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Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation
An in-depth exploration of the vibrant food and culture of Taiwan, including never-before-seen exclusive recipes and gorgeous photography.
Taipei-based food journalist Clarissa Wei presents Made in Taiwan, a cookbook that celebrates the island nation’s unique culinary identity—despite a refusal by the Chinese government to recognize its sovereignty. The expansive book contains deeply researched essays and more than 100 recipes inspired by the people who live in Taiwan today.
For generations, Taiwanese cuisine has been miscategorized under the broad umbrella term of Chinese food. Backed with historical evidence and interviews, Wei makes a case for why Taiwanese food should get its own spotlight. Made in Taiwan includes classics like Peddler Noodles, Braised Minced Pork Belly, and Three-Cup Chicken, and features authentic, never-before-seen recipes and techniques like how to make stinky tofu from scratch and broth tips from an award-winning beef noodle soup master.
Made in Taiwan is an earnest reflection of what the food is like in modern-day Taiwan from the perspective of the people who have lived there for generations. It is the story of a proud nation—a self-sufficient collective of people who continue to forge on despite unprecedented ambiguity.
Taipei-based food journalist Clarissa Wei presents Made in Taiwan, a cookbook that celebrates the island nation’s unique culinary identity—despite a refusal by the Chinese government to recognize its sovereignty. The expansive book contains deeply researched essays and more than 100 recipes inspired by the people who live in Taiwan today.
For generations, Taiwanese cuisine has been miscategorized under the broad umbrella term of Chinese food. Backed with historical evidence and interviews, Wei makes a case for why Taiwanese food should get its own spotlight. Made in Taiwan includes classics like Peddler Noodles, Braised Minced Pork Belly, and Three-Cup Chicken, and features authentic, never-before-seen recipes and techniques like how to make stinky tofu from scratch and broth tips from an award-winning beef noodle soup master.
Made in Taiwan is an earnest reflection of what the food is like in modern-day Taiwan from the perspective of the people who have lived there for generations. It is the story of a proud nation—a self-sufficient collective of people who continue to forge on despite unprecedented ambiguity.
343 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 19, 2023
118 people are currently reading
589 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 30, 2023
This book is a love letter to the Asian diaspora kids who want to keep their culture and heritage alive ❤️
Thank you Clarissa for the endless hours and effort that this must have taken. Your words, stories, and food are bound to bring generations of Taiwanese people closer together.
Thank you Clarissa for the endless hours and effort that this must have taken. Your words, stories, and food are bound to bring generations of Taiwanese people closer together.
July 31, 2023
I'm Chinese Canadian, I travelled to Taiwan this year and was amazed by the food there, no matter what you like, there is always something amazing for you.
BTW I support Taiwan being Taiwan, let its people decide its future.
I truly wish my fellow Chinese can mind our own business and help those poor Chinese suffering under Xi's rule.
A cookbook dedicated to Taiwan in English is long overdue, bravo Ms Wei👏
BTW I support Taiwan being Taiwan, let its people decide its future.
I truly wish my fellow Chinese can mind our own business and help those poor Chinese suffering under Xi's rule.
A cookbook dedicated to Taiwan in English is long overdue, bravo Ms Wei👏
March 29, 2025
I love this storybook/cookbook. It is filled with homemade recipes of popular Taiwanese dishes. The author also included many origin stories of how many types of Taiwanese cuisine came to be. In many parts of the book I felt like I was not only getting taught how to cook but also getting taught a lesson in Taiwanese history… I feel like this book should be an essential in every aspiring cook who loves Chinese cooking.
August 3, 2025
still reading, 5 stars to balance the idiot reviews
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2023
The snippets shared so far are samplings of what promises to be a delicious feast. The very existence of this book has already been deemed political or disrespectful--the review bombing is evidence of that. But Taiwanese food can hold its own, despite any cries that it's one and the same with any other nation's food. For even the most terrible of cooks, this already seems worth it for the stories alone. I can't wait for the upcoming release.
September 6, 2023
I've never seen a purely Taiwanese cookbook so I was immediately interested in this. It's like a love letter to the country. The author was raised in America but the book includes recipes & stories from Taiwan natives. Taiwan is a sovereign country with it's own culture, including food. There's a bit of a history lesson in here as well. I love so much of the food in this book! The Special Occassions section is a nice addition too.
