All Under Heaven

All Under Heaven is a comprehensive guide to Chinese cuisine spanning 35 distinct regions and cooking styles across China. The book contains over 300 recipes along with detailed instructions, cultural context, and regional background information. Author Carolyn Phillips draws from her decades of experience living in Taiwan and studying Chinese cooking to present both common dishes and rare regional specialties. The recipes cover the full spectrum of Chinese cuisine - from simple home cooking to elaborate banquet preparations. Each section provides historical context for the featured region's culinary traditions, ingredients, and techniques. Phillips includes hand-drawn illustrations throughout the book to demonstrate cooking methods and plating presentations. The work stands as both a practical cookbook and a cultural exploration of how geography, climate, and local customs have shaped China's diverse food traditions across millennia. Through its systematic organization by region, the book reveals the deep connections between landscape, culture, and cuisine in Chinese gastronomy.

Most readers appreciate the breadth and depth of this Chinese cookbook, with many noting its value as both a reference and practical cooking guide. The detailed cultural context and cooking techniques receive frequent mentions in reviews. Readers liked: - Clear explanations of unfamiliar ingredients - Historical background for each dish - Hand-drawn illustrations - Organization by regions of China - Authentic recipes that work at home Common criticisms: - Too large and heavy to use while cooking - Some ingredients hard to find outside major cities - Recipe instructions can be lengthy - Print size is small - Paper quality makes book vulnerable to kitchen splatter Ratings: Goodreads: 4.4/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (224 ratings) Several reviewers called it more of a "coffee table book" than practical cookbook. One reader noted: "Beautiful but intimidating for beginners." Another wrote: "Best for serious cooks who want to understand Chinese cuisine's foundations rather than quick weeknight recipes."

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✦ Carolyn Phillips spent over 30 years researching Chinese cuisine and learned to cook from her Taiwanese mother-in-law, developing both language skills and culinary expertise during her time living in Taiwan ✦ The book covers all 35 Chinese cuisines and includes more than 300 recipes spanning every major culinary region of China, including Hong Kong, Tibet, and Taiwan ✦ Phillips hand-illustrated the entire book herself, creating more than 200 detailed drawings of techniques, ingredients, and finished dishes ✦ The title "All Under Heaven" is a translation of "Tianxia" (天下), an ancient Chinese cultural concept referring to everything under the sky, or the entire Chinese empire ✦ The book arranges recipes geographically rather than by course or ingredient, helping readers understand how geography, climate, and local resources influence regional Chinese cooking styles