At the Chinese Table is a delightful read; full of genuine warmth for the country and its people, and a love of its food. I enjoyed the first section with its detailed descriptions of the food and delightful comments about learning to live in Taiwan. Superb explanations including the role of texture in Chinese cooking (the idea of “mouthfeel” ) and how fatty foods should be creamy not greasy appealed to me as a cook and lover of Chinese food. On a non-culinary level, I found myself chuckling as she described the family dynamics and the obstacles she faced fitting in as an outsider.
The second part details her husband’s family history and, whilst not as appealing to me as the first chapters, is told with touches of humour, but also with respect and admiration.
Scattered through the book are recipes with clear instructions. I liked the fact that these were not for the everyday Westerner’s idea of Chinese food, but a good representation of the flavours and techniques of an incredibly diverse culinary culture.

Honestly, not a great cookbook. I was hesitant to read as it was a white person but kept an open mind. I would stick with the blog woksoflife for authentic Chinese food and history. Especially with the openly asian hate going on - unsure why we would read about Chinese food and culture from someone not Chinese?

I wish all cookbooks could be like this one!

I love to challenge myself to cook good Chinese food (actually any Asian food of sorts) so I was delighted to get to read At The Chinese Table.
Food for many cultures is at the centre of family life, there's so many traditions and love shown through every day cooking.

It's wonderful to read about such personal stories along side interesting recipes. It feels much more genuine and authentic too.

A truly delightful memoir peppered with recipes. A love story, with a country, a people and the richness of the culinary delights to be experienced. I really enjoyed the experiences through Carolyn’s down to earth retellings. The recipes are an added bonus that I cannot wait to try. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

At the Chinese Table by Carolyn Phillips was a wonderful culinary journey through China. The descriptions of the dishes she experienced were mouth watering, while the tales of her partner’s family in China were educational. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I was drooling all over my iPad while reading this memoir with delicious recipes. I like Chinese food, and learning about it is always fun. This book manages to take the reader back in time to China and tells a nice growing-up story along with a not so common love story. I like the illustrations and the general design of the book. I think it would make an excellent gift for the readers interested in China.

Read if you: Want a tantalizing and fascinating memoir about life in 1970s Taiwan. Warning! Do not read when you are very hungry; Phillips' descriptions of her meals and cooking in Taiwan are delectable.

Librarians/booksellers: Foodie memoirs are usually very popular; purchase for readers looking for an addictive read with recipes sprinkled throughout.

Many thanks to W.W. Norton & Company and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of At the Chinese Table.

This is a beautiful ode to Taiwanese food, the rich, cultural heritage of Taiwan and China, the author's parents-in=law, her husband and the culture she has embraced so fully and magnificently.

The author loves all things Chinese; the culture, the food and her husband, just to name a few. Her love for all things Asian is what led her to take a huge step into the unknown as a young college student, navigate an unfamiliar country with little to no language skills and embrace the quirks, beauty and rich heritage of an ancient culture.

She weaves erotic, sensuous descriptions of the incredible foods she eats in Taiwan and its surrounding regions, reflects on the unique people she meets, describes the fascinating backstories of her parents-in-laws, details how her relationship with her boyfriend, later husband, grew out of their love of Chinese food and Taiwan.

The author is an adventurous eater, willing to try nearly everything, and eager to learn how to cook old school recipes. She pores over dusty old cookbooks written in traditional Chinese, opens her mind to new tastes and delights and is always hungry.

The love she has for the language, culture and people of Taiwan was written with respect, tenderness and honesty.

The drawings are beautiful and offer a sweet sentimentality to her recollections as she details eating her way through Taiwan, getting to know her husband and future parents-in-law and embarking on one successful career after another.

This is such a wonderful memoir not just about the author and her family, but about Taiwan, its culture, people and history. I learned so much and the recipes are mouthwatering, and though a few are time consuming, they are certainly worth it.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback.

This book is 90% memoir, 10% recipes. It would be a good read for someone who is interested in the work of Carolyn Phillips. I wasn't familiar with her work before requesting this read, but I searched for her before diving into some of the more substantial parts of her memoir. Impressively, she has tackled a large-scale project which details the cuisines of China, expanding across 35 different areas. If the reader is not familiar with Phillips beforehand, I would suggest this book for someone who is interested in travel memoirs, travel books, the history or study of food, Chinese studies, and Asian cuisine broadly. There is more memoir than recipe, but they are there in their own accord.

This is a sweet memoir of author Carolyn Phillips’ journey to Taiwan without a word of Mandarin. She meets and falls in love with a scholar and cook who shows her his country’s style of cooking. The author’s words flows easily and she has a way of describing the landscape & environment beautifully. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for a gifted copy. This is my honest review.