As a sidebar to this month’s Chinese Buffet series, throughout August, One for the Road will highlight travel guides, reference books and other recommended reads related to life or travel in China.
Those darling dumplings are just one example of traditional Chinese cuisine. So where do you turn to learn more? There are tons of books that could be mentioned here, but I just picked one title from a bunch I recently looked at from China Books. These guys carry books about all aspects of life in China. This Chinese Foods book is from the Cultural China Series of China Intercontinental Press, and has been translated into English by William W. Wang.
The book contains beautiful images and follows a clean, crisp design. It begins with a chapter on traditional foods native to China and is then followed by a look at foods introduced from other places — like corn and chili peppers. Most of the book is dedicated to traditions, local delicacies, tools of the trade and the Chinese eating experience. There are also sections dedicated to tea and wine. If you’re going to China on a culinary journey, this book might serve as a fine introduction to the history and culture of food throughout the country.