Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation is the long-awaited cookbook from Clarissa Wei and Ivy Chen, the latest addition to a growing body of English-language books covering Taiwanese food.
We've been following Clarissa's reporting for many years—you've likely seen her articles on soy paste, Tatung Rice Cookers, and Ba-wan in your favorite food publication. She's brought that journalistic perspective and fact-finding discipline to this book, working with Taipei-based culinary-educator Ivy Chen (we've taken her class!) to record and preserve a robust collection of over a hundred foundational Taiwanese recipes, from Crystal Meatball (Ba-wan) to Preserved Daikon Omelet.
The signed version comes with a bookplate autographed by Clarissa Wei. We're offering these while supplies last.
For products that will complement recipes from the cookbook (including Clarissa's favorite hot sauce), check out Clarissa's picks.
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From the publisher:
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.
About the Author
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.
About the Publisher
Simon & Schuster is a leading international publisher dedicated to sharing a broad range of works that educate, entertain, and inspire readers of all ages. They publish books that represent many perspectives, to stimulate readers’ curiosity and intellectual exploration, and have the capacity to both inform and challenge views, and to create change in the world. Their passionate commitment to excellence in all aspects of publishing is reflected in their unceasing effort to bring their authors’ works to the widest possible audience.
Specifications and Dimensions
ISBN: 9781982198978
Publish Date: September 19, 2023
Publisher: S&S/Simon Element
384 pages, Hardcover
by Clarissa Wei with Ivy Chen
Dimensions: 10” L x 8.1” W x 1.1” H
Weight: 3.1 lbs
