Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper
Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A sweet-sour memoir of eating in China | Fuchsia Dunlop
9 posts | 11 read | 8 to read
Award-winning food writer Fuchsia Dunlop went to live in China in 1994, and from the very beginning vowed to eat everything she was offered, no matter how alien and bizarre it seemed to her as a Westerner. In this extraordinary memoir, Fuchsia recalls her evolving relationship with China and its food, from her first rapturous encounter with the delicious cuisine of Sichuan Province, to brushes with corruption, environmental degradation and greed. In the course of her fascinating journey, Fuchsia undergoes an apprenticeship as a Sichuanese chef; attempts, hilariously, to persuade Chinese people that 'Western food' is neither 'simple' nor 'bland'; and samples a multitude of exotic ingredients, including dogmeat, civet cats, scorpions, rabbit heads and the ovarian fat of the snow frog. But is it possible for a Westerner to become a true convert to the Chinese way of eating? In an encounter with a caterpillar in an Oxfordshire kitchen, Fuchsia is forced to put this to the test. From the vibrant markets of Sichuan to the bleached landscape of northern Gansu Province, from the desert oases of Xinjiang to the enchanting old city of Yangzhou, this is an unforgettable account of the world's most amazing culinary culture.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
blurb
Smarkies
post image

Noting this one down as "Something with Travel" for #nonfiction2019
Fuchsia basically travels (and eats) her way through China.

review
academiconbreak
post image
Pickpick

A vivid memoir of her time in China from my fave cookbook author. I almost bailed the first time due to the unavoidably western lens that sets the tone. Knowing her better now as a true advocate for a much prejudiced cuisine, I was able to get past that. Her writing is alive (and so, often, is the subject matter!) and ultimately fair. If you only read the chs abt her training at the Sichuan Culinary Institute, it is worth the book price.

24 likes1 stack add
review
booklover3258
post image
Bailedbailed

I made it to page 61 and was done. Maybe im getting picky in my old age but i just couldnt get into the book. If i struggle reading it and it takes me forever just to get to page 60, its not worth my time. DNF.

Lea Totally agree 6y
9 likes1 comment
review
DebinHawaii
post image
Pickpick

I enjoyed this foodie memoir but it definitely didn't get much love from my virtual foodie book club. Most of them were grossed out by the many descriptions of what she ate in China. There were some parts that made my non-meat eating soul cringe-but I found Dunlop's tales of eating/cooking in China to be interesting & absorbing. I made the Shanghai Noodles with Dried Shrimp & Spring Onion Oil from the cookbook tagged below. Review/recipe link👇🏻

LeahBergen They didn‘t like it?? I so enjoyed this one (but then again, I can read some pretty gross travelogues 😆😆). 6y
DebinHawaii @LeahBergen Yeah! The bunch of wimps! Hah! I was really surprised--I don't eat meat and poultry and I hacked it! 🤣I liked it and there were a couple of others who did too. It used to bug me when people really disliked my book picks but I think the freedom or agreeing & disagreeing on Litsy has made me able to shrug it off! 🤷🏼‍♀️ 6y
LeahBergen @DebinHawaii I think Litsy has made me tougher that way, too 😆. 6y
Herschelian Surprised at your book clubs attitude! I live in China and Fuchsia Dunlop is by far and away THE best western food writer about Chinese food, especially the food of Sichuan and Hunan provinces. I have all her books but have to admit that I read them more than cook from them as living here I get such great Chinese food. Yes there are several things eaten in China that I find repulsive, but then again they think eating blue cheese disgusting!! (edited) 6y
87 likes1 stack add5 comments
blurb
DebinHawaii
post image

Getting in a more of this book before I start working as I'm hosting this round of my virtual foodie blogging book club, it's my pick, & the deadline is May 31st.