September 17, 2023
Having visited Taiwan several years ago, enjoying the wonderful food, I was excited to pick up a copy of Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation, by Clarissa Wei. It was nice to read about the culinary history of the Island, as well as the author’s stories; this book kept me busy reading in a corner for hours. The best part, however, was the diverse and appealing recipes in this excellent cookbook.
The chapter on ingredients is helpful; I used it to make a list of the ingredients to purchase at my favorite Asian grocery store. There are so many good recipes, I wanted to be ready to make any dish that struck my fancy without having to go to the store. The Taiwanese tend to use offal for some recipes, and I skipped those ingredients, but others may embrace it. There is also a chapter featuring dishes from Taiwan’s Night Market, which I visited, so it had special meaning for me.
The recipes are written in the traditional manner with the ingredients listed first, followed by very detailed step-by-step instructions. There are also helpful comments and helpful hints at the beginning of the recipes. Both advanced and beginning cooks will find it easy to make picture-perfect and delicious dishes from this cookbook.
Made in Taiwan includes beautiful, professional photographs of not only the mouthwatering dishes, but also locals, the city, and the countryside. Some of the more involved dishes have step-by-step photographs with are very helpful.
The more I look at the book, the longer my queue of “must make this week” gets. Fans of Taiwanese food will want to pick up this book and it will keep al of us busy making new dishes for weeks.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.
The chapter on ingredients is helpful; I used it to make a list of the ingredients to purchase at my favorite Asian grocery store. There are so many good recipes, I wanted to be ready to make any dish that struck my fancy without having to go to the store. The Taiwanese tend to use offal for some recipes, and I skipped those ingredients, but others may embrace it. There is also a chapter featuring dishes from Taiwan’s Night Market, which I visited, so it had special meaning for me.
The recipes are written in the traditional manner with the ingredients listed first, followed by very detailed step-by-step instructions. There are also helpful comments and helpful hints at the beginning of the recipes. Both advanced and beginning cooks will find it easy to make picture-perfect and delicious dishes from this cookbook.
Made in Taiwan includes beautiful, professional photographs of not only the mouthwatering dishes, but also locals, the city, and the countryside. Some of the more involved dishes have step-by-step photographs with are very helpful.
The more I look at the book, the longer my queue of “must make this week” gets. Fans of Taiwanese food will want to pick up this book and it will keep al of us busy making new dishes for weeks.
Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.
November 19, 2023
An excellent cookbook and history of Taiwanese cuisine. I learned an incredible amount about Taiwan’s food culture, from different rices to how the colonial history of the island influenced the food. The recipes were all fascinating but not super practical for a western kitchen, which is fine to me because the point seemed to be to teach about the true origins of the cuisine rather than make the most user friendly cookbook of recipes. Even if I don’t cook every recipe, I still found it worthwhile to read about each one and I’ll take a non-watered down version of Taiwanese cuisine any day. Highly recommend for anyone interested in traditional Taiwanese cooking!
December 21, 2023
Even if you just read the intro and not the recipes it will have been worth your money and time.
September 19, 2024
this was exactly what i craved
November 23, 2023
detailed and authentic
Love the history of Taiwan sector to kick off the book before the recipes. So insightful and give the recipes its foundation, thank you!
Love the history of Taiwan sector to kick off the book before the recipes. So insightful and give the recipes its foundation, thank you!
November 23, 2023
A cookbook full of beautiful photography interesting ethnic recipes and wonderful essays about Taiwan.I enjoyed reading about the culture the history of the traditional food .#netgalley #simonelement
November 21, 2023
A wonderful culinary journey through Taiwan. Beautiful photography, interesting recipes and fascinating snippets of history.
September 25, 2023
We needed this. I’m glad to see it. I look forward to cooking from it.
October 11, 2023
I teared up turning these pages! So happy to have this resource, in a form more accessible for me and skillfully contextualized, to help me feel connected.
October 11, 2023
Wei provides a look into common Taiwanese dishes for the American home kitchen with a good introduction to how historical, cultural, and political aspects shape the food people eat in Taiwan.
January 24, 2025
I've been a big fan of Clarissa Wei's work, reading her writing since she wrote about the Chinese restaurant scene in the San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles. As expected, the book is meticulously researched and beautifully written. It presents the history and development of Taiwanese cuisine in an approachable, comprehensive way. That alone, along with the beautiful photography gives the book a lot of value. I really enjoyed the thought put into the food styling and plating, which stays true to the history of each dish.
