A new, delightful travel cookbook from Zhang Mei, the Harvard MBA from Dali and founder of WildChina.
In 2014 I was to spend several weeks in the Dali area but illness ended my plan. Happily Zhang Mei takes you on a tour through the country side in much the way I like see China. She provides enough clues so the DIY traveler can explore and find the rare sights off the, so far, beaten path.
You learn how salt is mined and how Yunnan ham is cured. You get recipes on how to cook it and where to find a nong jia le (农 家 乐), literally ‘Farm House Happiness’, a type of traveler’s experience – usually in the form of a simple restaurant and sometimes with an attached guesthouse.
Well written, I highly recommend this book for a taste of Yunnan travel and food.
Zhang, Mei: "Travels Through Dali: with a leg of ham" Kindle $11 USD
Full disclosure: The author, who I have not met, and I have mutual friends so I have known of her for years. I met her husband once and know one of her employees.