The World's Best Street Food

May 15, 2016

Lonely Planet's intriguing new travel guides are not just for travelers. The two companion volumes feature the foods and drinks of various countries and illustrate how to prepare and enjoy them at home. Readers can refresh themselves after an arduous hike in Australia with meatpie and Tasmanian Bushwalker's rum hot chocolate. Or, the armchair traveler can visit Indonesia and indulge in tasty bakso (broth and meatballs) while downing a mug of teh tarik (tea and milk). In The World's Best Street Food, the authors describe the comestibles and their history, including recipes and preparation instructions. The introduction by noted British food critic Tom Parker Bowles recounts his first experience with street food. He ate from a pushcart in Bangkok and went through the glorious stages of taste until the chilies kicked in, sending him reeling. Despite this beginning, he describes "gastronomic bliss" and "some of the greatest eating in the world." The book, divided into savory and sweet sections, includes native foods from Morocco, Argentina, Vietnam, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Peru, Singapore, Israel, China, and Myanmar. The World's Best Drinks travels to Cuba, East Africa, Malaysia, Russia, Nicaragua, Hong Kong, India, and other countries on six continents. Writers explore both simple and exotic beverages, including beer, cider, wine, gin, vodka, rum, whisky, tequila, teas and coffees. Horchata, for instance, originating in Spain and prevalent in Latin America, provides a soothing property to balance the spiciness of the cuisine. Featured drinks also include the mimosa from Paris, the mojito from Cuba, the malted milkshake from the United States, and Thailand's Siam sunray. VERDICT Both volumes have helpful glossaries, indexes, and color photographs and are recommended for adventurous eaters and drinkers either on the road or at home.--Melinda Stivers Leach, Wondervu, CO

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