However, the book falls short when it comes to cooking the actual recipes. I've followed a few of the recipes in the book and each time, I was left unimpressed. The dishes tasted bland, and there were also a lot of steps that felt unnecessary.
- TURNIP CAKE: The recipe calls for marinating shredded daikon with 1 tsp of salt for an hour, then draining it in a colander before you cook it. Having cooked turnip cake a few times without doing that, I felt this step didn't add anything to the final result (a better luo bo gao recipe, albeit Cantonese, is Made With Lau's version). Also, the recipe calls for daikon, but should specify that there are Korean, Chinese and Japanese varieties at most Asian markets. I used a Japanese daikon which ended up giving a slight unpleasant bitterness to the cake, maybe I should have used the seasonal Chinese Lo Bok that's only available in the winter.
- CUCUMBER SALAD: The recipe is done over 2 days, requires draining the cucumbers in a colander twice, and TWO separate containers to both marinate the cucumbers and then season it and serve it. That's a lot of dishwashing and preparation for one cucumber salad. The taste was great but I think this recipe would have benefitted from simplifying its process.
- DAIKON AND PORK SOUP: Initially upon cooking it, very bland. The resulting broth tasted a lot better the next day after the meat had a chance to give more umami to the soup.
- BRAISED MINCE PORK BELLY: I loved the simplicity and elegance of this recipe. I would definitely cook it again, but it needed a tablespoon more of soy sauce to give it a saltier punch. Again, this was bland according to the book's seasoning instructions
- STIR FRIED VERMICELLI: Again, bland. It calls for 1/2 teaspoon of black rice vinegar, which felt like such a small amount of seasoning; I couldn't taste why we needed that in the final dish.
Every recipe in this book feels like a project. Meat might need to be brined or marinated for 6 hours or overnight. The ingredient lists might ask for an obscure ingredient like black rice vinegar or fried shallots, but only 1/2 a teaspoon or a tablespoon of it. And its a lot of draining in a colander. Those sorts of things would be helpful if they were marked as optional, for the home-cook who doesn't want every cooking effort to be a whole project that involves a lot of dishwashing. This isn't the type of book that I could use to cook everyday weeknight Taiwanese cooking for my family. And again, I'd highly recommend you season more than what the book asks for!
However, the book falls short when it comes to cooking the actual recipes. I've followed a few of the recipes in the book and each time, I was left unimpressed. The dishes tasted bland, and there were also a lot of steps that felt unnecessary.
- TURNIP CAKE: The recipe calls for marinating shredded daikon with 1 tsp of salt for an hour, then draining it in a colander before you cook it. Having cooked turnip cake a few times without doing that, I felt this step didn't add anything to the final result (a better luo bo gao recipe, albeit Cantonese, is Made With Lau's version). Also, the recipe calls for daikon, but should specify that there are Korean, Chinese and Japanese varieties at most Asian markets. I used a Japanese daikon which ended up giving a slight unpleasant bitterness to the cake, maybe I should have used the seasonal Chinese Lo Bok that's only available in the winter.
- CUCUMBER SALAD: The recipe is done over 2 days, requires draining the cucumbers in a colander twice, and TWO separate containers to both marinate the cucumbers and then season it and serve it. That's a lot of dishwashing and preparation for one cucumber salad. The taste was great but I think this recipe would have benefitted from simplifying its process.
- DAIKON AND PORK SOUP: Initially upon cooking it, very bland. The resulting broth tasted a lot better the next day after the meat had a chance to give more umami to the soup.
- BRAISED MINCE PORK BELLY: I loved the simplicity and elegance of this recipe. I would definitely cook it again, but it needed a tablespoon more of soy sauce to give it a saltier punch. Again, this was bland according to the book's seasoning instructions
- STIR FRIED VERMICELLI: Again, bland. It calls for 1/2 teaspoon of black rice vinegar, which felt like such a small amount of seasoning; I couldn't taste why we needed that in the final dish.
Every recipe in this book feels like a project. Meat might need to be brined or marinated for 6 hours or overnight. The ingredient lists might ask for an obscure ingredient like black rice vinegar or fried shallots, but only 1/2 a teaspoon or a tablespoon of it. And its a lot of draining in a colander. Those sorts of things would be helpful if they were marked as optional, for the home-cook who doesn't want every cooking effort to be a whole project that involves a lot of dishwashing. This isn't the type of book that I could use to cook everyday weeknight Taiwanese cooking for my family. And again, I'd highly recommend you season more than what the book asks for!
