At the Chinese Table delivers exactly what it claims, an engaging memoir by Carolyn Phillips recounting her adventures learning another culture and language alongside some beautifully presented recipes. Released 15th June 2021 by W. W. Norton, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.
This entire book has such a comforting and wholesome honesty that I found myself enthralled and invested in the author's recollections from the first few pages. She writes well and clearly about her early days as a language student in Taiwan, her education and appreciation for the culture and the food, her intertwined stories with the man who would become her life partner and her interactions with his traditional family.
The format of the book meanders delightfully from story to anecdote; full of observations and a respectful humor on both sides, self-deprecating by turns, delighted and wondering soon after. The stories are interspersed with a handful of well curated personal recipes. The recipes are presented with an introduction, bullet list of ingredients with measures in both American standard and metric (yay!), followed by clearly written step-by-step directions.
There is no photography in the book. The stories and recipes are illustrated with whimsical line drawings which enhance the text well. Some ingredients will be difficult to source in North America outside large urban areas with well stocked Asian markets. The author includes tips for sourcing (or growing) some supplies.
I found this a charming read. I would recommend it to fans of memoir, gastronomy, Chinese cooking and culture. Beautifully done. Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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