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I should preface this review by saying that there really is a lot to like about this book. The author has a warm, friendly voice, and the recipes, which are quite varied and span a large range of flavors despite being all primarily Sichuan in origin, have appetite appeal right off the bat. I enjoy Sichuan food, having discovered it through a childhood neighbor from Sichuan province. When I went away to college, she gave me as a parting gift another book on Sichuan food, Mrs. Chiang's Szechwan Cookbook by Ellen Schrecker. This was before Land of Plenty and was probably the only Sichuan cookbook widely in circulation at the time. I've used it successfully for years.
But, when Land of Plenty came out, surrounded by positive buzz, I didn't want to be behind the times. I immediately rushed out to get it and started cooking from it with fervor, trying out Dunlop's versions of the same foods I used to make from Schrecker's. Now, I do want to keep this review as untainted as possible by my love for the other book, but I just couldn't help but compare the two. And, in my opinion, Land of Plenty is clearly the inferior book.
There are a few reasons why I believe this to be so. First of all, Dunlop's recipes are a bit simplified from their original versions. Not westernized, but a few differences here and there which might not matter to non-Chinese cooks but would be noticeable to a Sichuan person. One example would be Dunlop's recipe for Gong Bao Chicken (one of the few recipes that are superior in this book to Mrs. Chiang's version), using roasted peanuts instead of raw peanuts which are deep fried yourself. Does it really matter in the end? Maybe not, but a Sichuan cook is going to deep fry their peanuts.
Another problematic recipe I can think of having tried recently is for hot and sour soup. Dunlop omits some ingredients that should really be there, like wood ear mushrooms, tofu, and golden needles. Also, strangely, I had a bit of trouble with the green onions. The soup would have to be about boiling to cook them to a point where they didn't clash severely with the other flavors of the soup, but that would have killed most of the vinegar, which is instructed to be added before pouring it over the green onions. Just a curiosity. These recipes are for dishes with which most people have some familiarity, which is why I highlight them, but these small kinks are present throughout, and often times I find myself consulting my older Sichuan cookbook for a second opinion. If you are really into Sichuan food, the two books together will give you all the information you need, as one will have things the other doesn't. But I wouldn't exactly recommend using Land of Plenty by itself to a perfectionist of methodology and authenticity. It comes very close to being the complete authority on Sichuan food, but just doesn't quite cross over. I waver between three and four stars, but I'll round up for the helpful Chinese glossary, basic explanation of flavors and methods, and appetizing, inspiring color pictures.
an excellent introduction and practical guide
dunlop presents both a good overview and introduction to sichuan cuisine and also a very practical and easy follow to primer to cooking some of its most well-known, and some lesser-known dishes. my only quibble is that i think it would be better to get ingredients by weights, as two leeks (for example) might be large or small depending on where you're buying them. that said, i've yet to get a bad result from this book in a couple of years. and as i've eaten a fair amount of sichuan food in the san gabriel valley outside los angeles, i think i have a good sense of the ballparks in which particular dishes' taste profiles should be. beware of reviews that say "my chinese friend/relative/spouse loved/hated this"--i am an indian and many of my indian friends and relatives can't be trusted with their opinions of indian food; cuisines are not static and there is more than one way of preparing something "authentically".
How to build a watch..................
Although well written it reminds you of the old adage "ask an engineer the time and he'll tell you how to build a watch". I was looking for more of a recipe book rather than a history of Sichuan cooking.
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