'This anthology from the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild is full of twisted stories and tasteful recipes, along with tasteful stories and twisted recipes. Spaceships are served with pikelets, werewolves with chocolate, andmermaids with tea. And there’s pixies, spirits, beans, gods, damsels in distress, lots and lots of spices, thousand-year-old eggs and thoroughly modern bubble gum?' (Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild website).
The Gastronomicon contains 20 stories and 22 recipes from: Jenny and Stuart Barrow, Zara Baxter, Conor Bendle, Mik Bennett, Geoff Byng, Lily Chrywenstrom, Donna Maree Hanson, Cameron Hill, Tessa Kum, Maxine McArthur, Robbie Matthews, T. L. Miller, Nicole R. Murphy, Gillian Polack, Allan Price, Peter Raftos, Barbara Robson, Kylie Seluka, Valerie Y. L. Toh, and Kaaron Warren.
The recipes are:
Cookies: Soft, Fat, Ginger (Stuart Barrow, p. 9).
Soups: Prawn and Tomato Soup (Kaaron Warren, p. 13), Pea Soup (Donna Maree Hanson, p. 17)
Light Meals: Li Kao's Adversity Dumplings (Zara Baxter, p.22), Pikelets (Robbie Matthews, p. 27), Mushroom Sandwich (Nicole R. Murphy, p. 30).
Mains: Burritos (Mik Bennett, p.34), Kali Dal (Jenny and Stuart Barrow, p.37), Precious Eggs in Rice Nest (Valerie Y. L. Toh, p. 41), Dragon and Dog Thistle Congree with Preserved Egg (Geoff Byng, p.44), Stu's Stew (Gillian Polack, p.47), Damsels in Distress and Fire Spice Paste (Barbara Robson, p. 51).
Desserts: Bubblegum Icecream (Maxine McArthur, p.55), Cinnamon Balls (Kylie Seluka, p.59), Chocolate Meringue Pie (Allan Price, p.63), Grasshopper Pie (T. L. Miller, p. 67), Fairy Bread (Conor Bendle, p.72).
Beverages: Absinthe (Cameron Hill, p.76), Blue Pixie Margarita (Tessa Kum, p.79), Spanish Chocolate (Peter Raftos, p. 82), Inspiration Tea (Lily Chrywenstrom, p. 88).
