The Food Taster Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you've an appetite for a richly imaginative, ribald and riotously funny tale, "The Food Taster" is your dish.
We learn in the foreword that while visiting a Tuscan village some five years ago translator Elbling befriended an old rogue who soon died. Found in the departed's possessions was a yellowed manuscript which was given to Elbling. Upon returning to the U.S. Elbling consulted rare book experts and learned to his amazement that the manuscript was authentic. Since he is a bit of an Italophile he decided to translate the manuscript himself, and publish it for our pleasure.
Are we to believe this yarn? Only if we're very gullible. Yet, Elbling presents his "find" with such persuasiveness and charm that readers tend to forget that it is a product of a fertile imagination with a camera's eye for period detail and unerring ear for authentic dialogue.
The "long hidden manuscript" is the biography of Ugo DiFonte, who is by turns audacious, foolhardy, pitiful, and laugh-out-loud funny.
A poor Italian peasant Ugo lived in 16th century Italy with his young daughter, Miranda. Just when life could not possibly take a turn for the worst the pair are torn from their hard scrabble farm by a portly, ignorant dictator, Duke Federico. Ugo soon learns that he is to be the Duke's food taster, a position now vacant since his predecessor's tongue was cut out as punishment for inefficiency.
In order to survive Ugo quickly learns the tools of his new trade: antidotes, poisons, and the taste of every herb, meat, sweet, and vegetable that will be served at the castle. Thus, a man who was quite recently starving is now forced to taste glorious food, but he cannot enjoy it.
On top of the dire machinations steaming from the castle's kitchen Ugo must also try to keep his willful and more-beautiful-each-day daughter in line. That in itself would be a 24/7 job as she is soon the object of lascivious stares and courted by young Tommaso, a kitchen helper who aspires to be a chef. However, when push comes to shove Ugo is able to drive all feelings of romance from Miranda's heaving young bosom with a potion of "the juice of an apple mixed with the powder of a dead frog."
Despite the plague sweeping throughout the country, an evil brother who would destroy him, and sundry threats to his person the widowed Ugo is able to find love from time to time. First, there is Agnese, a washerwoman from Bosnia, and then the fair Helene.
Will the beleaguered Ugo ever find happiness?
Such a life.......such a story.....such an entertainment!
- Gail Cooke

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Food Taster

Buy cheap The Food Taster now.