The Chile Pepper in China

Brian R. Dott

52 ratings by Goodreads

Language: English

Published by Columbia University Press, US, 2020

023119532X / 9780231195324

Series: Book 34 of 53 - Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History

  • Hardcover
  • New
See all details

Seller: Rarewaves.com UK, London, United KingdomRarewaves.com UK

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since June 11, 2025

View this seller's items
Hardcover

Condition: New

£ 108.43

£ 65.00 shipping 
Ships from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Quantity: 2 available

Add to basket

Item description from seller

Chinese cuisine without chile peppers seems unimaginable. Entranced by the fiery taste, diners worldwide have fallen for Chinese cooking. In China, chiles are everywhere, from dried peppers hanging from eaves to Mao's boast that revolution would be impossible without chiles, from the eighteenth-century novel Dream of the Red Chamber to contemporary music videos. Indeed, they are so common that many Chinese assume they are native. Yet there were no chiles anywhere in China prior to the 1570s, when they were introduced from the Americas.Brian R. Dott explores how the nonnative chile went from obscurity to ubiquity in China, influencing not just cuisine but also medicine, language, and cultural identity. He details how its versatility became essential to a variety of regional cuisines and swayed both elite and popular medical and healing practices. Dott tracks the cultural meaning of the chile across a wide swath of literary texts and artworks, revealing how the spread of chiles fundamentally altered the meaning of the term spicy. He emphasizes the intersection between food and gender, tracing the chile as a symbol for both male virility and female passion. Integrating food studies, the history of medicine, and Chinese cultural history, The Chile Pepper in China sheds new light on the piquant cultural impact of a potent plant and raises broader questions regarding notions of authenticity in cuisine.

Seller Inventory # LU-9780231195324

Title
The Chile Pepper in China
Author
Brian R. Dott
Publisher
Columbia University Press, US
Publication year
2020
Condition
New
Binding
Hardback
Language
English
ISBN 10
023119532X
ISBN 13
9780231195324
Series
Book 34 of 53: Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History

Rarewaves.com UK

London, United Kingdom

5-star seller

AbeBooks seller since June 11, 2025

Shipping rates from United Kingdom to U.S.A.

Item60 to 60 business days60 to 60 business days
First item£ 65.00£ 100.00
Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.

Payment methods

  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • American Express
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay

Seller's business information

RAREWAVES.COM LIMITED

Elsley Court, 20-22 Great Titchfield Street
London, United Kingdom W1W 8BE