The Scavenger's Guide to Haute Cuisine: How I Spent a Year in the American Wild to Re-Create a Feast from the Classic Recipes of French Master Chef Au

by Steven Rinella

Book Overview

" A] warped, wonderful memoir" (Men's Journal) from the #1 New York Times bestselling author and host of Netflix's MeatEater, about his quest to turn wild game into the meal of a lifetime

"If Jack Kerouac had hung out with Julia Child instead of Neal Cassady, this book might have been written fifty years ago."--The Wall Street Journal

When outdoorsman, avid hunter, and nature writer Steven...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812988442
• ISBN13: 9780812988444
• Release Date: September 2015
• Publisher: Random House
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

a magical adventure

I found this book in the bookstore at the Culinary Institute of America while I was waiting for the college's tour to begin. The title caught my attention, and the first paragraph hooked me. After reading parts of it for 10 minutes, I bought it and finished reading it over the next three days. I took my time, savoring each chapter, each conversation, each morsel offered up by this delightful young author. I have never hunted and rarely eat red meat, but I have backpacked and experienced nature in the raw. Reading Rinella's book, I felt so engaged, so alive, so thrilled with his adventures that it seemed I was living them myself. His sense of humor and his insightful observations about wide-ranging subjects [history, technology, human nature, wilderness, ecology, hunting and survival skills, animal behavior, the culinary arts] increased my pleasure. This was one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read.

An excellent, engaging read!!

The review in Publisher's Weekly made me curious about Rinella's book, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. Given the title, I had half expected the book to be a collection of hunting stories, but what I found instead was an engaging narrative about one man's dedication to live responsibly off the land and to respect the passions and lifestyles of others, no matter how eccentric or random they might seem. Along with Rinella's often humorous and personal insights, he also weaves in social and scientific history to create a really fascinating read. I highly recommend that you put this book on your summer reading list!!

An Entirely Engaging Read

This is the best book I've read in years. I had been hearing all the hype about it, and I wondered if I would like it since I don't normally read hunting and fishing books. But the author drew me in with his sense of humor, his elegant prose, and his deft way of weaving European history with his personal history. The narrative is gripping, the characters entertaining, and the concept brave and unique. If you read one book this year, read this one. It is a trip!

A hilarious, stomach-first romp through haute cuisine!

The premise behind this book (at least for me) is a classic example of "Why didn't I think of that?". Anyone who is a fan of hunting, fishing, the outdoors, food or just laughing out loud will find this story entertaining in the extreme. In fact, "extreme", though sorely overused in today's vernacular, is at the very heart of this story. From the adventures had in gathering the ingredients, to the eclectic nature of the ingredients themselves, Rinella seems intent upon escorting the reader away from our ordinary (often self-imposed) limits. The writing is crisp, clear, wonderfully researched, and above all, entertaining. Taken as a whole, the story is thought-provoking, historically educational, sometimes-challenging, and utterly hilarious -- a rare bird indeed! This dish is fit for a king (or a peasant, or a trapper, or an accountant, or a hairdresser, or...).

Amazing book!!

This is not just a book for hunters, fishermen, chefs, food-lovers, or French history efficianados, although all of the above will love it. It is a book for anyone who enjoys a great book. It is an unusual, hilarious, surprising page-turner, complete with rich characters, an unlikely romance, and a narrative that grips the reader and won't let go. I have never read anything like this. It is completely unique. Everyone needs to read this book!!!