New MONA cookbook re-envisions eating Aussie pests
SWEET AND sour cane toad legs and a prickly pear fruit margarita, the Museum of Old and New Art’s (MONA) upcoming exhibition and accompanying cookbook titled Eat the Problem aims to change the way we view invasive species.
The 544-page, hardcover book, published in late March, compiles surreal, and at times over-the-top recipes made from Australia’s invasive species including cane toad, wild boar, camel, fox and rabbit.
The dishes are beautifully curated and photographed to make what may seem like “offensive” ingredients, look appetising.
The book includes recipes from renowned Australian chefs Shannon Bennett, who has concocted a rabbit with smoked potato and onion dish and Tetsuya Wakuda, who contributes a venison tataki with root vegetable recipe, and many others.
Sweet and sour cane toad legs by David-McMahon.
Prickly pear fruit margarita by Martha Ortiz and Paloma Senosiain.
Possum, salt-baked vegetables, hazelnut, wild rice by Vince Trim.
Essays and artworks on the book’s central theme of invasive species, sustainability and cooking are offered by contributors including Germaine Greer, Tim Minchin and Marina Abramović, to name a few.
Artist and curator Kirsha Kaechele hopes the exhibition and book will start a conversation. “This book is a surreal and appetising way to reimagine what we think of as invasive,” Kirsha says. “It celebrates an abundance of pests, and the art of transforming shit into gold.
“Eat the Problem is an exercise in systems based thinking, solving multiple problems at once with stylish and delicious results.”
The Eat the Problem exhibition will open on 13 April 2019 and runs until 2 September 2019. Tickets on sale from Friday 25 March 2019.
