Everything but the Squeal: Eating the Whole Hog in Northern Spain
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Self-confessed glutton, travel writer and novelist Barlow (Eating Mammals; Intoxicated) doesn’t scrimp on either culinary or cultural delights in this charmingly informative and witty narrative. Barlow, a resident of the relatively unknown corner of Spain, sets himself the task of consuming every part of the staple meat of rural Galicia. Traveling with his Spanish wife, a vegetarian, and his infant son, Barlow serves up vivid tales encountered …
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this is a very amusing and well paced book, part cook book and part travel book and quite good at both.
i originally bought this as a gift but read it myself and then bought 5 more copies to give as presents.
to be highly recommended.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A gastro-porcine adventure
A cultural and culinary travelogue of Galicia told by a very humorous writer. Starts off very well, but about two thirds through, the poor fellow seems to lose his steam for more…
Certainly, the focus of this book is on Barlow’s travel in Spain to experience traditional pork recipes. (Or, was that just an excuse to travel around Galicia, meet people, and eat?) But, as he describes, eating is not just an act of fueling. It is a cultural activity. Barlow puts traditional eating in context by an insightful reflection on the way we eat today. Eating is just part of living as Barlow explains to us. This book is really about life. His use of great metaphores throughout the book makes for fun reading. I just loved this book. Very well written with a great sense of humor.
5.0 out of 5 stars
John Barlow’s culinary exploration of Northern Spain
EVERYTHING BUT THE SQUEAL: EATING THE WHOLE HOG IN NORTHERN SPAIN tells of John Barlow’s culinary exploration of Northern Spain, where he searches out all the rural corners of the…
Barlow’s premise first attracted me to buying this book: for searching the world for the perfect chorizo or the savoriest portion of pig is also a favorite, desperate pastime of mine, although Barlow keeps his pusuit close to home in his adopted home in northern spain. Aside from his year long pursuit of eating most pig parts, Barlow’s narrative sneaks up on you and becomes an hilarious send up of local festivals in Galicia that he attends over the course of his year long pig dinner. This book goes beyond just funny food or travel writing. I traveled in northern spain as a student twenty years ago and he captures perfectly the mesmerizing outsiderness that an expat never shakes in foreign lands, but he combines it with a clear joy and love he has developed of the Galician people and their devotion to the tasty celtic pig. The foil during his quest, of his vegetarian wife, had me rolling on the floor with laughter. Buy this book even if you don’t like sausage. A fine affair.