The Food Taster

by Peter Elbling

Abducted from his farm and sent to the estate of Duke Federico Basillione DiVincelli along with his teenage daughter Miranda, Ugo DiFonte is stunned to find himself replacing the former royal food taster and must negotiate a delicate balance between staying alive, protecting MIranda, dealing with the prince's many enemies, and holding the court together, in a novel set in sixteenth-century Italy. Reprint.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Food, Humor, Romance, Literature

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

His debut novel The Food Taster (ostensibly Ugo DiFonte's memoir) was published in the United States in 2003.

Reviews

[Tea Jovanović · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ovu knjigu objavila sam iz poštovanja prema preminulom prevodiocu, divnoj Vesni Petrović, za koju me vezuju samo lepe uspomene i divna kaferisanja... da makar njeni prevodi i dalje žive...

[Marisa Fernandes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simpatizei com este livro desde o primeiro instante, mas durante vários anos deixei-o ficar na estante à espera de sentir que tinha chegado o momento de o ler, então.

E chegou. Chegou quando a ler "O Segredo de Copérnico" recentemente me deparei com a morte de alguém por veneno e com a figura do provador de comida, bem como todo o ambiente de intriga vivido no espaço italiano do século XVI. Pensei: Tenho de ler já de seguida aquele romance do provador. Assim foi.

Creio que a história tem um bom argumento. É particularmente interessante o modo como a figura do provador de comida se reveste de tanta importância na vida do duque e requer ao mesmo tempo tanta inteligência e astúcia para sobreviver ao "maravilhoso mundo" do veneno, da inveja e das rivalidades. A par disso, o amor de um pai (presente como pai e como mãe) pela filha, sempre preocupado com a segurança e o bem-estar da mesma, sendo mesmo capaz de sacrificar, se necessário, a sua vida revelou-se outro "ingrediente" digno de nota em "O Sabor do Perigo".

Uma chamada de atenção apenas para o facto deste livro ter muito pouco ou mesmo nada a ver com "O Perfume" de Patrick Süskind, ao contrário do que uma das frases da contra-capa poderá sugerir. São livros muito diferentes. Para além do papel principal caber aqui ao sabor (e não o cheiro), esta não é a história de um assassino. É antes uma história de alguém que correndo sempre perigo tenta a todo o custo proteger três vidas: a sua, a da filha e a do duque para quem trabalha.

Gostei muito!

[Michalyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short book that seemed very long. Despite the simple linear plot, the storytelling became confused at the end. Even though Ugo, the main character faces death at every meal as a food taster, I felt that the book dragged in a lot of places because the author wasn't successfully able to maintain that tension. There were some very funny scenes littered throughout but for the most part The Food Taster just didn't seem to live up to its potential either in terms of plot or wit. I appreciated the glimpse into renaissance life and the recipes at the end are great. Otherwise, there is not much remarkable here to write home about.

[Mira15 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este é um romance histórico bastante rico nas descrições, ambientes e comida.
Houve uns momentos que me cativaram mais que outros, mas, no geral, foi um livro que me deliciou e me fez dar umas boas gargalhadas.

(Opinião completa)

[Jordy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meer een soort duister sprookje dan een historische roman. Het boek leest snel weg, maar is ook simpel en voorspelbaar. De hoofdpersonage(s) leefden nog lang en gelukkig. Elbling heeft geprobeerd om de sfeer van de renaissance neer te zetten, maar slaagt daar slechts gedeeltelijk in.

De auteur heeft in ieder geval enig onderzoek gedaan naar de tijdsperiode. Dwergen en astrologen maakten zeker deel uit van een doorsnee hofleven. Een weinig bekend aspect van het hofleven - de uitbundige maaltijden - worden tot in detail beschreven en komen realistisch genoeg over. Voedsel en entertainment gingen hand in hand. Het is goed om dat eindelijk correct in een boek weergeven te zien.

Aan de andere kant, klopt er ook een heleboel niet voor de tijdgeest. Zelfs voor een historische roman, kiest de auteur voor de meest gewelddadige en erotische verhalen die in hem opkomen. Met de renaissance heeft het op een moment vrij weinig meer te maken. Het gedrag van het gros van de personages zou aan een doorsnee hof nooit worden geaccepteerd. Een streng hofprotocol hoorde bij de eer en status van de gastheer en dat komt in dit boek verschrikkelijk slecht tot uitdrukking.

Het verhaal leest wel snel weg, maar is op geen moment daadwerkelijk spannend. Het hoofdpersonage is meestal degene die het verhaal voortstuwt en dus moet de lezer wachten tot Ugo iets gaat ondernemen om het verhaal verder te helpen. Na ongeveer twee derde van het boek, zie je het einde wel aankomen. Onbeantwoorde liefde, gif, nep-dood, ontsnapping. Als lezer wil je dan wel snel op weg naar het volgende boek.

