie botts to chocolate frogs, red currant rum and butter beer to a plethora of meats and pies to feast on, there have been so many different (and interesting) edibles featured in the Wizarding World. The list is endless—though, I’d imagine pumpkin juice is an acquired taste. (except these foods are not evident in the picture above…)
3. Divergent (Veronica Roth)
Now I haven’t seen the Divergent movie yet (I know, such a terribad fan…) but from what I heard…the Dauntless chocolate cake doesn’t make a cameo. Wuuuuuut. Next to the butter knife (and the zip lining, chasm, and other rad scenes), I thought the cake was a pretty iconic part of the novel. Or maybe that’s just the inner foodie in me speaking…I’ll never know. Though I’d imagine that I could probably have to eat around the icing (buttercream, maybe?)...especially if it’s fondant. I am quite impartial to fondant.
4. When You Were Here (Daisy Whitney)
One of the only real aspects of this book that I enjoyed was when he kept eating Chirashi (raw fish on rice, basically) in numerous scenes. Not sure how iconic this dish is in Japan but its seriously one of my go-to-order items at restaurants. Though I guess you have to be one to enjoy raw fish to like it? Oh my goodness–it’s so beautiful. *___*
5. Any Roald Dahl Book
From the unnecessarily giant peach in James and the Giant Peach to a place where diabetics need to beware in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (I’d swim in that chocolate river though all day though) there’s so much to be had for the sweet tooth in all of us. Chewing gum that never loses it taste? Colour changing caramel? Sign me up. Don’t even get me started on T.V. dinners in Matilda.
6. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)
Whether you’re eating at Tumnus’ house (eggs, lots of variants on toast, sugar-topped cake) or enjoying the Beaver’s meal (trout, potatoes, beer, sticky marmalade rolls) nothing might be as iconic as the Turkish delight—which to be honest, I didn’t know existed until I sought it out in convenience stores back in the day. And even then, I’m not super crazy about it.
7. Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)
Real talk: Peeta named after pita bread. Yay/Nay?
Regardless of the possibility, with the myriad of baked and decorative goods coupled with the food during the feast and Games (notwithstanding Mockingjay since I haven’t read it yet)…everything is pretty om nom nom worthy. But the better question is: would you drink the liquid that makes you vomit so you can eat more? Debatable.
8. Rush Me (Allison Parr)
An already easy contemporary romance read made easier as 30% of the narrative basically involved gatherings with food and beverages; from New York style pizza to spanakopita; chocolate milkshakes to cocoa pancakes with strawberries, chocolate sauce and whipped cream; challah bread to greasy spoon diner grub; and rotisserie chickens, corn bread, and alcohol to round everything out. Literally food galore…especially since the word food was probably used at least thirty times or so in short 250 page novel. Not to mention pizza was probably used like 15 times.
9. What We Hide (Marthe Jocelyn)
Literally, every chapter had chips somewhere or fish and chips. Chips, chips, chips. Man fish and chips is one of my all time favesies pub grub food…and now I would like a poutine as well. So hungrrryyyy. Or is it…hangry?
10. Winnie The Pooh (A.A. Milne)
“Honey or condensed milk with your bread?” This is some childhood throwback yo. If you’ve never had condensed milk on toasty bread… you’re missing out on some delicious shit. I mean, people always say “best thing since sliced bread” well… this is a level up on that.
Afterthoughts:
Now I must go take the treacherous journey to the kitchen and whip up something to eats. But before I do, I’d like to hear what you think! What are some of your favourite foodie moments that might have made you go pick up a snack? Or were you bitter like me and was hangry while you read books and had to wait for the next meal? Anything you’ve always wanted to try?
Cheers,
Joey
thoughts and afterthoughts. 
Nice twist on this week’s list. Being married to a Turk I’ve had Turkish Delight, or locum, many a time. The stuff you buy in a box is awful. The fresh stuff they sell in cases that I’ve had while visiting family in Turkey is 1000 times better. We end up bringing home several boxes of the stuff and share with no one.
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Nothing beats authenticity of goods from the homeland! I can definitely imagine how one might hoard the good stuff for themselves — I’m the same way sometimes hahaha.
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Awesome take on this week’s topic! That scene from LOTR is pretty iconic; I didn’t even need to click play on the video to hear Sam talking about those potatoes 🙂
My TTT
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I know! I can just skim by the thumbnail and I hear it. It’s an audible nightmare at times but definitely enjoyable…ugh, the love/hate relationship with this song is real.
