Chinese Feasts & Festivals: A Cookbook [Hardcover]

S. C. Moey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 2006

The rich culinary tradition of China is largely inspired by a calendar year filled with joyous occasions for eating, drinking and making merry. Food, fittingly enough, plays a leading role in everything from festivals to reunions and weddings to anniversaries. The combination of flavors and symbols, such as wealth, happiness, luck, and prosperity, involved in many of these dishes are a spiritual celebration and an earthly pleasure.

In Chinese Feasts & Festivals, author S.C. Moey assembles facts and fancies along with a collection of festival specialties that every Chinese food lover will read and enjoy. Full of delicate, subtly-rendered illustrations, this exquisite and yet functional cookbook will inspire you to cook up a feast no matter what the occasion.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A stunning book."—Star Tribune

"The cover and pastel prints superficially belong to a children's book, yet the contents are anything but - with many authentic holiday recipes we've longed to source."̬Globe Trotting Gourmet

About the Author

S.C.Moey is a freelance writer who lives in Penang, Malaysia. A self taught artist and keen cook, she has many years experience in festival food preparation.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Periplus Editions (March 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0794603173
• ISBN-13: 978-0794603175
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 8.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #784,284 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a MUST own ...., July 7, 2006

By 

R Carpenter "R Carpenter" (la., usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chinese Feasts & Festivals: A Cookbook (Hardcover)

my eight year old borrowed this amazing book for the library. and man, are we thrilled or what. the book not only tells you the how and why of classic chinese traditional cusines but also the many chinese festivals that were celebrated by the chinese folks. the traditions and old wives' tales are all carefully explained. truly, a treasure. and i considered a great gift to anyone who is facinated with foreign cultures and traditions.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful - accurate & wonderful to experience., March 13, 2007

By 

K. Bernauer (Chugiak , Alaska) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Chinese Feasts & Festivals: A Cookbook (Hardcover)

This book is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. The recipes are true & easy to follow. The stories enchant....... I've purchased several copies as gifts as well as for my own kitchen.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recipes, culture and traditions surrounding Chinese holidays, July 12, 2011

By 

Allison Branscombe - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Chinese Feasts & Festivals: A Cookbook (Hardcover)

Much more than a recipe book, this book is a visual and cultural feast!

Moey pulls together all the recipes for each major Chinese holiday, with a richly written and illustrated text on the history and traditions of each.

I love Moey's warm and inviting illustrations of families celebrating traditions together, children carrying colorful paper lanterns for the Mooncake Festival, dragon boat racers, landscapes from China, how to wrap a rice dumpling in bamboo leaves, the imprint forms used for mooncakes, lion dancers, temples, lotus flowers, paper cuts and much, much more. She imparts just the right amount of history to explain the cultural traditions behind each festival. Many of her illustrations are done in a style like traditional Chinese woodblock prints, both in sepia tone and colors.

Published by Periplus Editions in 2006, this is a lovely book by S.C. Moey, who did both the text and the illustrations. It is really a down to earth explanation of all the culture, rituals and history around China's most famous festivals and holiday. The recipes are easy to follow.

This would make a great gift for anyone wanting to learn about Chinese culture and traditional recipes to go with its big celebrations. Also, for Chinese parents and grandparents wanting to help their children and grandchildren learn new/old traditions, or revisit the traditions of their childhood, this is a terrific book.