Reviews for Women's fictional responses to the First World War

The average rating for Women's fictional responses to the First World War based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2010-10-05 00:00:00 Jose Hernandez A nation's cuisine is not only determined by the available ingredients; but also, probably more importantly, by the sources, quantities, and cost of readily available cooking fuels. Hence the fuel-economical technique of stir-frying is admirably suited to cooking over a brushwood fire (as opposed to a longer-burning coal fire; and dinner does not take long to cook (an important caveat if one has been labouring hard all day). In this book, Kenneth Lo waxes lyrical: "…the sensation of jelly melting against the hot rice in your mouth must be unique to Chinese eating, like the warm, many-scented earthiness which rises in waves from the land when the snow first starts melting in the spring." (p.13). The reader is pulled up short; this doesn't sound like any known English Chinese take-away! Lo is devastatingly gracious by what he omits to say by his descriptions of English- and American/Canadian-Chinese foods; describing the former as based on sweet & sour pork, and the latter on chopsuey! (p.69) A cunning reminder indeed of the immense adaptability of Chinese styles of cooking, and consequent broad marketability. This is a fascinating book; especially in the (largest) third part, which discusses the four principle different regional styles of cooking in China; all of which are (unsurprisingly) poles apart from the methodology and advanced technical skills required by classic French cuisine. However, I was greatly interested to read a recipe for Shantung Liver and Tripe (pig's) Soup (p.164); which sounded like a flashback to 1930s Britain. Perhaps more Brits today would enjoy cow's tripe, if flavours of sherry, soya sauce, leek, and root ginger were added? Only once have I cooked Chinese for a dinner party (a great success). Re-reading this book pricks my conscious that I really ought to do so again; or at the very least develop a Thursday night Chinese cooking habit: not only more authentic, but probably considerably less expensive than dialling for a take-away; and it would use up the spare spring onions that I often have left over towards the end of the week.

Review # 2 was written on 2014-05-12 00:00:00 Thomas Yacob An excellent introduction to the variations of Chinese food.