his is a classic book written by accomplished, respected author Eileen Yin-Fei Lo (if you are not familiar with her other works, do check them out), but it is much, much more than simply a cookbook. From the start the uninitiated is given an excellent overview to the history of Chinese banquets and their role in society, moving right up to present-day banquets and their traditions. It would not be overkill to suggest that if you a curious soul yet have no interest in making your own Chinese food and organising a banquet, there is still enough quality educational information in the book to make it a worthwhile read - even though a lot of the book would then remain unread.