| In association with |
 |
|
Learn to COOK - Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China
|
List Price: $24.95
Our Price: $14.52
Your Save: $ 10.43 ( 42% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
|
Average Customer Rating: 
|
|
Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.5951
EAN: 9780393066579
ISBN: 0393066576
Label: W. W. Norton
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 352
Publication Date: 2008-04-14
Publisher: W. W. Norton
Studio: W. W. Norton
|
|
|
|
|
|
Editorial Reviews:
|
A new memoir by the most talented and respected British food writer of her generation.
Award-winning food writer Fuchsia Dunlop went to live in China as a student in 1994, and from the very beginning she vowed to eat everything she was offered, no matter how alien and bizarre it seemed. In this extraordinary memoir, Fuchsia recalls her evolving relationship with China and its food, from her first rapturous encounter with the delicious cuisine of Sichuan Province to brushes with corruption, environmental degradation, and greed. In the course of her fascinating journey, Fuchsia undergoes an apprenticeship at China's premier Sichuan cooking school, where she is the only foreign student in a class of nearly fifty young Chinese men; attempts, hilariously, to persuade Chinese people that "Western food" is neither "simple" nor "bland"; and samples a multitude of exotic ingredients, including sea cucumber, civet cat, scorpion, rabbit-heads, and the ovarian fat of the snow frog. But is it possible for a Westerner to become a true convert to the Chinese way of eating? In an encounter with a caterpillar in an Oxford kitchen, Fuchsia is forced to put this to the test.
From the vibrant markets of Sichuan to the bleached landscape of northern Gansu Province, from the desert oases of Xinjiang to the enchanting old city of Yangzhou, this unique and evocative account of Chinese culinary culture is set to become the most talked-about travel narrative of the year.
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating:
Summary: Best down the Pike
Comment: Superb! Fuchsia Dunlop writes with precision, clarity and humor. The best book on Chinese food to come down the pike in a long time.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Superb Book For the Armchair Traveler
Comment: At this point in my life I'm certain that I will never get the chance to visit China. If by some miracle I get there, I will never be able to have the experiences that Fuchia Dunlop had, and so beautifully wrote about. I have to admit that I am very envious of her gastronomic adventures!
She was able to immerse herself in a completely different culture, and conveyed the sights, sounds, tastes and feel on each page of her book.
I enjoyed each and every chapter. She was honest about her experiences, how she actually ended up in China, and at the end finally found balance in an ever changing country. I highly recommend this book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Amazing must read
Comment: If you are interested in China and/or Chinese food then this is a must read. It is about Chinese cooking - not a cookbook. Even if you think you know about Chinese cooking you will learn that there is much more to it than you ever thought. Not to mention a great book about what is going on in 2008 China in general.
Customer Rating:
Summary: More Dan Dan Noodles please!!
Comment: I have been visiting China for about 5 years for business. This book had me at the very first paragraph...As an adventuresome eater myself, I have struggled with my reluctance to try many of the dishes I have been served on my various trips. Fuchsia may have bolstered my resolve with this memoir. The book is an extremely well written and informative account of her years in China. Her love for the people and cuisine is inspiring. I am not relinquishing my copy to share with friends, as I wish to keep the recipes included in the book for myself . I do, however, plan on buying the book as gifts for many of my foodie friends.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful and insightful memoir
Comment: This is an excellent book on many levels. The quality of the writing is a definite step above most books of this sort. The discussions of regional cuisines, culinary training, and attitudes towards food both contemporary and historical are fascinating. This book, however, is about more than food. Ms. Dunlop lived in Sichuan in a particularly interesting time, when rapid changes in the economy, politics, and society were laying the groundwork for the huge economic growth of the late 90's and present. I lived in China for two years in the early 90's (though in a different city from Ms. Dunlop, and I've never met her) and her descriptions of many of the contradictions and complexities of being a foreigner in China at the time are truly spot on. She looks at her experiences with a degree of self-awareness that is rare in books of this sort. There is little romanticism here, and when she does romanticize her experiences, she quickly pulls back and comments on the contradictory impulses she feels. This book richly deserves all five stars. Please note that the one single-star review it receives is by someone who admits she has not read the book and simply objects to the practice of shark-finning. Had the reviewer read the book, she would see that Ms. Dunlop ends up taking a highly critical perspective on many aspects of Chinese culinary practices, including the needlessly cruel methods of preparation, etc. This is as interesting and intelligent a memoir about food and China in this period as one is ever likely to encounter. I highly recommend it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
