Perfect for readers of all ages, Tasty is an engaging invitation to rediscover the everyday magic of flavor in a way that will leave you both satisfied and hungry for more.The tongue is used to talk, to eat ice cream, to make faces, and sometimes to lick the plate. Thus begins this delightful exploration of the organ of flavor in a hybrid book blending literature, philosophy, and culinary curiosity.What does the tongue really do? Why do we crave sweets? Is spiciness a flavor or a sensation? How does taste interact with smell, sight, and even emotions? Where does tasting end and smelling begin? These questions and more are tackled through a mixture of informative, narrative, and lyrical prose that brings the world of taste to life in unexpected ways.Co-authored by poet and philosopher Micaela Chirif and culinary critic Ignacio Medina, this book invites readers into a world of taste—examining flavors, textures, and the surprising connections between them. Complemented by Andrea Antinori’
In 1867, an American merchant ship, the Rover, sank off the coast of southern Taiwan. Fourteen sailors reached the shore, where almost all were killed by indigenous people. In retaliation, the United States launched two disastrous military operations against local tribes. Eventually, the U.S. consul to Amoy, Charles Le Gendre, negotiated a treaty with Tauketok, the chief of the eighteen tribes of the area, that secured safe passage for shipwrecked sailors. Yao-Chang Chen's historical novel Puppet Flower retells the story of the Rover incident, bringing to light its pivotal role in Taiwanese history. Merging documented events and literary imagination, the novel vividly depicts Tauketok, Le Gendre, and other historical figures alongside the story of Butterfly, a young woman of mixed ethnic heritage who serves as an interpreter and mediator during the crisis. Chen deftly reconstructs the multiethnic and multilingual society of southern Taiwan in the second half of the nineteenth century f
