Book Review: The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer 8 Lee

It should come as no surprise that I'm currently obsessed with fortune cookies.    Since expressing my interest, I've been thrilled to have friends share their fortunes with me.  I've received a number of gems to commemorate in stitching.  My friend Kevin recently added a book to the mix.

In The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food, Jennifer 8 Lee starts with an exploration into the fascination with fortune cookies.   Reading the paper one morning, she found that eleven people won a multi-state Powerball - all using the numbers from a fortune cookie.  These winners spanned the country and came from diverse backgrounds.  They all had one thing in common - they ate Chinese food. 

Exploring the cultural phenomenon that is Chinese food, notices how the cuisine evolves from its native country and adapts around the world.  She dispels myths about popular American Chinese food - American favorites like General Tso's Chicken, Chop Suey and (gasp!) the fortune cookie did not originate in China.  These dishes were created to please the American palate.  In her search for the origin of the fortune cookie, she discovers how and why Chinese food has become of the symbols of American culture.  As a soldier stationed in Iraq puts it, "What's more American than beer and Chinese food?"

She chronicles her journey around the world, tasting food on different continents, searching for the "greatest Chinese restaurant in the world."  It's a daunting task.  Along the way, she meets the people who work in the restaurants, and tells their stories.  She learns how a culture, once considered so exotic, has left an indelible mark on popular culture.