Tip #113: Cook every recipe from 'Beyond The Great Wall'

There are some cookbooks on our shelves that we treat with reverence - they are kept pristine, perfect in their dustcover, looked at for inspiration and put back on the shelf. Then there are others that are like tablecloths at a rowdy dinner, well-used, covered in stains, edges in a constant state of falling apart. All of the books written by Jeffery Alford and Naomi Duguid are just like that. We’ve read, cooked out of, and spilled on them so many times, that new copies might be in order.

Beyond the Great Wall is a special cookbook. It chronicles the recipes and travel through relatively unknown (in the states) cultures and regions along the West of China. The food is not only very different and fun to make, but the photos and stories are beautiful and memorable. We cook the ‘Dai Grilled Chicken’ constantly in the summer, and the noodle dishes have become staples of our winter kitchen. It’s with out a doubt one of the books we’ve cooked the most out of, and with good reason.