The Tastes of China

Kylie Kwong.

PHOTO: Simon Griffith

Celebrity chef Kylie Kwong, the owner of Sydney hot spot Billy Kwong, hit the road for China and Tibet in 2005 and 2006. Now she's collected the sights, sounds and diverse flavors she encountered there in My China: A Feast for All the Senses (Viking Studio; $55), an engaging cookbook and travelogue with hundreds of photos.

From Hong Kong to Lhasa, Kwong sought out the best produce, spices and gastronomic talent. Her creations, as well as unusual dishes prepared by people she met, provide the book's eighty-one recipes, including some from distant relatives in her great-grandfather's hometown.