Not too long ago I was researching cookbooks for a book recommendation list and to my shock and perverse delight, I came across some pretty radical titles such as; White Trash Cooking, Revolting Recipes from History, and The Original Road Kill Cookbook.
My first thought was that these titles were hoaxes, but lo and behold these are real cookbooks my friends! My second thought was “Wait… the Original Road Kill Cookbook? How many versions are there?” Then I had several follow up depressing thoughts about the state of the world… but I’ve decided to avoid that mind- trap rabbit hole today and pop on some rose colored glasses, embracing the weird and quirkiness of these titles!
Many of us agree that autumn is the perfect time for something odd, spooky, and slightly off putting… so with no further ado I am both proud and asahmed to present the strangest cookbook recommendation list ever! You are welcome and I’m sorry. I’d also like to say I haven’t personally had the chance to use any of these as of yet, so I’ve attached their description from Amazon.com
Necronomnomnom, By H.P Lovecraft
“A Lovecraft-inspired cookbook with recipes to whet your appetite and threaten your sanity
Reading about the slime- covered, non- Euclidean ruins of the sunken city of R’lyeh or the squamous, tentacled deity who slumbers there would make anyone hungry. Starting with the puns and working from there, authors Mike Slater and Thomas Roache have summoned forth 50 funny, bizarre, and horrible dishes such as:
• The Deep Fried Deep One
• Nog Sothoth
• Cthus-Koos
• The Great Old Buns
• The Gin and Miskatonic
Like H. P. Lovecraft’s Necronomicon, the legendary and forbidden book of the dead that is “alien to all sane and balanced readers,” this cookbook contains many dark (but still delicious) secrets within its pages. The book comes infested with sanity- melting and mouth- watering illustrations, as well as annotations full of crazed discoveries and desperate warnings about the recipes that brave readers will undertake.”
White Trash Cooking, By Ernest Matthew Mickler
“More than 200 recipes and 45 full-color photographs celebrate 25 years of good eatin’ in this original regional Southern cooking classic.
A quarter-century ago, while many were busy embracing the sophisticated techniques and wholesome ingredients of the nouvelle cuisine, one Southern loyalist lovingly gathered more than 200 recipes—collected from West Virginia to Key West—showcasing the time-honored cooking and hospitality traditions of the white trash way. Ernie Mickler’s much-imitated sugarsnap-pea prose style accompanies delicacies like Tutti’s Fancy Fruited Porkettes, Mock-Cooter Stew, and Oven-Baked Possum; stalwart sides like Bette’s Sister-in-Law’s Deep-Fried Eggplant and Cracklin’ Corn Pone; waste-not leftover fare like Four-Can Deep Tuna Pie and Day-Old Fried Catfish; and desserts with a heavy dash of Dixie, like Irma Lee Stratton’s Don’t-Miss Chocolate Dump Cake and Charlotte’s Mother’s Apple Charlotte.”
Revolting Recipes From History, By
“Nothing causes a stir on social media platforms like a topical discussion on the latest food trend. Modern-day chefs like to think that they are creative and often claim to push boundaries of food creation, but if we want to explore real culinary creativity then we need to look to our ancestors. Writer and food historian, Seren Charrington-Hollins delves into the history of culinary experimentation to bring us some of the weirdest and most stomach-churning food delicacies to ever grace a dining table. She uncovers the rather gruesome history behind some everyday staples, uncovers bizarre and curious recipes, whilst casting a light on foods that have fallen from culinary grace, such as cows udders and tripe; showing that revulsion is just a matter of taste, times and perhaps knowledge.
From pickled brains to headcheese, through to song birds and nymph’s thighs, this book explores foods that have evoked disgust and delight in diners depending on culinary perspective. So pull up a chair, unfold your napkin and get ready for a highly entertaining and enlightening journey to explore what makes a recipe revolting? Be warned; you’ll need a strong stomach and an open mind.”
