Clements Jonathan. The Emperor's Feast: A History of China in Twelve Meals

Hodder & Stoughton, 2021. — 303 p. — ISBN 978 1 529 33242 1.The Emperor’s Feast is the epic story of a nation and a people, told through one of its most fundamental pillars and successful exports: food.Following the journeys of different ingredients, dishes and eating habits over 5,000 years of history, author and presenter Jonathan Clements examines how China’s political, cultural and technological evolution and her remarkable entrance onto the world stage have impacted how the Chinese – and the rest of the world – eat, drink and cook.We see the influence of invaders such as the Mongols and the Manchus, and discover how food – like the fiery cuisine of Sichuan or the hardy dishes of the north – often became a stand-in for regional and national identities. We also follow Chinese flavours to the shores of Europe and America, where enterprising chefs and home cooks created new traditions and dishes unheard of in the homeland.From dim sum to mooncakes to General Tso’s chicken, The Emperor’s Feast shows us that the story of Chinese food is ultimately the story of a nation: not just the one that history tells us, but also the one that China tells us about itself.Introduction: The Garden of China
Harmonious Stew
Food is Heaven
The Faults of Meat
Banquets of the Silk Road
The Dreaming Splendour
The Mongol Melting Pot
Tastes From a New World
Foreign Colours
Chinatowns
Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party
Prosperity Toss
The Tyrant’s Meal
Epilogue