Ricelands

Pad thai, pho soup, bao: the cuisines of South-east Asia have ardent enthusiasts far beyond their native lands, and are now among the most consumed dishes in the world. But the familiar take-away menus and thriving specialist shops rest atop a compelling history of food, culture and modernity. Award-winning photographer and writer Michael Freeman now offers here an all-encompassing guide to the cuisines of eight South-east Asian countries.

Ricelands takes the reader on a colourful and engaging tour of these popular tourist destinations through the richly layered cultures surrounding the various food traditions. Travelling across the landscapes of Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia and the Philippines, Freeman explores the origins of their respective cuisines, the defining characteristics of authentic dishes, and the evolution of the cuisines as they entered foreign cultures.

From birds’nests gathered in Thailand’s coastal caves to the less familiar dishes of Burma and Cambodia, to the pungent durian fruit (and Westerners' often aghast reactions to it), the author unearths unexpected treasures and tantalizing facts about South-east Asia and its social history. The book also examines the cooking techniques, complex spices, and agricultural economies that underpin the countries’ food cultures, and considers how the informal nature of South-east Asian eating fits into the rhythms of modern-day living.

A vibrantly illustrated and wide-ranging study, Ricelands takes us into the heart of tropical Asia and the delicious foods that define it the world over.