Love at First Bite, The Complete Vampire Lover’s Cookbook, By
“Everything’s better with vampires–even dinner! Now you can serve up delicacies your guests will love, and satisfy your ravenous cravings at the same time. Love at First Bite is a unique collection of more than 300 suckulent recipes sure to tempt the taste buds and leave everyone begging for more, including:
- Blood Chilling Gazpacho
- Van Helsing’s Veggie Rolls
- Bloody Mary Fondue
- Coffin Cake
- I Vant S’mores
- Blood Orange Mimosas
This ghastly guide also includes clever themes for vampire parties, with menus and movies for some bloody good fun. With Love at First Bite, making meals for monster appetites just got easier!”
The Orginal Road Kill Cookbook, By B.R.”Buck” Peterson
“In his inimitable style, Buck Peterson takes the reader to such far-flung, well-hung places as Azerbaijan and the Isle of Gilligan to enjoy foodstuffs once known only to a small handful of well-heeled heels. The International Cookbook teaches the where and how to practice roadkill skills on foreign soil, details the food customs and traditions of the home country, and serves the most popular recipes prepared in Buck’s own roadside test kitchens. The recipes include the popular UK dish -Bangered and Mashed, Chili’s national dish – Chili Con Carnage, Pakistan’s Chicken Peeloff and Germany’s Hasenpflatten.”
The Astronaut’s Cookbook, Tales, Recipes, and More, By Charles T. Bourland and Gregory L. Vogt
“Astronauts, cosmonauts, and a very limited number of people have experienced eating space food due to the unique processing and packaging required for space travel. This book allows anyone with a normal kitchen to prepare space food. Since some of the processing such as freeze dehydration, and packaging cannot be accomplished in the normal kitchen, many of the recipes will not produce the food that would be launched in space, but will prepare food similar to what the astronauts would eat after they had added the water to the food in space. Many of the space foods are prepared to the point of ready to eat, and then frozen and freeze dried. Food preparation in this book stops at the point of ready to eat before the freezing and dehydrating takes place.
Recipes in this book are extracted from the NASA food specifications and modified for preparation in a normal kitchen. The book will contain the following chapters: Introduction, Appetizers, Beverages, Bread and Tortillas, Cookies, Sandwiches, Desserts, Main Dishes, Soups and Salads, Vegetables, and Future Space Foods.
Interesting tidbits of space food history will be spread throughout the book. Examples like; did NASA invent Tang?, who was the first person to eat in space?, the Gemini sandwich fiasco, why there is no alcohol in U.S. space food systems, astronauts favorite food, etc.”
The Serial Killer Cookbook, By Ashley Lecker
“Bring your love of true crime into the kitchen with meals ranging from the bizarre (a single unpitted black olive) to the gluttonous (a dozen deep-fried shrimp, a bucket of fried chicken, French fries, and a pound of strawberries), inspired by Ted Bundy, John Wayne Gacy, and other notorious death row inmates. The perfect gift for murderinos and true crime fans, The Serial Killer Cookbook: Last Meals pairs serial killer trivia with the recipes of the meals these killers ate during their final hours. With full-color photos, chilling true crime facts, and easy-to-follow steps, you’ll be cooking up killer meals in no time. This collection of recipes is both delicious and surprising, and spans breakfast staples to indulgent desserts, including:
- Seared Steak, Hash Browns, Toast, and Fried Eggs (given to but not eaten by Ted Bundy, serial killer)
- Chicken Parmesan and Alfredo Pasta (eaten by Ruth Snyder, murderer)
- Justice, Equality, and World Peace (eaten by Odell Barnes, murderer)
- Mac and Cheese (eaten by Gustavo Julian Garcia, murderer)”
The Elf Folks’ Book of Cookery: Recipes For a Delighted Tongue, a Healthy Body and a Magical Life, By The Silver Elves
“The Elf Folks’ Book of Cookery was created for elves, faeries and all otherkin to use to adapt to their own needs, both healthy and flavorful. All the food recipes in this book are created by elves and eaten by elves! Of course, they may also be used by anyone interested in healthy and delicious foods. The Silver Elves have eaten in their daily diet all 50+ recipes this book shares and they continue to adapt them according to their tastes, understanding of modern nutritional knowledge, and what they may have in the cupboard on a particular day. The Silver Elves trust you will do the same, making this your own book of magical elven recipes.This book is not only an elven recipe book, but also a course in how to cook and alter recipes to your health specifications. Making a healthy diet change can be difficult for anyone and the elves want to help their kin to make this important transition toward excellent health both easy and fun. Reading and using this book, you will learn how to take an old favorite food of your clan and alter it to be more nutritious and healthy, as well as delicious. While they advise the use of all organics, they have added recipes for a variety of meals, treats and tastes, for those needing both gluten-free and those who feel their bodies accept gluten whole grains. The Silver Elves have many vegetarian dishes, but also some meat and fish dishes. You will note little elven enchantments or spells here and there throughout the book that can be chanted when cooking to fill a dish with that special elfin magick. The Silver Elves cook consciously and with healing intent and using their magical spells while cooking will help you do the same. “The very bestThe taste supremeWill bring to usOur every dream!”
