China, Food and Olympics

It's now official: This has become the "Year of Reading About China." With the Olympics in Beijing fast upon us this summer, books about China are arriving in droves, with more still to come.

If you're a foodie, however, and enjoy unusual adventures in the kitchen, one you don't want to miss is "Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper" by Fuschia Dunlop. Dunlop is a food writer who has spent years visiting China and ingesting all kinds of unusual Chinese food – and, through food, learning much about Chinese culture.

To hear Dunlop recite a recipe in Mandarin, click on the interview she does with Monitor staffer Kendra Nordin.