“100 Books for a Lifetime of Eating and Drinking,” where All Under Heaven sits alongside such greats as Escoffier and Julia Child — Amazon.com
Comprehensive.
“ALL UNDER HEAVEN is not for the meek… the only other recent cookbook I can think of that parallels HEAVEN in terms of scope and ambition is Maricel Presilla's masterwork, Gran Cocina Latina…. ALL UNDER HEAVEN is an invaluable resource. And as a work of culinary record, it's a considerable accomplishment.”
“Is This the Best Chinese Cookbook Ever Written?”
“What a work of art... I have always welcomed any book that expands the horizons of our knowledge of Chinese food; now comes one of the best I have seen in ages. ALL UNDER HEAVEN is not just a mere cookbook—in fact, it may be the most comprehensive work to date on an incredibly complex subject.”
– Ken Hom, OBE
celebrity chef and author
ALL UNDER HEAVEN “is as ambitious and comprehensive as it sounds: a compendium of over 300 recipes from all 35 cuisines of the vast and culinarily complex country of China…. Drawings of maps, animals and noodle methodologies accompany the text, making it feel like an illuminated manuscript.”
“Carolyn Phillips’s exhaustive study of Chinese food culture is a thing of legend…. Each of the 300 recipes features a detailed headnote, and the author’s... illustrations tell the story visually—in a sort of Wall Street Journal meets Lucky Peach way."
“The most monumental undertaking I think I’ve ever seen.”
ALL UNDER HEAVEN was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s International Cookbook award.
Plus, it found itself on a whole lot of “best of” lists…
New York Times
Los Angeles Times
Mother Jones
Eater
Epicurious
Art of Eating
Atlanta-Courier Journal
Cherry Bombe
Gourmand International
Amazon.com
The Kitchn
Leite’s Culinaria
Eat Your Books
Kathy Gunst, WBUR
ALL UNDER HEAVEN “is a work of great passion that rewards on so many levels. Every recipe I tried was excellent, there is a wealth of information that will keep your mind occupied for years, and the personality of the author shines through. The book has soul. It’s a unicorn.”
“Perhaps the deepest possible deep dive in this list, ALL UNDER HEAVEN tackles thirty-five of China’s regional cuisines and thousands of years of culinary history. The massive, encyclopedic book will appeal to readers whose cookbook collections function not just as recipe inspiration but reference libraries to the world’s great food traditions. English language cookbooks rarely cover Chinese cuisine with such depth and breadth, making this an especially welcome addition.”
Nanjing saltwater duck
Nánjīng yánshuĭ yā 南京鹽水鴨
Jiangsu • Serves 6
In this recipe, the duck is salted overnight, cooked in nothing more than water, salt, and aromatics, and then chilled. It’s that easy. As far as what cut of duck to get, I’d recommend duck legs. They are a heck of a lot cheaper than buying an entire bird, they slice up easily once cold, and they are almost all meat. You will need a heavy cleaver to whack up the legs, however, so if you don’t have one, get duck breasts instead. They are just as tasty, and they can easily be boned and sliced once cooked.
Duck and salt rub:
4 whole duck legs (thighs attached) with skin on
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
2 teaspoons five-spice powder (page 441 or store-bought)
2 teaspoons ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns (page 441)
Braising liquid:
2 green onions, trimmed
1 star anise
5 slices fresh ginger
2 teaspoons sea salt
Start this 2 days before you wish to serve it. Pat the duck dry and pluck off any pinfeathers you find, as well as the thin yellow skin. Place the legs in a plastic container. Sprinkle them with the salt and spices, rubbing the seasonings thoroughly into every part of the legs. Cover the container and chill for about 24 hours.
The next day, rinse the duck legs in plenty of cool tap water, being sure to get rid of all the salt and spices. Place the legs in a small saucepan and add the rest of the ingredients, as well as water to barely cover. Bring the water to a full boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Poach the legs for 30 minutes and then remove the pan from the heat. Let the legs cool in the liquid. Remove the cooled legs to a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, use a very sharp heavy cleaver to whack the legs into .-inch-wide slices. Serve cold or just slightly chilled.
Nanjing Saltwater Duck also makes a delicious appetizer or bar snack that will serve around 12.