As for breakfast, I'm at another location of my coffee shop as mine is putting in new flooring & closed for a few days. I neglected to ask for less aioli (or a reasonable amount) & this is what I got. #thedrizzlestruggleisreal. After this shot was taken about half was scraped off.🙄

LauraBeth 😂 that‘s a lot! 6y
CareBear I saw the picture and before reading your blurb thought, “too much aioli!” lol (edited) 6y
Hollie You really need to teach them the art of the drizzle. 6y
See All 8 Comments
LeahBergen Oh no. Another #OverDrizzle. 😆 6y
Suet624 Maybe they think you really like aioli. 6y
RebelReader Drizzle not frosting! 6y
emilyhaldi Who thinks that much aioli is ok?!? 6y
DebinHawaii @LauraBeth @CareBear @Hollie @LeahBergen @Suet624 @emilyhaldi Right?! I was thinking maybe I was getting extra but I watched two other orders come out today & they got the same amount. The owner (not there today) told me that she thought they were over-compensating for getting comments there wasn't enough.?? @RebelReader Hah! I'm going to quote you the next time I order! Remember, "it's drizzle not frosting!"??? 6y
102 likes8 comments
blurb
AWahle
post image

Solo lunch means I get to read. Happy I'm finally getting to this book. My bagged "Asian" salad from the grocery store will have to suffice, but I'd rather have the flatbreads stuffed with minced pork, spring onions, and Sichuan pepper.

Weaponxgirl I remember loving this book and her recipe books in general are wonderful to read 6y
Ashley_Nicoletto I LOVE this salad mix. It has to be one of my favs. 6y
AWahle @Ashley_Nicoletto I just wish I had some mandarin oranges to put in it! 6y
Ashley_Nicoletto That would be good! I hadn't thought of that. 6y
34 likes4 comments
blurb
DebinHawaii
post image

#MarchMunchies #Chinese I am excited to finally get to this book that's been hanging out on my Kindle #TBR stack for far too long. I host the April/May round of my virtual foodie book club and this is the book I selected. I look forward to cooking some great Chinese food inspired by my reading & seeing everyone's dishes 📚🥄
The pic is congee (rice porridge) 🍚I made for another favorite foodie novel 'The Last Chinese Chef'--tagged below. ❤️

LeahBergen I loved this book! ❤️ 6y
Flaneurette I really enjoyed this book and I loved eating congee when I was in China, yours looks awesome as usual 😄 6y
86 likes1 stack add3 comments
blurb
AWahle
post image

Thank you to the lovely and generous @LeahBergen for my goodies! This book was on my TBR - I adore foodie memoirs. The magazine is one I always pick up when we go the Victoria or Vancouver and the tea towel is gorgeous. Not sure I want to use it...

LeahBergen Yay! You‘re so welcome. I‘m glad you didn‘t have this book; it‘s so good. 👍🏻 6y
30 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
DebinHawaii
post image

#90sinJuly #Pepper This foodie memoir with pepper in the title has been on my #TBR stack for a while. I took a pic at the library to remind me to check it out (does anyone else do that?) 😆along with one of the author's cookbooks but the Kindle edition is currently a $1.99 deal so I bought it the other day. Mahalo to @Robothugs for co-hosting this month's challenge & for a fun playlist & to @Cinfhen for the continuing book & music fun. 💜💜💜

LeahBergen I loved this food memoir SO MUCH that I became obsessed with Sichuan/Szechuan food. I have Land of Plenty and the above cookbook, too, but have only tried recipes from the former. 7y
Cinfhen Thanks @DebinHawaii I echo your sentiments to my fabulous guest host @Robothugs 💜💜💜I have @Marchpane hosting September & @BarbaraBB hosting in October 😎🙌🏻🎵so lots of fun moving forward 7y
DebinHawaii @LeahBergen I have heard great things about it for years, including on Litsy (maybe from you?!) 😆so I am looking forward to reading it & checking out her cookbooks. 👍🍴📚 7y
See All 11 Comments
DebinHawaii @Cinfhen Excellent! I look forward to it. 👍👍 7y
LauraBrook Thank you for posting his - I saw her on Anthony Bourdain's show a couple of years ago and could not remember her name! Adding to TBR immediately! ❤️ 7y
DebinHawaii @LauraBrook Yay! Glad I could help. 😆Thanks to photo prompts for helping us remember books! 👍 7y
Audrey I love this memoir and all her cookbooks. I've cooked from all extensively. Basically they've been put through the ringer. I met fuchsia last year and she's lovely. She was impressed with how well used my cookbooks are. 7y
Audrey I've also been to many of the places in cheng Du and hang Zhou that she mentioned in this book as well as a New Yorker article. 7y
Robothugs It's been fun. 😄 7y
ApoptyGina69 Ordered this yesterday! Thanks for the post. I know I'll love it!! 🌶 7y
readinginthedark I do that all the time! Took pictures of theee books for that purpose just today. 7y
71 likes5 stack adds11 comments