Kortom, een aanrader als je even snel iets nodig hebt om binnen een paar dagen te lezen. De auteur schrijft soepeltjes, met een logische hoofdstukindeling en een fijne vertelwijze vanuit een soort dagboek. Er zit echter niet veel spanning in de eenduidige verhaallijn en de geschiedenis wordt soms enorm overdreven en onrecht aangedaan.

[Aneca · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Ugo DiFonte and his teenaged daughter Miranda are snatched from their farm and spirited away to Duke Federico Basillione DiVincelli’s estate, Ugo thinks life can’t get any worse… until he is forced to replace the recently de-tongued royal food taster. Now Ugo must stay alive - a difficult prospect considering the prince’s myriad of enemies and their poisons - to protect Miranda from her suitors and desires, and somehow hold the unruly court together.
A bestseller in ten countries, in this novel of gastronomical delight and brilliant wit Peter Elbling remarkably captures the sights, sounds, and tastes of sixteenth-century Italy with the story of a peasant rising to extraordinary and death-defying acts of grace.”

I’ve recently read somewhere that Peter Elbling is a screenwriter. While reading the book I didn’t know that but I noticed immediately how he has a beautifully descriptive way of write that makes it very easy for the reader to “see” the action taking place. In fact, now that I know that, I can’t help thinking how easy it would be to adapt the story for the movies and how well it would work.

Unfortunately, as a fiction book I thought it had too many plot twists, too much action if you will, and after a while I found my attention wondering in other directions.

The book is written as a memoir by the fictional Ugo, food taster to the mighty Duke Federico, and its set in Italy in the 16th century. Ugo has had a hard life before being caught by Federico’s guards. He was abused by his father and brother, saw his mother hang herself, got married only to see his wife dying in childbirth and leaving him with a baby. His daughter Miranda soon becomes the center of his life and when he becomes Duke Federico’s food taster she goes with him to the castle.

Duke’s Federico court is full of intrigues; he is an autocratic ruler, loud and violent. He hates his wife and his mother in law, keeps mistresses and plans orgies of food and entertainment which often ends with someone dead or humiliated. There is a real fear of poison and of being killed by the Duke in a fit of rage, Ugo soon tries to find allies to prevent both situations but he can never find peace. He falls in love with Agnese, a washer woman from the Palace but she is killed, his daughter grows and attracts the attention of Federico’s main cook which displeases Ugo, a spurt of plague leads him to send Miranda away for her own safety, eventually she returns but she is not the same and soon falls under the spell of Ugo’s brother who reappears practicing some sort of witchcraft...

I can see the appeal of reading something different and bringing some freshness to the genre but I felt that there were too many things going on, like everything was rushed, and since Ugo is not particularly likeable it was a struggle to keep reading his life’s story. The author also resorts to crude language very often for effect but after a while it feels like an obvious device and it’s annoying rather than effective.

Grade: 3/5

[Devorah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5ish. The concept of the story centered around a food taster who goes from starving peasant to lavish palace where he constantly risks his life to eat was different and intriguing. The historical context also appeared to be well researched and was fairly atmospheric. Overall kind of felt like a slightly more fleshed out and grittier fairytale. Fewer stars because the plot got a bit monotonous at times and clunky at others, but generally an enjoyable read.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit more graphic and violent than I expected given the title (when there is plauge, suicide, and bestiality in the first four pages you know you are in for a ride), but probably in line with the times. Our friend Ugo and his teen daughter are taken from their farm and Ugo is ordereed to be the food taster for a Duke that everyone hates. Ugo spends his time risking being poisoned and trying to protect those around him. Despite the bordering vulgarity at times, the healthy dose of irony and surprising sweetness kept me going and I actually enjoyed it. There is a nice treat at the end of the novel when the author includes some authentic Italian recipes from the time of the novel.

[Donna LaValley · Rating 2 out of 5]

The strong point was the plot, and at least the characters were dynamic (learned and changed from experiences) but none of the characters were particularly likable. There was plenty of ugly gore and violence, sex and foul language. I've read a lot of books that take place in the middle ages, all researched to varying degrees, and think this author chose to include the most scatological and murderous scenes he could to sell the book. Of interest were the physical descriptions of the palaces, towns, and countryside, the menus and even recipes in the book. I'd rather have given it 2.5 stars.

[Sherelyn Ernst · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had higher hopes for this book than it met, but it was fun if you want something a little humorous with some interesting facts about food tasters (for poison, not quality control) in Italy during Medieval times. It reads much like a cartoon plays, so horrible things can happen to characters without much affecting the reader. Because of this one never feels close to any of the characters--they just aren't real--but the story is engaging and entertaining. I had hoped for the equivalent of The Princess Bride, but this just doesn't cut it when compared to that. Then again, I can't think of anything that does.

