Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of A Feast of Folklore.

This book was definitely right up my alley.

I'm the sort of person who wonders where we get follow/perform certain rituals and superstitions? Where did they come from? How did they evolve?

It's clear the author did his research; it was hilarious and odd and strange for all the right reasons.

At the same time, it was too folklore heavy. I wished the author had delved into the nuances of some of the superstitions.

Did some communities' beliefs from their homeland influence their rituals and how did it get passed down and incorporated into their adopted country?

Overall, a fascinating and eye-opening read into why we believe the things we do, almost always for the wrong reasons. But we still keep doing it!

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC

⭐️=3.75? 4? | 😘=2.5 | 🤬=3 | ⚔️=3 | 15+

summary: what it says on the tin! weird folklore about British food

thoughts: fun! weird! funny! a good time overall, though not the most polished prose. very quirky and strange.

A treat, in more ways than one!

As someone who grew up cooking in an Italian family, there were always small traditions that snuck into our routines without even realizing. Ben Gazur takes us on a journey of the who/what/where/when/and why of all of these food related traditions, patterns, and practices. This is such a fun and informative book that everyone who spends any time in a kitchen should pick up!

The writer certainly knows their onions! From onions to milk, the writer goes into facts of different foods. It's quite interesting but I would have valued more scientific explanations regarding the foods stuffs. For instance, it's said onions ward of disease and infections, the writer briefly covers an epidemic in which Italians with onions in their houses suffered less than the rest of the population. Why? Was this just coincidence, what properties of the onions "ward off diseases" or is it simply just coincidence? There is always something behind folklore and I was expecting some debunking or explanation regarding the foodstuffs.

Incredibly hilarious and just my cup of tea. This is a non-fiction book about the origins of some of our eating habits but simplifying the context and content as such does not do this book justice, I liked Gazur’s writing style so much. I will read this book again and I highly recommend it to those who are looking for a good read on a bizarre topic. Well, the book is also very informative and asks interesting questions. It is the type of non-fiction book that I like and would read books written, structured and researched in a similar vein.