Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes and Travels in the Other China

The winner of the James Beard Foundation International Cookbook Award from the authors of Hot Sour Salty Sweet. In the West, when we think about food in China, what usually comes to mind are the signature dishes of Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai. But beyond the urbanized eastern third of China lie the high open spaces and sacred places of Tibet, the Silk Road oases of Xinjiang, the steppelands of Inner Mongolia, and the steeply terraced hills of Yunnan and Guizhou. The peoples who live in these regions are culturally distinct, with their own history and their own unique culinary traditions. In Beyond the Great Wall, the inimitable duo of Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid—who first met as young travelers in Tibet—bring home the enticing flavors of this other China. For more than twenty-five years, both separately and together, Duguid and Alford have journeyed all over the outlying regions of China, sampling local home cooking and street food, making friends and taking lustrous photographs. Beyond the Great Wall shares the experience in a rich mosaic of recipes—from Central Asian cumin-scented kebabs and flatbreads to Tibetan stews and Mongolian hot pots—photos, and stories. A must-have for every food lover, and an inspiration for cooks and armchair travelers alike. Winner of the IACP Best International Cookbook Award “A handsome and engaging collection suitable for travelers and cooks alike, this book will delight anyone with an interest in this part of the world.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Tells the story of China’s minorities through a gorgeous blend of photography, travelogues and recipes.” —NPR