Chinese Cookery

"Another thing I like about the list is the inclusion of two books on more exotic cuisines. Italian food is wonderful and it’s hard to beat a perfectly cooked steak frites . But, probably partly because Britain has traditionally had a reputation for rubbish food (at least for eating in restaurants), its cuisine has always been more adventurous, geographically speaking. And you get used to that. When I was living in Italy—I mean, I love pasta, pizza and ice cream as much as the next person—but the yearning for a curry or crispy fried duck was there."