[Jef Sneider · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book of a shelf in Fair Haven NY where it was available at a local book drop. The shelves were lined with summer reading and other fare, and you were asked to leave some money if you took a book. I found this one, and some others, and left a $20.

This is a Mad Magazine style romp through the late middle ages. It did get a bit muddles towards the end, as though the author ran out of ideas and energy, but it was a fun read - if you enjoy random violence, farting, lots of rich food, gout, palace intrigue and general mayhem.

[Nelleke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Een aantal jaar geleden heb ik dit boek voor het eerst gelezen, toen vond ik het geweldig. Onlangs zag ik dit boek in de kast staan en kon ik me niks meer ervan herinneren, behalve de herinnering dat het erg goed was. Soms is het beter om in die waan te blijven. Het is nog steeds een lekker wegleesboek, maar de manier van vertellen, de grofheid, sprak mij minder aan. En de hoofdpersoon Ugo, is eigenlijk maar een vervelend mannetje. Gaf ik de vorige keer 5 sterren, nu kon ik echt niet verder dan 3. Grappig dat je inzicht zo kan veranderen.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought I might have already reviewed this book, but maybe I didn't. I didn't like it. In fact, I didn't even finish it. I keep meaning to put a category for my choosing that says, "Didn't Care to Finish". There were several not nice words in this book, within the first 60 pages. The story seemed to intriguing, so I was very sad that I was so turned off. Lots of sex, LOTS of sexual references. Not cool.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent historical novel that captures (I think) the intrigue and danger of the medieval courts. The protagonist, a peasant is snatched up by chance to be the food taster of the king, which means he is totally disposable. But he makes his way through cunning to a respected position as cook. There is lot of black humor which I like.

[Matt Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Protagonist is a peasant who ends up as food taster to the ruler of a small city-state. The ruler is cruel, murderous, and impetuous, and, as a result, has good reason to fear death by poison. We follow the hero through love, fear for his daughter, and almost to his death.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Creative story about life as a food taster, serving a hated Duke in Corsoli, Italy. Probably takes place in 16th century. Very entertaining, could be a Shakespearian play. Vicious love triangle. His daughter is in love with the cook, the Duke is in love with his daughter...

[Seth Arnopole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Profane and violent. Not to everyone's taste, but worthwhile for readers with a dark sense of humor who like historical fiction. I would gladly read another novel by Peter Elbling, if such a thing existed.

[Kris Wright · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh...we all hated it!

[Lilu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read it years ago, after finding it by accident. The plot, the language - it's one of those books you don't forget. There is something magic about it.

[Susana · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 mais propriamente, mas não consigo arrendondar para 3...
Não gostei particularmente da escrita, nem da história, nem das personagens, mas de algum modo a leitura não foi desagradável...

[Kendra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Horrible. Didn't finish

[Janet · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disliked it so much, I couldn't even finish reading it.

[Lucy Condon · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5 but rounded up!

Chosen by another reader for our book group. Set in Medieval Italy, Ugo diFonte is a starving peasant whose mother has taken her life and whose father favours his older brother Vittore. Ugo has also lost his wife and is left with daughter Miranda. One day he gets in the way of Duke Frederico’s hunt and is taken away with Miranda to the Duke’s palace and made his food taster - a hazardous job! Weirdly he loses enjoyment of food whilst he is the food taster, probably for fear of being poisoned.

There is nothing about the Medieval age that is appealing - feuds, fighting, plotting, plague, witchcraft and basic bodily functions - but it does lend itself to a good story. I was definitely rooting for Ugo throughout the book although wasn’t sure Miranda was well portrayed - found it difficult to sympathise with her situation as it unfolds. The book cover says the The Food Taster is a ‘delicious fairytale romance guaranteed to melt the hardest of hearts’ but I didn’t feel that the romance cut through all the Medieval noise of the book. Definitely not a fairytale, more like a tale of survival. The villains were drawn well - Frederick (think Henry Vlll) and Vittore (nasty piece of work). As it was difficult to know who Ugo could trust throughout the book then in some ways the and light was largely hidden until the end of the book when his supporters emerged from the darkness. I enjoyed it more as the book went on (I had a slow start with it).

At some point towards the end of the book Patrick Suskind’s book ‘Perfume’ came into my head and then I noticed the sticker on the front of my book saying ‘As enjoyable as Patrick Suskind’s Perfume or your money back’! I read Perfume so long ago that I can’t comment on what the similarities might be but there must be some thread.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ugo has had a tough life. His mother committed suicide so she wouldn't have to die from the plague. His father and brother treated him life garbage until one day he had enough and left. In his travels, he fell in love with a girl and they had a child, Miranda. His wife died in childbirth. They had a small farm that was doing poorly when the Duke happened upon his land. Angry that Ugo's land has disturbed the Duke's hunt, the Duke decides that he must become his new food taster.

