James Oseland

I was gung-ho at the beginning of James Oseland’s memoirs Jimmy Neurosis. His relationship with his mother and father has a fascinating spin. His early life of coming out had a sweet genuine twist. As the book progressed, the introduction of punk gave the memoir an unwanted familiarity. Oseland regains his footing in the last 1/3 with his staccato writing with sentences like this “I imagined I was a lit Bunsen burner, the heat of a forceful blue flame pushing up into my mouth.” A show more recurring grinding of his teeth gives rise to his made-up last name Neurosis. His love/hate relationship with his mother is exposed with the line “Sometimes when I’m with my mom, I feel like I’m being choked.” His growth as a filmmaker, artist, chef, and gay man are all touched upon during the book. The ending feels a been unsatisfying. He may just be planning a part two and wants to leave the reader asking for more. show less

OMG, I want EVERYTHING. Not vegetarian, but everything looks SO GOOD....it's even going to get me eating poached eggs. YUM!

***I have to return this now, 12 weeks later. There are recipes I didn't try that I'd like to (poached eggs in spicy tomato sauce!), but the two big takeaways are tikka masala (I sub tofu and vegetables for chicken) and potatoes gratin (the garlic was a revelation). Pretty yum.

A piece of light indulgence rather like a tasty snack that whets the appetite for more. This collection is described as a "34-course banquet of original stories" and there's definitely all the variety of a banquet. The consistent theme is food and travel, those subjects of perennial appeal. All the stories are well written and bear evidence of each author's passion for his or her subject. Interesting to read those by well known Australian foodies, Neil Perry and Curtis Stone. If you love show more food, travel and a diverting, entertaining read, this one's for you. show less

Older style cookbook that isn't photo heavy. While there are some sections of color photos of some of the dishes most of the book is text. A nice mix of recipes from the area with plenty of background on each. The first 100 pages is background on the area and the ingredients with the local names for each.