the book

"Every Grain of Rice," by Fuchsia Dunlop (W.W. Norton & Co., 351 pages, $35).

In her fourth book, Chinese food authority Fuchsia Dunlop reveals the simple but delicious secrets of authentic Chinese home cooking. Recipes — collected from the whole of China — tend toward easy, economical dishes, with chapters on cold dishes, tofu, chicken and eggs, meat, fish, noodles and dumplings, as well as a revealing exploration of the Chinese mastery of vegetables.

A photographic glossary of ingredients makes it the perfect companion for a trip to an Asian grocery, and Dunlop's accounts of the people and places behind the recipes will make your mouth water before you even begin to cook.

JO MARSHALL