Ugo and Miranda move to the Duke's castle and Ugo starts tasting the Duke's food for poison. He finds that he can no longer enjoy his food anymore since he's so worried about dying. Everything he does is to try and keep himself and his daughter safe and alive. This leads to some pretty crazy situations, including getting the Duke's girlfriend killed for thinking and pretending there was poison in his food when there wasn't.

Ugo isn't very smart and doesn't always make the right decision, but he's always trying to do best for his daughter. This includes as she grows up and trying to find the right husband for her. There's a boy in the kitchen that tries to trade Miranda's hand in marriage for information to Ugo about possible poisoning of his dishes.

This was a fun book. Ugo got in to some very unique and troublesome situations. His heart was always in the right place though, he was a pretty likable character.

[GBL · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Food Taster is an interesting novel set in an Italian Renaissance court where Ugo is the food taster to the unpredictable Duke Federico, a former mercenary.

Born a peasant, Ugo lives a harsh life until one day he falls into the path of the local noble, Federico, Duke of Corsoli. He becomes the Duke’s food taster, checking everything the Duke eats to ensure it has not been poisoned. Ugo appears to have a nice life, living with his daughter Miranda in the castle of Corsoli but he literally puts his life on the line every time he eats something for the Duke and Ebling succeeds in conveying the tension of the situation. The narrative follows the development of the relationship between Federico and Ugo and other members of the court, but the focus is on the relationship between The Duke and Ugo’s daughter as he plans to marry her.

The novel is interesting as it focuses on a relatively unknown aspect of courtly life, the dangerous job of the food taster, protecting his employer from the ever present threat of poison.

[Laura Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I've read it a few times over the years, and each time am pleasantly surprised by how entertaining it is. The writing is very easy, and compels me to keep reading.

It's crude. There's a lot of farts, swearing, graphic sex, and rape. It's not historically accurate, but it is fun. I've finally grasped that you don't have to like the narrator to like the book. Ugo is not a good or a bad man. He loves his daughter, and God, and will do anything to improve his family's standing. He hates his enemies, he loathes his boss, the Duke, and believes himself above the other courtiers. His friends and family are similarly flawed. They are not all villains or heroes, they are people, and it's interesting to read a story where most character are morally ambiguous instead of clear pro- or antagonists.

The descriptions of food are mouth watering. I would love to try just one dish, and the book is full of them. When Ugo falls in love, I fall in love with him. Life in 16th century Italy is hard and filthy, and I enjoyed reading it.

[StephanieD · Rating 3 out of 5]

“To stir the humors, to make the reader weep, laugh or clutch his heart—surely that is a gift more valuable than all the gold and silver that exist. Truly the man who succeeds in this is god of his own world.”

3.25 ⭐️

This is an interesting story, very quirky and unique. It has a lot of great elements, but I didn’t always love the execution. The story is perhaps too topsy turvy, and yet I was also frequently bored.

The characters are intentionally absurd, but I wish we had protagonists that we could root for. The daughter was a specially grating.

Still, there is a quality to it which I appreciate and I can’t rate this book any lower. I saw a review that said “the plot was almost as chaotic as my life,” and I thought was a a top-tier synopsis.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult to finish because of all the asides. The conceit is that it is an autobiography of a Food Taster who comes from extremely impoverished background and finds himself in a wealthy court in which he does not know whom to trust (there are very few trustworthy people). The attempts to poison his employer are so frequent that the fear of dying causes him to dislike food and eating. The narrator is not a particularly likeable character, aside from his love for his daughter. It is clear that the author did a lot of research about life in the 16th century; I am very glad that I do not live there.

[Dolores · Rating 2 out of 5]

I suspect that what enticed me to buy this almost 20 years ago was the blurb on the back cover:

"The Food Taster is like an opera fashioned from a few bites of Cinderella and Romeo & Juliet, and washed down with a huge gulp of Pierre Franey's Chef's Tale and Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential." (The Philadelphia Enquirer)

Sadly it missed that mark by a long shot. I finished it. I didn't hate it. But I certainly wasn't as enchanted as I expected to be.

[Becky Marietta · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story certainly kept my attention, and I was intrigued by the setting and time period. The book was too crass for my liking, though--lots of descriptions of bodily fluids, violence, and sex. Not really my cup of tea. Also, I did not like Miranda--she was an awful little brat. But the book was a page-turner, and I did enjoy Ugo's character.