so i've been trying to find the time for a while now to write a post about this new book i'm reading. it's by Anthony Bourdain, and it's called The Nasty Bits.
it's proving to be a great read. the book takes a departure from the full-steam-ahead, drug-addled, testosterone-rich descriptions of his coming up in the culinary industry as told in his previous book, Kitchen Confidential, and, as the book is a collection, gives a very seasoned (pun fully intended) insight into the state of many aspects of the business..what's wrong, what's right and, most importantly, good food.
Bourdain is a particularly sardonic, dry writer, which i like. and he's become successful as a writer for a reason, i think. he manages to be a so-called celebrity chef without succumbing to the arrogance that has wasted so many of his breed. plus, as learned in his first book (more memoir than world tour, as the nasty bits is, somewhat correspondent to his cook's tour series), the guy has paid his dues. he's worked in shitty kitchens and got yelled at, belittled, and run ragged by the best of them.
i'm just over halfway through the book (which is divided into volumes, two of which form a dichotomy commonly found in Asian cooking, 10 points to whoever can guess them) and i absolutely love it so far. it's one of those books that i just wouldn't put down if i didn't have so much to do. i tore through Kitchen Confidential, and even reading it almost solely in transit, i'm doing the same with this.

and now, after revisiting this post many times for edits and updates, i go back to work.

p.s. i think i'm addicted to fruit smoothies. yogen fruz makes a crazy good one with strawberries, blackberries, blueberries (maybe raspberries too), cranberry juice and pear sorbet (hooray for non-dairy!). i also had an amazing one at a little Thai restaurant in the bloor / gladstone area the other day with my friend mike. wish i had gotten the name of that place.