Culinary Escapades from Around the World

This illustrated memoir expose reaches deep into the well of gastronomy with satirical and informative stories---from Austrian slave shop kitchens to winning gold and silver medals at the Culinary Olympics in Germany and the $5,000 prize at the Pineapple Cooking competition in Honolulu; from backstage horrors as restauranteer, to sculpting and cooking on stage; from working in global kitchens in Vienna, Stockholm, Rio de Janeiro, ocean liners; and finally the US. The yarn winds around continents but each escapade is woven around a specific subject theme and characters with punch line dialogues, foreign phrases and patois in German, French, Portuguese and Swedish. Although all events are chronologically and geographically far apart, relavent historical backgrounds about Wienerschnitzel or Truffels, for example, keep the reader curious from one episode to the next. All characters are actual life encounters and reappear on different stages in the narrative. Some romantic and spicy erotic passages are interwoven around various ethnic cuisines during the authors involvement with "La Femme Fatale". The prose is compelling in epicurean style alternating with brief travelogues and many practical pointers for the hobby chef. A few battle-hardened recipes relevant to the story emphasize technique and taste; however, it is not a cook book in the traditional format. On one current issue---sugar---afflicting millions of Americans, the author turns crusader against an undercover enemy. All illustrations are from the author's documentary collection---from ornamental chocolate drawings to tallow sculptures. There are significant pictorial landscape narratives, perhaps reminiscent of Mark twain. All stories evolve around the writer's careers as a chef, culinary lecturer, teacher, industrial food researcher, restaurant owner and artist. Often hilarious, seductive and delicious, as well as dramatic and humorous, the narrative is the author's attempt to observe the series of events with the impartial eye of a global citizen.