Collection: Book Exhibition ── How About I Cook You Some Noodles: Selected Books on Food, Life, and Culture

Books are not just about pictures and words; they can also be cultural dishes that awaken our taste buds. This selection of "Food Culture" books starts from the kitchen, featuring various literary works, picture books, and graphic novels. From local daily life to exotic nostalgia, these books reveal cultural contexts through the delicate nuances of food.

First, savor the family-inherited Macanese cuisine. "Macanese Cuisine Culture: From Family Dishes to International Delicacies" explains, through surveys and interviews, that Macanese cuisine is not only a legacy of Portuguese navigation but also a fusion of Asian and African culinary influences. Today, it has become a cultural symbol of Macau, featuring dishes like home-style stews with African spices, the evolution of Asian fruits and vegetables, and the Macanese egg tart. It represents the identity and recognition of ethnic groups, together weaving the local narrative of Macau.

Chow Chi-yan's "Literary Feast" blends literary excerpts, short stories from film and television, and interactions between the author and her relatives into a delicious pot – from Haruki Murakami's spaghetti preparation method to the metaphor of opium poison in "Rouge." Through her writing, she exquisitely tastes the flavors and emotions of classic literary works. Tina's "Ice Cream with Rice, Cooking Western Food in Bed: Food and Drink in Hong Kong Cinema" shares a similar spirit, claiming to be a cultural examination and culinary inventory by a fervent bookworm, compiling a half-century of food and drink in Hong Kong cinema.

Lui Ka-chun and Chun Kai-fung's picture book "Pineapple Bun" delves into the kitchens of Hong Kong's cha chaan tengs, revealing the secrets of bakers, and the baking techniques and origins of the crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside pineapple bun. Lui Ka-chun also authored "Hong Kong's Culinary Journey," using his years of experience in food writing to record Cantonese, Southeast Asian, British, and American culinary styles, capturing the history, economy, and geographical characteristics of the region. Always remembering, simple things bring joy, echoing Shu Kuo-chih's minimalist philosophy in "Eating with Me": a life dedicated to food, where "delicious" is simple. From Taiwanese braised pork to soy milk and fried dough sticks, he emphasizes gratitude and a reflection on Chinese culinary traditions. Expanding further, "The ASEAN on Your Tongue" by Fat Tree and Wang Ruey-min discusses how Taiwan, like Macau, has many Southeast Asian immigrant dishes; opening a restaurant becomes a remedy for homesickness.

Whether you read on an empty stomach or not, always leave some room to savor the flavor of life.