Taste Memory: Chinese Food - Lao Qiao's Travel Picture Book Series Author: [France] Qiao Liwei Publisher: Guizhou People's Publishing House

Introduction · · · · · ·
"Old Joe's Travel Picture Book" is a hand-painted diary of travel stories by French backpacker Old Joe. Old Joe is an artist and started backpacking at the age of 17. He has been to many countries and seen all kinds of scenery, but he never gets tired of China. He said: "China is always a place I always want to go again." Every trip to China will give him new discoveries and new understandings.

The pictures in Taste Memory: Chinese Food are the local delicacies that Lao Qiao saw and ate in China from 2007 to 2019, as well as the dining experiences and food culture details that impressed him. There are no delicacies from land and sea, or gourmet food in the book, but only some common local flavors with a strong sense of fireworks, such as skewers, dumplings, crayfish, hot pot, etc. In his eyes, Chinese people who are going to eat are the happiest creatures on earth, which left a deep impression on him and made him sigh: In China, eating is not just for survival, but first of all, eating is an art of life!

About the Author
Lao Qiao, a French backpacker with a Chinese name, is a life observer on the road. He started backpacking at the age of 17. The year he graduated from the Academy of Art, he traveled around France on foot, painting the scenery along the way, thus starting his career of traveling and painting. He has come to China dozens of times, traveled to many Chinese cities, tasted various local delicacies, and has a special affection for this country.

Every time he travels, he travels light, with a backpack (he named it Wilson) carrying all the luggage: necessary equipment, indispensable paper and pen. He returns to nature, stays away from the Internet, uses paper and pen instead of electronic devices to sketch the scenery along the way, record what he sees, hears and feels, old-fashioned and a bit hard. Old Joe has a keen insight into different cultures. He feels the similarities and differences of other worlds with curiosity and tolerance, and feels the kindness and warmth during the journey. Maugham said: "If a person can observe the falling leaves and shy flowers, and appreciate everything from the details, life can't do anything to him." And Old Joe is such a person.