Reviews

Invitation to a Banquet: The Story of Chinese Food by Fuchsia Dunlop

ekentchan's review against another edition

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challenging informative inspiring slow-paced

3.5

giopep's review against another edition

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informative inspiring slow-paced

5.0

Fuchsia Dunlop è questa cuoca e scrittrice britannica che ha dedicato la sua vita alla cucina cinese, o qualcosa del genere. Ho un paio di suoi libri di ricette che uso a raffica per cucinare un sacco di roba diversa e mandare poi le foto a Madre di Amica di Figlia che è di Singapore e mi fa sentire sempre piuttosto orgoglione quando mi fa i complimenti per la riuscita ma non so quanto valga perché lei dichiaratamente non è che c’abbia tutta 'sta voglia di cucinare e poi insomma magari è solo gentile. Comunque, i due libri di ricette sono Every Grain of Rice e Sichuan Cookery e veramente ci sta dentro di tutto, è quasi tutto super approcciabile ed è tutto buonissimo. Invitation to a Banquet, invece, è un libro in cui Dunlop chiacchiera della cucina cinese raccontandola in lungo in largo sul piano storico, geografico, culturale, con una valanga di informazioni e curiosità super interessanti, spiegando molto bene, in maniera scorrevole e coinvolgente, la vastità e varietà di quel che si mangia nei vari angoli di quel paese. E ti mette addosso una voglia sfrenata di andare là e mangiare tutto. 

nevtelen's review against another edition

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There are parts of this that are great and her overall point is well-taken - the Chinese food we see in Western countries is vastly different and nowhere near as complex as actual Chinese food.

But this got really repetitive for me. Each chapter was about some ingredient. It went "Chinese cooking also uses (ingredient) in interesting ways. For example, X. When I had it, Y. An ancient Chinese poet said Z about this food." 

After realizing the second section would be much the same, I found I had to push myself to read the next chapter. When the enjoyment isn't there, why keep reading?

I'm sure lots of people will love this book, but it wasn't for me.

cha_ren's review against another edition

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informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

pvbobrien's review against another edition

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informative inspiring medium-paced

4.5

la1ney's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

Probably would have pushed up the publishing cost but having an illustration or photo at the start of each chapter reflecting the dish discussed would have been great. So much attention and wonderful detail is given about a dish and the historical/regional context—being able to have a visual to accompany that would have enhanced the reading experience  

jcrowder's review against another edition

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adventurous informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.0

kaycie51782's review

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informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

emily_madcharo's review against another edition

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adventurous informative medium-paced

4.0

connoronnor's review against another edition

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informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0