The Scratch & Sniff Guide to Beer: A Beer Lover’s Companion, By Justin Kennedy and Rich Higgins
“Discover a world of beer with this sensational handbook, packed with style guides, how-tos, and fascinating anecdotes about the origins and evolution of both well-known and esoteric beers—and ten unique “scratch and sniff” stickers devoted to aromas inherent in your favorite brews. The Scratch & Sniff Guide to Beer is for anyone who has even delighted in the pleasures of an aged lambic, marveled at the crispness of properly made pilsner, or longed to seek out some of the world’s most unique brews.
To truly know a beer, it isn’t enough to taste it. You must breathe in its distinctive aroma—a specialty blend of hops, malt, water, and yeast that differentiate one beer style from another. Divided into eight chapters, each segment of this book introduces you to a new aspect of beer. Whether illuminating the process of making beer, or teaching you how to start your very own at-home beer cellar, The Scratch & Sniff Guide to Beer bursts with fun information and factoids to dispense at your next bottle share—a wealth of insider knowledge that adds body, depth, and flavor to every page.”
“This is a bacon cookbook with a super-fun twist—scratch the cover for a deliciously bacon-y smell! It’s an indisputable fact that bacon is the world’s greatest food. It goes with everything—from savory to sweet—and it’s just as comfortable being the star of the show as it is playing a supporting role. You can slather it in maple syrup; you can fry it ‘til it’s crisp; you can use it to wrap other meats; hell, you can even weave a delicious bacon-y mat with it, and bacon confidently takes it all in stride. All hail bacon.
The Bacon Scratch & Sniff Cookbook promises to sway even the most hardened vegetarians with its forty bacon-centric recipes (not to mention its nifty scratch-and-sniff feature on the book’s cover)—from piggy snacks, including caramel bacon popcorn, candied bacon strips, and bacon-wrapped sweet potato wedges, to heartier main dishes like bacon-covered mac-and-cheese burgers, smoky bacon tacos, and the ultimate pasta carbonara. Did we mention dessert too? You’ll also find bacon and pecan ice cream, choc-bacon cookies, and everything bacon imaginable. It’s time to pig out, because everything is better with bacon!”
“A clever distillation of America’s favorite libation, by the New York Times best-selling authors of The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert
Whiskey fever is sweeping the nation. Every day, craft distilleries are popping up in remote counties and urban centers, offering a wealth of great choices to consumers—and just as many puzzlements. Does the introduction of a simple “e” to go from whisky to whiskey mean anything? What’s the difference between Scotch and Rye? What’s Canadian whisky anyway? And what about the whiskeys of Scotland, Japan, and Ireland? Where’s a humble Joe to start? In this witty kid-style book on an adult topic, Richard Betts boils down his know-how into twenty pages, cooling our “brown-sweat” anxieties and dividing whiskey into three simple categories: Grain, Wood, and Place. While most whiskey tomes are about as fun as a chemistry lesson, Betts makes the learning slide down easy, reassuring us that this exalted spirit is just distilled beer and, through a nasal romp, helping us figure out which kinds we love best. Humorous illustrations and scratch-and-sniff scents (vanilla, sandalwood, grass, and more) help would-be connoisseurs learn their personal preferences. Language label and Map to Your Desires included.”
An avid book reader and proud library card holder, Angela is new to the world of e-Readers. She has a background in education, emergency response, fitness, loves to be in nature, traveling and exploring. With an honours science degree in anthropology, Angela also studied writing after graduation. She has contributed work to The London Free Press, The Gazette, The Londoner, Best Version Media, Lifeliner, and Citymedia.ca.