December 29, 2023
When people think of Taiwanese food, they usually think of beef noodle soup, popcorn chicken, and pearl milk tea (a.k.a. boba). MADE IN TAIWAN certainly includes recipes for those, but it also dives deeper into the culinary history of Taiwan, not just the food that became prevalent after the Nationalists fled to Taiwan in 1949. There are recipes for night market staples, of course, but author Clarissa Wei also makes sure to include recipes for more everyday Taiwanese dishes, as well as the stories and recipes of indigenous and traditional Taiwanese foods that fewer and fewer people now know how to make.
And, oh, the stories! The book starts with a necessary essay on the culinary history of Taiwan and how it has been affected by different cultures (e.g. the Dutch, Japanese, mainland Chinese). Throughout the book, there are many well-written stories on different topics (including one about the quintessentially Taiwanese Tatung rice cooker), and Wei's recipe headnotes themselves are sometimes stories as well. I cried reading her headnote for 粽子.
Since I only just finished reading the book, I haven't yet made any of the recipes, but I've bookmarked a lot of them to try, many of which I never imagined I'd be able to make at home. (There's even a recipe for pork floss...!?) The recipe ingredients are helpfully listed by both volume and weight, and all of the recipes include the Chinese and/or Taiwanese name with it, in case you're an overseas-born Taiwanese like myself who doesn't know the English name of some of these dishes. The pantry list at the beginning is also very helpful, since the ingredients are given in English, pinyin, and Chinese.
Ordinarily this would be an instant 5 stars, but I have to lower the rating for several reasons: (1) there aren't photos for every recipe, which is a shame because the photography is gorgeous; (2) there isn't a recipe for 筒仔米糕, my favorite Taiwanese dish, though I suppose you could just alter the 粽子 recipe a bit provided you can find the right molds; and (3) the pineapple cake recipe includes almond flour, which I'm pretty sure is not commonly used and is slightly irritating when you prefer to bake nut-free sweets due to allergy concerns. However, the first reason is the main complaint that I have, whereas the latter two are more personal preferences.
Despite these drawbacks, I still highly recommend MADE IN TAIWAN to anyone who is of Taiwanese heritage or who is interested in Taiwanese food in general. Even if you don't make any of the recipes, you'll gain a greater appreciation of this island nation and its rich culinary history.
And, oh, the stories! The book starts with a necessary essay on the culinary history of Taiwan and how it has been affected by different cultures (e.g. the Dutch, Japanese, mainland Chinese). Throughout the book, there are many well-written stories on different topics (including one about the quintessentially Taiwanese Tatung rice cooker), and Wei's recipe headnotes themselves are sometimes stories as well. I cried reading her headnote for 粽子.
Since I only just finished reading the book, I haven't yet made any of the recipes, but I've bookmarked a lot of them to try, many of which I never imagined I'd be able to make at home. (There's even a recipe for pork floss...!?) The recipe ingredients are helpfully listed by both volume and weight, and all of the recipes include the Chinese and/or Taiwanese name with it, in case you're an overseas-born Taiwanese like myself who doesn't know the English name of some of these dishes. The pantry list at the beginning is also very helpful, since the ingredients are given in English, pinyin, and Chinese.
Ordinarily this would be an instant 5 stars, but I have to lower the rating for several reasons: (1) there aren't photos for every recipe, which is a shame because the photography is gorgeous; (2) there isn't a recipe for 筒仔米糕, my favorite Taiwanese dish, though I suppose you could just alter the 粽子 recipe a bit provided you can find the right molds; and (3) the pineapple cake recipe includes almond flour, which I'm pretty sure is not commonly used and is slightly irritating when you prefer to bake nut-free sweets due to allergy concerns. However, the first reason is the main complaint that I have, whereas the latter two are more personal preferences.
Despite these drawbacks, I still highly recommend MADE IN TAIWAN to anyone who is of Taiwanese heritage or who is interested in Taiwanese food in general. Even if you don't make any of the recipes, you'll gain a greater appreciation of this island nation and its rich culinary history.
October 28, 2023
I'm not sure how I found this book but I have been drawn to reading cookbooks as "breaks" from other reading/life and thought this would be interesting. A combination cookbook and memoir/history/commentary about Taiwan, authors Wei and Chen take the reader through the history and foods of Taiwan, from what were some of the dishes of the Indigenous peoples there to how food/eating/diets have changed with colonization and the influence of the peoples who moved to Taiwan.
