At the Chinese Table: A Memoir with Recipes

Lucky for me, Taipei was in the midst of transforming itself into a
food lover s paradise at the exact time I appeared on the scene. So
begins Carolyn Phillips s journey as a language student in 1970s Taiwan
that culminated with her becoming a traditional Chinese family s eldest
daughter- in- law.

Through
beguiling stories that stretch across four decades, she recalls how she
fell in love with a man who seduced her with everything from simple
homestyle meals to haute cuisine, from crabs stir-fried with clouds of
scrambled eggs to lush braises that enticed and bewildered. As their
relationship deepened and her language skills grew, she evolved into a
cook who wrestled a pig s head into dinner, learned Hakka dishes from
her reticent father-in-law, and, finally, wrote an award-winning
cook-book. At the Chinese Table
is a culinary adventure studded with stunning line drawings and
twenty-two recipes that celebrate a lifetime filled with extraordinary
meals.