Clarissa Wei is a Taiwan-based food journalist and author of the new cookbook "Made in Taiwan," out now.
Clarissa was inspired to use this cookbook as a vehicle to tell the stories of the people of Taiwan, and to shine a light on how the history of Taiwan -- from its various waves of immigration pre- and post-1949 to its all-time-high modern political tensions with China -- has affected its people, its culture, and of course its cuisine.
Clarissa collaborated with a diverse group of local Taiwanese recipe developers, researchers, and creatives to write "Made in Taiwan," and made a conscious effort to represent the wide spectrum of Taiwanese foods, not just beef noodle soup and night market snacks. From all regions of the island nation, dishes that came about before and after the massive wave of American aid (hello, American flour!), to aboriginal cuisine and Hakka specialties, the book covers the entire gamut.
This is probably the most educational cookbook either of your podcast hosts has ever read, and is surely an interesting read for anyone; however, for the diaspora looking to connect deeper with your roots and learn about modern Taiwan, this book is indeed a must-read. Please do yourself a favor and go out to your local bookstore (or of course online) and get yourself a copy of "Made in Taiwan" now!
You can also keep up with everything Clarissa is up to on Instagram and Twitter at @dearclarissa
What Taiwanese dish are you most looking forward to learning about from "Made in Taiwan"? Let us know in the comments!
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