The Dim Sum Field Guide: A Taxonomy of Dumplings, Buns, Meats, Sweets, and Other Specialties of the Chinese Teahouse by Carolyn PhillipsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I received a copy from Blogging for Books in exchange for a review, although this had been on my to-read list way earlier after reading the Lucky Peach Beginner's Guide to Dim Sum. While this blog was intended to be primarily science (with more than the occasional tangent into politics), this book still fits as science communication by taking the language of field guides and applying them to food (which some people consider edible chemistry)!
If you're not familiar with the Cantonese cuisine of dim sum, this is a neatly organized introduction. Dishes are organized by cooking method (steamed savory, baked savory, extras, desserts, etc.) and both Mandarin and Cantonese pronunciations are given. Illustrations and cross-sections are helpful, but as with field guides, some users may find pictures more handy (though that's nothing a Google search couldn't solve). Where this guide shines is in the thorough, sensual descriptions of food from the sheen of a glaze or the crackling of a lightly pan fried wrapper under your teeth.
I've read various 'field guides' over the years, both actual for-the-field and books in the style (consider The Field Guide to Lake Monsters, Sea Serpents, and Other Mystery Denizens of the Deep by Loren Coleman and Patrick Huyghe, though they might actually intend it to be used to identify cryptids). The parts of The Dim Sum Field Guide that tickled my biological fancy were identifying each type as a genus with variations listed as species (and if there weren't any, Sui generis or a class of their own). "Nesting Habits" describes how the dish is usually plated, though dumplings may be "nestled together", etc. I can see how this was intended for use in the food field, but as with a birding trip, do your homework. Rather than taking this guide to dim sum with you, I suggest reading beforehand and making a list of what you're interested in trying if it makes you feel comfortable. In my experience, though, you can often just point at what looks good on carts passing by!
