The Annual Cherie Smith JCC Jewish Book Festival in November offers 32 presentations over six nights and five days, featuring some of the finest and most entertaining writers in the world; including Jennifer Lee.
The 2008 festival runs from Nov. 22 to Nov. 27 at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver.
A few years ago, New York Times columnist and reporter Jennifer Lee set out on a six-continent, multi-country quest to discover the truth behind the lore and legends of Chinese food.
Her journey took her to the hometown of General Tso (a military hero immortalized as much for crunchy chicken as his conquests), the surprising origins of the fortune cookie (it’s not actually from China), and to six continents in search for the world’s greatest Chinese restaurant.
The end result of Lee’s culinary odyssey is the factual and fascinating Fortune Cookie Chronicles, which USA Today describes as “a sweet treat, told in a lively, engaging fashion by a writer who clearly knows, and loves, Chinese cuisine.”
She is credited with rescuing the Zen restaurant in Richmond, B.C. from going under, after describing it as “the world’s greatest Chinese restaurant outside of China.” The foundering eatery was suddenly the hottest restaurant in town.
Critics have applauded Lee’s ability to capture in prose the characters and personalities she encountered in her travels.
The book also sparks debates about who invented chop suey and why Jews love Chinese food. As she puts it: Why is chow mein the chosen food of the chosen people?
The book is a tribute to immigrants and to America’s diverse palate.
Lee will appear at the book festival on Nov. 23 at 8 p.m.
What: Annual Cherie Smith JCC Jewish Book Festival
When: November 22-27
Where: Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, 950 West 41st Ave.
Information: www.jccgv.bc.ca; Festival Box Office
604.257.5111
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