The dishes vary from drinks to main courses to desserts, etc. If you've ever had Taiwanese food (or eaten in Chinese restaurants), it is highly likely you'll recognize some dishes (scallion pancakes), etc. and it's also highly likely you'll never heard of them, etc. Lots of gorgeous pictures with bits of history/commentary in between.
The history bits were also super interesting, too. To how beef was basically forbidden (you're eating friends!) and why you'll often be able to swap out beef for lamb with no issue. The popularity of 7-11s and how "convenience" as a concept is extremely important. The Taiwanese train bentos, which remain enormously popular and can sell out fairly quickly.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised. I had thought this was more of a cookbook and was happy to read up on the more historical details (which was really more my jam anyway). I cannot say how hard or easy the recipes are but even if you do not cook or make a thing you can certainly learn quite a bit anyway. I would have probably personally preferred this to be less of a cookbook and more of a historical work looking at food in Taiwan but I was happy with this overall.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me. If you enjoy learning about food culture/history, etc. this was a great read.
The dishes vary from drinks to main courses to desserts, etc. If you've ever had Taiwanese food (or eaten in Chinese restaurants), it is highly likely you'll recognize some dishes (scallion pancakes), etc. and it's also highly likely you'll never heard of them, etc. Lots of gorgeous pictures with bits of history/commentary in between.
The history bits were also super interesting, too. To how beef was basically forbidden (you're eating friends!) and why you'll often be able to swap out beef for lamb with no issue. The popularity of 7-11s and how "convenience" as a concept is extremely important. The Taiwanese train bentos, which remain enormously popular and can sell out fairly quickly.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised. I had thought this was more of a cookbook and was happy to read up on the more historical details (which was really more my jam anyway). I cannot say how hard or easy the recipes are but even if you do not cook or make a thing you can certainly learn quite a bit anyway. I would have probably personally preferred this to be less of a cookbook and more of a historical work looking at food in Taiwan but I was happy with this overall.
Borrowed from the library and that was best for me. If you enjoy learning about food culture/history, etc. this was a great read.
January 2, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
Made in Taiwan.
Part cookbook, part memoir, part history of Taiwan, the author has crafted an incredible cookbook celebrating Taiwan's unique culinary identity—despite the Chinese government's refusal to recognize its sovereignty.
This well researched, well written, and thoughtful cookbook contains historical background, reflections from seasoned cooks and locals, and features more than 100 recipes inspired by the people who live in Taiwan today.
For generations, Taiwanese cuisine has been unfairly labeled under the broad umbrella term of Chinese food.
The author combines historical evidence and interviews to explain why Taiwanese food should get its own spotlight.
Besides incredible recipes like Braised Minced Pork Belly (good gawd, my stomach is growling), and how to make authentic stinky tofu from scratch and broth tips from an award-winning beef noodle soup master.
The author includes a comprehensive lesson on rice. I knew there are many different kinds but the author takes it on a whole 'nother level!
The various kinds, how to cook it, and how, ideally, you would use different kinds of rice for specific recipes.
Many of the recipes are labor intensive but it's a labor of love. The finished product will be sooo worth it.
I enjoyed the comfortable style and tone of the writing, the step-by-step instructions, and of course, the photos.
Made in Taiwan is a great cookbook focused on the locals, the history, and how it influenced Taiwanese cuisine.
I hope Taiwanese cuisine finally gets the respect it deserves.
Part cookbook, part memoir, part history of Taiwan, the author has crafted an incredible cookbook celebrating Taiwan's unique culinary identity—despite the Chinese government's refusal to recognize its sovereignty.
This well researched, well written, and thoughtful cookbook contains historical background, reflections from seasoned cooks and locals, and features more than 100 recipes inspired by the people who live in Taiwan today.
For generations, Taiwanese cuisine has been unfairly labeled under the broad umbrella term of Chinese food.
The author combines historical evidence and interviews to explain why Taiwanese food should get its own spotlight.
Besides incredible recipes like Braised Minced Pork Belly (good gawd, my stomach is growling), and how to make authentic stinky tofu from scratch and broth tips from an award-winning beef noodle soup master.
The author includes a comprehensive lesson on rice. I knew there are many different kinds but the author takes it on a whole 'nother level!
The various kinds, how to cook it, and how, ideally, you would use different kinds of rice for specific recipes.
Many of the recipes are labor intensive but it's a labor of love. The finished product will be sooo worth it.
