- Katniss and Gale break bread in The Hunger Games
Last week my wife came home and told me about The Hunger Games.
“You’re hungry?” I asked.
“No, The Hunger Games. It’s only the most popular movie and book out there right now!” She responded.
Over the past few days I have found myself sleeping two to three hours per night, unable to stop reading Suzanne Collins' bestseller. (It’s one of the best stories I’ve ever read.) Although the main character is a girl, I have been living vicariously through her perilous life. I’ve started to pay close attention to the wild animals I spot as I drive to my client’s homes. I wonder if I could catch them, and which ones would taste better than others. I am aware of my endless water supply, and it seems almost like cheating. Do I know how to set a snare? Could I shoot an arrow to save my life? I notice how little exercise I’ve gotten lately, but I reckon that I could survive a couple of weeks without food — physically, that is. I would probably go insane much sooner.
These are the questions that plague me now.
The Hunger Games sizzles with suspense, action, and most importantly, food. Collins’ description of the lavish cuisine of the Capitol (a decadent society in the not-so-distant future) against the rudimentary backdrop of District 12’s survival game meats, sets my imagination on fire and makes my stomach yearn for both fresh caught rabbit and cream soup with rose petals.
Below are a few recipes that I’ve adapted from the book. Enjoy!
This article appears in Mar 29 – Apr 4, 2012.