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An A-Z of Chinese Food (Recipes Not Included): A delectable collection that serves up Chinese flavour beyond its taste
Jenny Lau
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'A series of intelligent and fiery essays' The Sunday Times
'A landmark in British food writing' Jonathan Nunn
'Makes you laugh, think, and get a little angry' iPaper
'I started stitching together my story through a different, universal language: food.'
An A-Z of Chinese Food (Recipes Not Included) is not a recipe book, but a deliberate 'anti-glossary' - a delectable edible anthology that serves up Chinese flavour beyond just its taste.
Jenny Lau always found herself sitting between cultures, connected to both east and west. Hungry to understand herself, she threw herself into researching the Chinese food of her heritage. The result is An A-Z of Chinese Food - a surprising, unputdownable and deliciously enriching anthology that uses food to explore who we are and how we relate to the world.
From A is for Authentic, breaking down our assumptions of who 'owns' what cuisine, to R is for Rice Cooker, a humorous entry from the point of view a hard-working kitchen appliance that has seen a family through its ups and downs, An A-Z of Chinese Food will change the way you think about, see, and eat, food.
'Lau's writing makes you laugh, think, and get a little angry - sometimes all at once. She tackles serious topics such as cultural appropriation, colonisation, racism and fetishisation in Chinese food with a lightness that never undermines their gravity' ANGELA HUI for iPaper
'I feel seen... I feel called out... I feel educated... I feel comforted and satiated. This is the book I needed growing up. Everyone should read this book!' JENNIFER LI, @bookmarkonthewall, book blogger
'A worthwhile and thoughtful corrective to many of the myths and over-simplifications about Chinese food in the West. Lau poses some great questions, which stayed with me long after I'd finished reading' BEE WILSON for The Sunday Times
'Using the universal language of food, Lau rips through an astonishing list of subjects with a uniquely original style. A must-read for lovers of food yes, but also lovers of exciting, daring writing' FOYLES Booksellers
'A groundbreaking rhapsody of a book, that brings something brand new to the canon of diasporic food writing. An A-Z that shines completely new light on Chinese culinary heritage, with an immediacy and spirited reverence that is a joy to read. Jenny Lau is a compelling and expressive storyteller: intricately weaving personal memoir, extensively researched cultural history and satirical humour with commanding eloquence. An instant classic from an essential new voice.' GURDEEP LOYAL, food & travel writer
Read MorePraise for An A-Z of Chinese Food (Recipes Not Included): A delectable collection that serves up Chinese flavour beyond its taste
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Jenny Lau is a compelling and evocative storyteller, an important voice that shines bright in the world of modern food writing. Jenny's An A-Z Of Chinese Food is like a balm for the soul... In her precise yet vulnerable prose, Jenny humanises the quest to understand identity through the lens of foodJenny's writing on food - particularly on East and South East Asian foodways - is a tonicThere is so much to admire about Jenny's writing... She chews over some big issues (read her brilliant piece on authenticity...) in An A-Z of Chinese FoodJenny Lau captures something fundamental about the human condition in her writing about food. She starts from the most thought provoking and exciting questions and, through her prose, explores the juicy connections between food, identity and society that emerge from such clear-sighted curiosity. She is a writer of force and warmth. Everything she writes is a must read!Jenny's writing is informative and engaging, as well as being playful and witty. She is actually essential reading for any serious culture enthusiast... Jenny's writing is fresh, innovative and actually takes on a core of community advocacy. It respects tradition but is never hidebound by it. A truly vibrant and progressive voice
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