Part of the Big City Food Biographies series, this comprehensive volume by journalist Crook and Taiwanese food enthusiast Hung explores Taipei as a contemporary meeting ground for Chinese and Japanese cuisines, with some influence by indigenous Taiwanese foods.... A particularly fascinating chapter traces the role of food in offerings to ancestors and in large-scale celebrations, for example, the “jolly roadside banquet” known as “bando." A few concluding recipes, such as “Chinese Chives and Taro Bun,” showcase the “salty-sweet” flavor that is a hallmark of Taiwanese cuisine.

Booklist

Dive deep into the delicious intricacies of a cuisine rich with historical lore, political landmines, and great significance to dining trends worldwide. Steven Crook and Katy Hui-wen Hung have done us a great service in illuminating the food of Taipei in all its complicated beauty, lending a voice to its unheard soldiers along the way as well as the outside influences that continue to shape its future.

Cathy Erway, Author of The Food of Taiwan: Recipes from the Beautiful Island

In A Culinary History of Taipei: Beyond Pork and Ponlai co-authors Steven Crook and Katy Hui-wen Hung lead the reader on a fascinating journey into the foodways of one of Asia's most delicious cities.
In this exceptionally broad survey, Crook and Hung go well beyond Taipei's iconic night markets and street food to familiarise the reader with Taiwan's natural bounty and its signature ingredients, and to introduce us to farmers and chefs. Chapters on offerings and festival foods and longstanding 'landmark' restaurants celebrate culinary tradition, while an interview with a Taiwanese chef spearheading modern approaches to the island's cuisine in his Taipei restaurant acknowledges the evolving nature of the city's culinary culture. Rounded out with dining recommendations for visitors, and a recipe chapter for home cooks, A Culinary History of Taipei is the essential guide to Asia's most overlooked gastronomic center.

Robyn Eckhardt, American food journalist and author of Istanbul and Beyond: Exploring Turkey's Diverse Cuisines

Sit down with a bowl of beef noodle, sip a cup of fragrant hot tea or cold sweet bubble tea, and maybe nibble a pork bun on the side. Taiwan's flavors are myriad, with layers of history and peoples and events, weaving together dishes of great deliciousness. A Culinary History of Taipei: Beyond Pork and Ponlai by Katy Hui-Wen Hung and Steven Crook is a heartfelt little book that tells the story of Taiwanese food: what’s on the table, why it tastes as it does, where it came from, and how it got there. Personal portraits behind national histories are unveiled and shared by the authors as they continue their own journeys of discovery.

Marlena Spieler, author of A Taste of Naples: Neopolitan Culture, Cuisine, and Cooking

Recommended: Reflecting Taiwan’s history of migration and colonialism, Taipei’s culinary history is a combination of indigenous Austronesian foodways and influences from Japan, China, and, more recently, the US and Europe. Proximity to the ocean, a humid subtropical climate, and mountainous inland terrain are the major geographic and climatic characteristics that have shaped the island’s cuisine. Part of the “Big City Food Biography” series, this book focuses on Taipei’s contemporary food culture. It is heavily researched, primarily through recent journalism rather than archival sources. The authors present a lively discussion of Taipei’s cuisine that is as much ethnography, sociology, and business journalism as it is history. The authors discuss agricultural practices, some of the cultural significance and traditions related to food, commerce, consumer habits, restaurant trends, and the teaching of Taiwanese culinary practices. A final chapter contains a selection of iconic recipes shared by leading figures of Taiwanese cuisine. Readers interested in Taiwanese cuisine or the role of food in Taiwanese culture will find this book informative.

Choice Reviews