The Edible Tao: Munching My Way Toward Enlightenment [Paperback]

Ruth Paget (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 11, 2003

My sister worked as a waitress at the Ho-Ho Inn, a Chinese restaurant, on Cass Street in Detroit. She sat a plate of Egg Foo Yung in front of five-year-old me. I had a way with words and quickly renamed this Egg Foo "Yuck." Tears ran down my cheeks as I thought about eating this worm-like mess of food. The Chinese waiter called George came in and looked at me. He took the Egg Foo "Yuck" and threw it in the garbage. Then he went to the freezer and got me one of those ice cream treats that Chinese restaurants serve; a coconut flavored outer shell of ice cream surrounding a mango core.My sister came in and glared at me. George said, "She ate everything, so I gave her an ice cream." I smiled sweetly at George. My love for the Chinese, if not their food, began at that instant.-The Edible Tao

Editorial Reviews

Review

Bottom line, the book is a wonderful set of vignettes on life, love, and learning through food. -- Spartan Daily, November 25, 2003, JaShong King

Five out of five gold pens for anyone who can make me want to try baba ghanouj or salade sabzi. -- The Californian, 2/7/04, Silas Spaeth

Read the book on the beach or airplane, and take it in the light spirit in which it is written. -- Gastronomica, Summer 2004, Jonathan Deutsch

Since her youth, Paget has always been fascinated with ethnic cuisine and she shares that enthusiasm in these captivating essays. -- Monterey County Herald, 2/22/04, Bob Walch

Tasty treats...The Edible Tao chronicles the author's travels through Europe and the Far East.

- Sue Fishkoff -- Coast Weekly, October 2-8, 2003

From the Author

Book club members may want to use the following the questions to enhance their appreciation of The Edible Tao:

1. How does culture get passed on through food preparation and observation of holidays in The Edible Tao? How about in your home?

2. What do your special dishes say about you? Remember you are what you eat! Do you like easy or elaborate preparations?

3. What are some of your favorite restaurants? Why do you like to go there? What dishes do you order? How would you feel if these restaurants closed?

4. Why do people use the particular ingredients in the cultures that Pennington Paget writes about in the Edible Tao? It is said that a cuisine reflects the interplay of geography and history.

5. How does cooking teach Ruth Pennington Paget to mature as a woman? Has cooking made you mature as a person?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 158 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (August 11, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595291376
• ISBN-13: 978-0595291373
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,237,083 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An amusing and delicious life story., October 8, 2003

By 

Marsha Bindel (France) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Edible Tao: Munching My Way Toward Enlightenment (Paperback)

The Edible Tao reads like a funny, sophisticated novel. It traces the author's upwards and outwards mobility as she travels from Middle America to Asia and to Europe. As an open-minded over achiever, she manages to adapt to many different lifestyles with brio, using food as a vector for cross-cultural understanding. Even if all you ever make for dinner is reservations, you will love this book!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Edible Tao, October 17, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Edible Tao: Munching My Way Toward Enlightenment (Paperback)

This book is well written, engaging, witty and informative. It was a joy to read, an easy read. It definitely peaked my taste buds and desire to cook something fabulous, wish the author had provided some of her recipes!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very entertaining and enlighting book, October 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Edible Tao: Munching My Way Toward Enlightenment (Paperback)

This book of short independent stories is very easy to read. The pages are turned fast. It is very entertaining and the reader learns a few things about gastronomy and culture in different countries such as France, Marrocco, Italy, Japan, the US ... An awesome book!!