The land of the five flavors : a cultural history of Chinese cuisine / Thomas O. Höllmann ; translated by Karen Margolis.
Material type: TextLanguage: English Original language: German Series: Arts and traditions of the tablePublisher: New York : Columbia University Press, [2014]Description: ix, 198 pages ; 25 cmContent type:- text
- unmediated
- volume
- 0231161867 (cloth : alk. paper)
- 9780231161862 (cloth : alk. paper)
- German subtitle: Kulturgeschichte der chinesischen Küche
- Cultural history of Chinese cuisine
- Schlafender Lotos, trunkenes Huhn. English
Item type | Home library | Collection | Call number | Materials specified | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adult Book | Main Library | NonFiction | 641.5951 H744 | Available | 33111005185570 |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
Renowned sinologist Thomas O. Höllmann tracks the growth of food culture in China from its earliest burial rituals to today's Western fast food restaurants, mapping Chinese cuisine's geographical variations and local customs, indigenous factors and foreign influences, trade routes, and ethnic associations. Höllmann details the food practices of major Chinese religions and the significance of eating and drinking in rites of passage and popular culture. He enriches his narrative with thirty of his favorite recipes and a selection of photographs, posters, paintings, sketches, and images of clay figurines and other objects excavated from tombs.
Höllmann's award-winning history revisits the invention of noodles, the role of butchers and cooks in Chinese politics, debates over the origin of grape wines, and the causes of modern-day food contamination. He discusses local crop production, the use of herbs and spices, the relationship between Chinese food and economics, the influence of Chinese philosophy, and traditional dietary concepts and superstitions. Citing original Chinese sources, Höllmann uncovers fascinating aspects of daily Chinese life, constructing a multifaceted compendium that inspires a rich appreciation of Chinese arts and culture.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Rice doesn't rain from heaven -- A taste of harmony -- Fire, ice, and flavor -- A culinary cosmos -- Heavenly dew -- Regulations and conventions -- The tavern of eternal happiness -- Epilogue.
Höllmann tracks the growth of good culture in China from its earliest burial rituals to today's Western fast food restaurants. He details the food practices of major Chinese religions and the significance of eating and drinking in rites of passage and popular culture. From the invention of noodles to the causes of modern-day food contamination, he uncovers fascinating aspects of daily Chinese life.
Text in English, translated from German.