Tasting, smelling and enjoying China - explore the specialties of the metropolises and the regional cuisine: from the south of China, the melting pot, to the rich coast provinces in the north, to the palace cuisine of Beijing all the way to the fiery-hot Szechuan and adventurous dishes in the steppe. This thoroughly researched volume lifts the secrets of the Middle Kingdom: What for example hides behind dishes like 'Blister Soup', 'beggar's chicken' or even 'ants climbing a tree'? What does the day of a Chinese worker look like and how is a wedding celebrated? What does a big family in Beijing eat on the weekend and what food is served to pilgrims after their visit to a cloister? The 17 most important culinary provinces of China are extensively presented alongside breathtaking landscape shots, ensuring this volume is a beautifully presented yet authoritative source on Chinese cuisine.