A Taste of Shan

A culinary and photographic expedition through the Shan Province of northern Myanmar (Burma). More than 50 authentic Shan recipes, from dips and sauces to soups, salads, noodle, fish and meat dishes. All proceeds of this book are being donated to the Foundation for the People of Burma. Excerpt: Shan cooking saved my marriage. At home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, my husband and I hit a rough patch. We were both experiencing the 7-year itch, and there was some scratching going on. We decided to separate, at least temporarily... There I was, at loose ends and nursing a broken heart when an email arrived from my dear friend Sara, who was in Yangon, Myanmar (formerly Rangoon, Burma) researching her doctorate on medical anthropology. She invited me over for a visit. It took me about a second to reply with an emphatic "Yes!" I would try a change of scenery; or more to the point, a geographical cure... The next thing I knew I found myself in Yangon, bleary-eyed, jet-lagged and surrounded by swirling swarms of people, laden with everything from suitcases to live animals. Was a bleating baby goat considered carry-on luggage in Myanmar?... We set off on one of the most challenging walks of my life, down serpentine streets, dodging trishaws, bikes, cars, stray dogs and onrushing Burmese, past monks draped in saffron and burgundy robes, cluttered teashops and food stalls that spilled onto the streets, outdoor markets selling dazzling flowers and unknown fruits and vegetables; the whole panorama accompanied by a raucous urban cacophony and the smell of Ngypai or fermented shrimp paste, a base ingredient in Burmese curries. As we dodged yet another speeding car, it hit me: I was a long way from Boston. This was quickly followed by another epiphany: I had forgotten about my jet lag, my exhaustion, and even my swollen feet. I felt exhilarated, alive, and ravenous to experience all that Burma had to offer...