Made in Taiwan Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation (A Cookbook)
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Named a Best Cookbook of Fall 2023 by Food & Wine, Eater, and Tasting Table
An in-depth exploration of the vibrant food and culture of Taiwan, including never-before-seen exclusive recipes and gorgeous photography.
Taipei-based food journalist Clarissa Wei presents Made in Taiwan, a cookbook that celebrates the island nation’s unique culinary identity—despite a refusal by the Chinese government to recognize its sovereignty. The expansive book contains deeply researched essays and more than 100 recipes inspired by the people who live in Taiwan today.
For generations, Taiwanese cuisine has been miscategorized under the broad umbrella term of Chinese food. Backed with historical evidence and interviews, Wei makes a case for why Taiwanese food should get its own spotlight. Made in Taiwan includes classics like Peddler Noodles, Braised Minced Pork Belly, and Three-Cup Chicken, and features authentic, never-before-seen recipes and techniques like how to make stinky tofu from scratch and broth tips from an award-winning beef noodle soup master.
Made in Taiwan is an earnest reflection of what the food is like in modern-day Taiwan from the perspective of the people who have lived there for generations. It is the story of a proud nation—a self-sufficient collective of people who continue to forge on despite unprecedented ambiguity.
“Her new cookbook is actually so much more than just a standard cookbook: It is a love letter to Taiwan, its culture, its history, its perseverance and, of course, its cuisine.”—SALON on Made in Taiwan
“This is the story of a culture, a people, a community, a destiny, and an identity, told through recipes . . . alongside some of the best writing on the subject of all things Taiwanese. With Made in Taiwan, Clarissa Wei has created a true rarity: a deep dive that serves us on so many levels. Take a long swim in the superb food, clarity of exposition, exemplary storytelling, and inspiring insight. This book is a must-have for any home cook, food lover, culture geek, or curious reader.” —Andrew Zimmern, TV host
“Made in Taiwan is a tour de force. Clarissa Wei’s storytelling and photography are dazzling, her recipes irresistible. This magnificent, heartfelt book is essential to any Asian culinary library.” —Grace Young, author of Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge and The Breath of a Wok
“With the same curiosity and rigor that has permeated her work as a food writer and journalist, Clarissa Wei’s Made in Taiwan is a timely and deeply engrossing account of Taiwanese culinary and cultural history. As gorgeous as it is thorough, it’s the most affordable trip to Taiwan you can buy!” —Stephen Satterfield, founder of Whetstone Media, host of Netflix's High on the Hog
“Clarissa has artfully woven food reporting with heartfelt storytelling, creating a truly special book on an important topic. In Made in Taiwan, she has given us the Taiwanese story to ponder, savor, and, ultimately, experience through cooking.” —Betty Liu, author of My Shanghai
“This book is a timely, joyful rewriting of the Taiwanese story, at a time when this island’s very identity hangs in the balance. Clarissa’s fascinating journalistic insights are matched by her great efforts to deconstruct recipes passed down through generations. It’s a book that I’ll keep on my kitchen shelf and look forward to referring to many, many times over the years.” —Isobel Yeung, VICE News correspondent
“To read Clarissa's work is to feel her passion, her deeply rooted identity as a Taiwanese and Asian American, and her commitment to honoring the labor and culture of the people who feed us.” —Jenny Yang, stand-up comedian and actor
“…prepare to be enlightened by the delectable world within Made in Taiwan. Beyond recipes, this book offers a look into Taiwan’s rich history, blending the informative with the instructional.”—Tasting Table
Clarissa Wei is a freelance journalist based in Taipei. Born in Los Angeles but raised on the food of Taiwan, she has been writing about the cuisines and cultures of Taiwan and China for over a decade. Her writing has been published in The New York Times, The New Yorker, the Los Angeles Times, Serious Eats, and Bon Appétit. She has produced videos on cross-strait tensions for VICE News Tonight, 60 Minutes, and SBS Dateline. Previously, Clarissa was a senior reporter at Goldthread, a video-centric imprint of the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she made over 100 videos on the foods and cultures of China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in the span of two years. In her spare time, she tends to a subtropical food forest on the outskirts of Taipei.
- Publisher: S&S/Simon Element (September 19, 2023)
- Length: 384 pages
- ISBN13: 9781982198978