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Peeta = pita? LOL. Great take on this week’s topic! If it weren’t for the LOTR books, I wouldn’t know about elevensies, and that would be a shame. I went to the wizarding world at Universal in Orlando and they have butterbeer… but sadly, I don’t think it’s authentic! (Still yummy, though…)That raw fish is really beautiful. I don’t think I’d eat it, but it’s sure nice to look at!
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Elevenses are golden! But who needs a reason to eat all the food anyways? It’s been quite a while since my last visit to Orlando and HP wasn’t there when I first went :(! But I definitely need to sample ALL the goods.
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Peeta bread, lol! Fun list, I liked the twist on the topic. Also, lemnas bread looked terrible in the film and I definitely felt bad they were forced to eat that all the time.
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Thanks! The way you put describe lembas bread…I’m getting the dry/stale bread sensation now.
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Ha! This post was hilarious and I loved reading it. I love food! Two great minds think alike, I suppose. 😉 I have never read or watched anything Narnia/Lord of the Rings-related and I’m really ashamed about that.
Peeta! I love The Hunger Games. I love condensed milk on my bread! And butter. Butter is good.
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Maybe in time you’ll find the chance to read/watch either books/movies! I’m an advocate of laziness so I’d be totally fine with hearing your thoughts on the film adaptations haha. I’m just saddened by the fact that I haven’t had condensed milk + butter on toast in so long (I usually thick toast when I’m out for bubble tea or the like).
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Joey, this is a brilliant list! My mouth is watering at the thought of the food in the Roald Dahl books. Same with the Harry Potter world and the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe! Great choices.
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Thanks Chrissi. I’m just stoked that I’m not the only reader who’s salivated over descriptions of food!
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You know after my last Top Ten Tuesday Post, where I mentioned Samwise Gamgee, and YOU brought up this fabulous song… I had it stuck in my head for nearly a week. Finally my mind has got rid of it UNTIL NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU HAVE MIND F-ed ME PROBABLY FOR ANOTHER WEEK!
HAhaha Thanks buddy 😉
Come by and check out my TTT @Book Hangovers
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LOL. I certainly apologize for all the audible pain you might have endured. But you gotta admit though…any form of potato products is delicious.
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OMG you posted the ‘Potatoes’ LoTR video! That is epic!! Now I really wanna eat some Turkish Delite and Lambras Bread and Bertie Botts…!
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Brings back the memories, right? Gotta eat ALL the food!
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Well, now I’m just hungry…excuse me while I visit the kitchen. Scrumptious list!
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Yes, I’ll definitely drink to that! (Except people who clink their wineglasses are too posh for me– I’ll just raise a slice of pizza or something…)
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Great twist on the topic! I swear that LOTR clip gets quoted in my house at LEAST once a week! I remember my dad & brother were always ravenous after reading Redwall books – I guess the mice are always feasting. I recently re-read Sunshine by Robin McKinley. The main character is a baker, so there’s constant talk about cinnamon rolls, muffins, chocolate, etc., even when she’s fighting vampires!
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Oh, more potential foodie books to add to the list! Cinnamon rolls is one of my kryptonites. Now I am craving some..thanks! But that does certainly sound pretty badass–certainly my kind of conversation.
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If you’re interested, I did a mini-review of Sunshine not long ago:
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Although vampire books aren’t part of my usual go to reads–it’s definitely a switch from the current vamp-hypes. Glad you enjoyed it though!
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Yeah, I don’t usually read vampire books either, but I’m a die hard McKinley fan. 🙂
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Such a good idea. And now I really want to punch Peeta in his pitta face (OK so I kinda always want to do that) whilst eating some Turkish Delight. mmm…!
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LOL. Where does all this animosity come from? (Unless it’s something from Mockingjay–for which I have yet to read).
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Oh I just hate his stupid face. He’s so mehhhh, and nice. I hate people that are just NICE. TEAM GALE!
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Haha, that’s fair. I would imagine that both of them are equal in niceness though…at least from what I remember.
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What a fantastic post! I completely agree with everything on your list 🙂
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Thanks, it’s literally food for thought!
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I love this post. Very good idea indeed. Joanne Harris used to always have a lot of food ideas in her stories – well, ‘Chocolat’ but on the back of that she wrote a cookery book (I think). Also, Scott Lynch has loads of made up food and drink in his Gentlemen Bastards – some of it sounds gorgeous! He’s a great world builder.
Lynn 😀
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Oh those sound neat. It also sounds like some authors are chefs at heart!
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