The Kopi Luwak coffee we talked about on Friday came to our attention through Massimo Marcone, a journalist and food scientist who has been called the Indiana Jones of food. His new book, In Bad Taste, explores strange delicacies from all over the world. It sounds like a great read, although not for the squeamish.
He investigates bird's nests gathered in Malaysia for very expensive soup, explores oil made from goat droppings, and tries (rather noisy) maggot cheese. Along the way he exposes a lot of fraud and deception in the market for these highly expensive delicacies and asks questions about why we create the demand for such strange things.
You can listen to his Fresh Air interview at their website, and read another article here about his work with Kopi Luwak coffee. Anyone read his book yet?
I've almost finished the book. I recommend it with reservations. The book is short and the stories are fascinating, but Dr. Marcone's diary-like writing style isn't my cup of tea.
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