I enjoyed the comfortable style and tone of the writing, the step-by-step instructions, and of course, the photos.
Made in Taiwan is a great cookbook focused on the locals, the history, and how it influenced Taiwanese cuisine.
I hope Taiwanese cuisine finally gets the respect it deserves.
January 1, 2024
Who does not like browsing cookbooks? You can view all the possibilities and dream about what you can make and how things will taste. The best cookbooks provide photos and clear instructions for the reader so that the reader can enjoy all the labor the writers imbued in the title. And when you are reading a cookbook from a culture not your own, you need context for the recipes which Clarissa Wei and Ivy Chen provide in Made in Taiwan!
Wei and Chen open the book with a history of Taiwan setting the stage for what makes Taiwan cuisine different from Chinese cuisine. Then Wei and Chen start with the basics - what is in the Taiwanese pantry so that the reader knows what they need to stock to make the recipes that follow while also providing substitutes. There are recipes for breakfast, for lunch, for small suppers, and elaborate dinners, not to mention special events. The authors also include deserts, and recipes from the indigenous cooks of the islands. The recipes are nicely illustrated and help provide direction for various complicated recipes. Scattered through out the recipes are stories that reflect the culture of Taiwan and its food history. One such story deals with hamburgers for breakfast (Little League baseball) while another talks about how turkey rice became a dish in Taiwan. The authors do note that the recipes do reflect more Central and Southern Taiwan rather than what is found in Taipei.
If you enjoy browsing recipes or learning about cultures via their food, pick up Made in Taiwan and dig in!
Wei and Chen open the book with a history of Taiwan setting the stage for what makes Taiwan cuisine different from Chinese cuisine. Then Wei and Chen start with the basics - what is in the Taiwanese pantry so that the reader knows what they need to stock to make the recipes that follow while also providing substitutes. There are recipes for breakfast, for lunch, for small suppers, and elaborate dinners, not to mention special events. The authors also include deserts, and recipes from the indigenous cooks of the islands. The recipes are nicely illustrated and help provide direction for various complicated recipes. Scattered through out the recipes are stories that reflect the culture of Taiwan and its food history. One such story deals with hamburgers for breakfast (Little League baseball) while another talks about how turkey rice became a dish in Taiwan. The authors do note that the recipes do reflect more Central and Southern Taiwan rather than what is found in Taipei.
If you enjoy browsing recipes or learning about cultures via their food, pick up Made in Taiwan and dig in!
February 19, 2026
We cooked and tasted 7 dishes in cookbook club. Note: The recipes are time consuming and ingredients can be difficult to source in a small town, so you'll need to plan ahead if you want to cook out of this book.
I made the pineapple cake. My jam was too runny and leaked out of the flour, but the taste was quite good. It reminded me of a Hungarian apple square.
I also made the red braised tofu, and my husband made this again for our cookbook club potluck. Both times it turned out and the flavour was really good.
My daughter's peanut ice cream did not thicken. Not sure if we didn't chill it long enough or if the recipe doesn't have enough fat in it.
Others in our club made the pineapple shrimp, pork belly, and cucumber salad. These were all SO GOOD. Even the memory makes me happy.
Overall, the food was excellent. Most of these things are heavy or fried (and time consuming!) so it's not a healthy weeknight dinner cookbook. It's more something I would pick up to learn about the food of Taiwan (and then order at a restaurant!)
I made the pineapple cake. My jam was too runny and leaked out of the flour, but the taste was quite good. It reminded me of a Hungarian apple square.
I also made the red braised tofu, and my husband made this again for our cookbook club potluck. Both times it turned out and the flavour was really good.
My daughter's peanut ice cream did not thicken. Not sure if we didn't chill it long enough or if the recipe doesn't have enough fat in it.
Others in our club made the pineapple shrimp, pork belly, and cucumber salad. These were all SO GOOD. Even the memory makes me happy.
Overall, the food was excellent. Most of these things are heavy or fried (and time consuming!) so it's not a healthy weeknight dinner cookbook. It's more something I would pick up to learn about the food of Taiwan (and then order at a restaurant!)
