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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
I think that if you’re going to write something that’s basically a travel memoir where you talk about your marriage a lot, your publisher should not pretend that you’re writing a book about food history. Also I think Jen just wanted to travel through China and then go to Italy because the China chapters were the best ones. She sort of didn’t make any kind of conclusions about noodles other than “Marco Polo didn’t bring pasta from China to Italy” which she decided in the first three chapters. She talked about her marriage a lot but didn’t seem to have very much to say about it which made it a strange addition to a book that’s about food
I really wanted to love this book. It had so many qualities that I usually enjoy- food, travel, memoir, recipes. I couldn't even get through the whole book.
A true story by an Asian American writer and food lover traveling along the Silk Road from Beijing to Rome to discover the secrets of noodles.
I was a bit put off by the authors somewhat whiney voice but still I mustered through. But the intricate details of how each noodle was prepared just was not captivating to me.
A true story by an Asian American writer and food lover traveling along the Silk Road from Beijing to Rome to discover the secrets of noodles.
I was a bit put off by the authors somewhat whiney voice but still I mustered through. But the intricate details of how each noodle was prepared just was not captivating to me.
The actual story was quite dull, but the recipes included are simply worth the purchase of the book. It is a story about a trip of a newlywed through China, Iran, Turkey, and eventually Italy examining the similarities and differences of each areas noodles. That part of the story is pretty intact, but I feel that there is much more. It was a glorified travel novel that was not that interesting.
What kind of a book begins by posing a question, travels thousands of miles in search of an answer, and concludes with no kinds of resolution at all?! This one - and it's great.
I don't watch any of those cooking competitions on the telly, or anything about food, and I'm not a collector of cookbooks. I'm more like the author's husband - not a foodie, but on the odd occasion I enjoy cooking (and have made the very rare, very nice meal - in fact, my ex-husband used to say that the only time I cooked a decent meal was when we had friends to dinner ... oh well, he could have learned to cook himself, and to be honest it was always said tongue-in-cheek). This book, however, intrigued me. Not only is the author attempting to uncover the origins of the noodle - was it introduced to Italy by Marco Polo after discovering China?, did it arise simultaneously at both ends of the Silk Road? - but she travels the route herself. I'm not a huge travel book fan either, but the combination caught my fancy. Then, on top of that, the author is able to learn much about the different cultures along the way, especially about women's place within society and family, and learns a lot about herself in the process.
Each portion is followed by several pages of recipes (which I'm never going to try but which I'd encourage others to), each portion begins with a map, and the writing style is comfortable. This was a very enjoyable dip-into book that took me a relaxed 3 months to read, but never felt like I'd lost my way.
I don't watch any of those cooking competitions on the telly, or anything about food, and I'm not a collector of cookbooks. I'm more like the author's husband - not a foodie, but on the odd occasion I enjoy cooking (and have made the very rare, very nice meal - in fact, my ex-husband used to say that the only time I cooked a decent meal was when we had friends to dinner ... oh well, he could have learned to cook himself, and to be honest it was always said tongue-in-cheek). This book, however, intrigued me. Not only is the author attempting to uncover the origins of the noodle - was it introduced to Italy by Marco Polo after discovering China?, did it arise simultaneously at both ends of the Silk Road? - but she travels the route herself. I'm not a huge travel book fan either, but the combination caught my fancy. Then, on top of that, the author is able to learn much about the different cultures along the way, especially about women's place within society and family, and learns a lot about herself in the process.
Each portion is followed by several pages of recipes (which I'm never going to try but which I'd encourage others to), each portion begins with a map, and the writing style is comfortable. This was a very enjoyable dip-into book that took me a relaxed 3 months to read, but never felt like I'd lost my way.
Decent food travel book. There was a little forced writing on her relationship with her husband but otherwise a perfectly fine food tour from China to Italy.
I liked this book well enough but I thought I would love it. I loved how she had this great idea and found a way to do it, despite it seeming like a really hard project. Her descriptions of her travels and the folks she met were great. The best parts were when she was in the kitchen with other women with the food. But I have to be honest...I was a bit off put by some of her commentary. I'm not exactly sure why (especially since I have strong opinions myself!) So consider this a 4.5 stars... the locations alone deserve the trip!
Incredible detailing of the author's food journey from China to Italy. I had to put down the book at numerous points as I was getting too hungry from the descriptions of delicious dishes - hand-pulled noodles, manti, pilaf... However, the one thing that really irked me about the book was the author's naive, "othering" descriptions of other cultures.
Parts of the book were enjoyable, while others were soooo tedious! I particularly enjoyed the Iran, Turkey, and Italy sections; the others just didn't grab me (and by the end, I never wanted to see the phrase "hand-pulled noodles" ever again).
I wish there was more wrap-up at the end to bring all the diverse pieces together. It really ended quickly, for the amount of time the journey took (literally and figuratively).
I wish there was more wrap-up at the end to bring all the diverse pieces together. It really ended quickly, for the amount of time the journey took (literally and figuratively).
adventurous
informative
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
This book made my mouth water so much. I like the layout of the book and how she weaves in history, personal, and recipe description. I wish we could’ve gone deeper into her thoughts on her relationship with her husband or into the conversations and reflections on the women she met along the way. Some things are private, I guess. Either way, I’ll be keeping this book just for the recipes.
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced