The Breath of a Wok: Unlocking the Spirit of Chinese Wok Cooking Through Recipes and Lore
by Grace Young, Alan Richardson
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Book Summary Information
Author: Alan Richardson, Grace YoungPhotographer: Alan Richardson
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-08-24
ISBN: 0743238273
Number of pages: 256
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Book Reviews of The Breath of a Wok: Unlocking the Spirit of Chinese Wok Cooking Through Recipes and Lore
Book Review: Beautiful and approachable
Summary: 5 Stars
This gorgeous book offers everything I would hope for in a basic Chinese cookbook. Before anything else, it has eye appeal. Profuse illustration shows the ingredients, the featured chefs at work, the techniques involved, and of course the finished dishes themselves. Full-page photos leave my mouth watering, so much that I barely notice that the scent of the food comes wholly from my imagination.
At the next level, this reference provides a wide range of recipes. Many describe familiar dishes, others describe more exotic preparations, but all seem approachable. The only challenge in bringing these dishes to life would come from the need for impeccable technique. With ingredients so basic and fresh, any flaws in their handling would stand out conspicuously.
Then, as a background that pervades the book, the authors explore the culture and even family history of Chinese cooking in the US. The nineteenth century saw a huge immigration of Asian laborers, who seemed to live behind a curtain of cultural and linguistic isolation. Although their cuisine thrived within the Chinese enclaves, it remained largely unknown to the wider population until the second half of the twentieth century. While remaining true to its Eastern origins, Chinese food has become a fully naturalized citizen of the American kitchen.
More than just a list of recipes, this represents a vivid tribute to the variety, the personal meanings, and the joy bordering on spiritual that Chinese food can bring to those who appreciate it. And, when it's so fresh, flavorful, and easy to prepare, who wouldn't appreciate it?
-- wiredweird
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Summary of The Breath of a Wok: Unlocking the Spirit of Chinese Wok Cooking Through Recipes and Lore
When Grace Young was a child, her father instilled in her a lasting appreciation of wok hay, the highly prized but elusive taste that food achieves when properly stir-fried in a wok. As an adult, Young aspired to create that taste in her own kitchen. Her quest to master wok cooking led her throughout the United States, Hong Kong, and mainland China. Along with award-winning photographer Alan Richardson, Young sought the advice of home cooks, professional chefs, and esteemed culinary teachers like Cecilia Chiang, Florence Lin, and Ken Hom. Their instructions, stories, and recipes, gathered in this richly designed and illustrated volume, offer not only expert lessons in the art of wok cooking, but also capture a beautiful and timeless way of life.With its emphasis on cooking with all the senses, The Breath of a Wok brings the techniques and flavors of old-world wok cooking into today's kitchen, enabling anyone to stir-fry with wok hay. IACP award-winner Young details the fundamentals of selecting, seasoning, and caring for a wok, as well as the range of the wok's uses; this surprisingly inexpensive utensil serves as the ultimate multipurpose kitchen tool. The 125 recipes are a testament to the versatility of the wok, with stir-fried, smoked, pan-fried, braised, boiled, poached, steamed, and deep-fried dishes that include not only the classics of wok cooking, like Kung Pao Chicken and Moo Shoo Pork, but also unusual dishes like Sizzling Pepper and Salt Shrimp, Three Teacup Chicken, and Scallion and Ginger Lo Mein. Young's elegant prose and Richardson's extraordinary photographs create a unique and unforgettable picture of artisan wok makers in mainland China, street markets in Hong Kong, and a "wok-a-thon" in which Young's family of aunties, uncles, and cousins cooks together in a lively exchange of recipes and stories. A visit with author Amy Tan also becomes a family event when Tan and her sisters prepare New Year's dumplings. Additionally, there are menus for family-style meals and for Chinese New Year festivities, an illustrated glossary, and a source guide to purchasing ingredients, woks, and accessories.
Written with the intimacy of a memoir and the immediacy of a travelogue, this recipe-rich volume is a celebration of cultural and culinary delights.
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