January 3, 2024
Made In Taiwan is a great explanation of Taiwanese foods and the culture and history around them. I liked that it was written for an American audience (via Clarissa Wei) but with the authentic knowledge from a Taiwan home cook (Ivy Chen) and other chefs from Taiwan. Many of the stories were familiar to me as a Taiwanese American from my own family and travels to Taiwan. For me it is nice to have it written down because one day (or maybe already...) I may have trouble recalling these memories I have. The recipes are adapted to ingredients and cooking techniques more common to American home cooks. I also recommend listening to the podcast episode "Hot Stuff: Flavors of home: A dive into Taiwanese cuisine ft. Ivy Chen" as a companion to hear more about the book and Taiwanese food.
August 12, 2024
Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation by Clarissa Wei is an exceptional cookbook that delves into the rich culinary traditions of Taiwan. The book offers an impressive collection of over 100 recipes, each accompanied by detailed essays and beautiful photography. While the recipes are motivating and inspiring, some may find them complex and challenging to follow. Despite this, the wealth of background information, personal stories, and cultural insights make this cookbook a valuable addition to any kitchen. The layout and images are stunning, adding to the overall appeal of the book. Highly recommended for anyone interested in exploring Taiwanese cuisine.
November 23, 2025
My very generous friend and colleague gave this to me for my birthday this year, and I seriously couldn't thank her enough. Not only this is a GREAT cookbook choked full of fantastic recipes, it's also a great rendering of Taiwanese history through dishes. The pictures are beautiful and the stories are exquisite.
I was born in Taiwan, and I don't get to visit the birthplace as often as I'd like. What I miss the most, aside from my family, is the FOOD. The amazing, abundant, varied dishes that are not only delicious, but affordable.
I am so grateful to Ms. Wei for putting together this love letter for all of us who treasure Taiwanese dishes and culture. Well done, you!!!
I was born in Taiwan, and I don't get to visit the birthplace as often as I'd like. What I miss the most, aside from my family, is the FOOD. The amazing, abundant, varied dishes that are not only delicious, but affordable.
I am so grateful to Ms. Wei for putting together this love letter for all of us who treasure Taiwanese dishes and culture. Well done, you!!!
November 11, 2023
Taiwanese cuisine is my comfort food. This book is an expansive volume that makes me wholly embrace my Taiwanese heritage. Visually stunning and extensively researched, this book highlights, beyond mouth-watering recipes, stories of Taiwan and what food is like in this green island. I appreciated Wei's essays and the culinary history. It's no surprise that I loved this book and I highly recommend it for those wanting to know more about Taiwanese history and cuisine.
[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Simon Element . All opinions are my own ]
[ I received a complimentary copy from the publisher - Simon Element . All opinions are my own ]
October 2, 2023
Love the recipes and the history, but not the political aspects. As someone with both Chinese and Taiwanese family, the "We are not Chinese. We are Taiwanese..." struck a wrong chord, laced everything in the book with slightly bitter and heavy notes. Maybe that's the intention though? I appreciated reading and trying to understand this Taiwanese point of view and also appreciated the great deal of research that went into making this book.
October 14, 2023
i can give nothing less than five stars to a book that contains the phrase "My parents, sweet potatoes, were born"
but seriously, what a well-researched, informative, accessible introduction to taiwanese cuisine!! To me personally it felt like a great mix of new information about a culture and history about which I knew little and moments of surprising familiarity and recognition from growing up in a community with a lot of taiwanese people.
but seriously, what a well-researched, informative, accessible introduction to taiwanese cuisine!! To me personally it felt like a great mix of new information about a culture and history about which I knew little and moments of surprising familiarity and recognition from growing up in a community with a lot of taiwanese people.
October 14, 2023
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a beautiful recipe book!
I have a very American perspective so I really enjoyed hearing about the history and culture of Taiwan and how it is distinct and shaped the food people eat. There's nice pictures of the recipes and lots of dishes I'd never heard of with clear instructions on how to make them. There's a good variety of recipes for different meals.
This is a beautiful recipe book!
I have a very American perspective so I really enjoyed hearing about the history and culture of Taiwan and how it is distinct and shaped the food people eat. There's nice pictures of the recipes and lots of dishes I'd never heard of with clear instructions on how to make them. There's a good variety of recipes for different meals.
April 18, 2024
Grew up going back to Taiwan yearly and this book lets me live my family’s lifestyle in the Midwest where true Taiwanese food is virtually nonexistent. Thanks for gathering all of these recipes - my parents were able to add our own southern Taiwanese twist as well. Only edit I would change is printing pronunciations in 注音符號 instead of pinyin to maintain the culture. Recommended for any 2nd+ generation diaspora Taiwanese out there.
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