Very Impressive Brand New Cookbook
by mansii
If you have ever had an inkling that you might like to try your hand at authentic Chinese food, a very impressive cookbook has hit AADL's shelves just for you! All Under Heaven by Carolyn Phillips takes a comprehensive look at Chinese cuisine, and by comprehensive I mean over 500 pages containing over 300 recipes, and weighing approximately 4 pounds!
This woman is serious about her cooking, and as authentic as you can get. All 35 different cuisines of China are represented, divided into five different regions. Each section of this volume relays a fascinating and well-researched food history of the region it represents. If you don't know where a recipe title like "Ignored by the Dog" came from Phillips will tell you--along with many other crazy tidbits.
Over 100 pages of "fundamentals" in the back provide essential know-how, like a basic Chinese flour recipe for stickier baked goods results. A thorough glossary explains what the different ingredients mentioned throughout the book are and where to find them. Very detailed technique descriptions, as well as helpful tips on almost every page enable cooks of any level to enter into this whole new culinary world. One of my favorite parts is the sample menu ideas in the back for pairing recipes.
Phillips writes with a love for food and for culture that is contagious. My mouth is watering for some battered and caramelized apples or Drunken Chicken. This book is an education all right, and an invitation to the adventurous!
If 35 cuisines in five regions is a little much to swallow for a first stab at Chinese cooking, check out the rest of AADL's cookbooks on Chinese cuisine here!
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