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Chinese Cuisine by Tenille Aming


Books

  • Chin, Leeann and Katie Chin. Everyday Chinese Cooking. New York: Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2000.
    Leeann Chin owns a string of successful Chinese restaurants, but created this book with her daughter to show that anyone can prepare gourmet Chinese food in their own home without being a trained chef or spending hours in the kitchen. Everyday Chinese Cooking is intended for "real life" cooking and is easy to follow. Included are many tips on cooking techniques and ingredient substitutions. Substitutions allow many more dishes to be created with similar ingredients, which is good for people who do not have a lot of money or time to spend on food shopping. Including more photographs would strengthen the presentation qualities of this book.
  • Dunlop, Fuchsia. Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking. New York: W.W. Norton, 2003.
    Returning from the province of Sichuan after two years of study, Fuchsia Dunlop shares recipes gathered from chefs. She discusses the history of Sichuan cuisine, fifty- six popular cooking methods, and twenty-three important flavors. By immersing herself in Sichuan culture, Dunlop experienced the most common foods first hand enabling her to provide comments for those not accustomed to the cuisine. Recipes in Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking are well developed and easy to follow, but they are very spicy.
  • Hom, Ken. Ken Hom's Chinese Kitchen: With a Consumer's Guide to Essential Ingredients. New York: Hyperion, 1994.
  • Hom, Ken. Ken Hom's Quick Wok: The Fastest Food in the East. London: Headline, 2001.
    This book is broken down into chapters by meal, course, and main ingredient. This format makes planning meals easier but the broad categories also make it more difficult to find specific recipes by name. Unlike most wok style cookbooks, Ken Hom includes stir fried, deep fired, and steamed dishes. Recipes include ingredients found in Asian grocery stores and only takes minutes to prepare. However, since all of the recipes are designed for hasty cooking, many of the more extravagant traditional favorites are not included in the book.
  • Hsiung, Deh-Ta. The Chinese Kitchen. New York: St. Martin Press, 1999.
  • Hsiung, Deh-Ta. The Food of China. North Vancouver, BC, Canada: Whitecap Books, 2001.
  • Huang, Shuhui. Chinese Cuisine. Monterey Park: Wei-Chuan Publishing Company, 1984.
    This is the first of Shuhui Huang's many cookbooks. It has step-by-step preparation methods in both Chinese and English accompanied by photographs of finished dishes. In addition, there are pictures that show some of the special techniques. Photographs are also used to identify some unusual Asian ingredients so they can be easily purchased in a grocery store. Chinese Cuisine also includes compatible meal suggestions and traditional Chinese principles. Her recipes are very authentic so Chinese American dishes are not included.
  • Liley, Vicki. Dim Sum. Boston: Periplus Editions, 1999.
  • Qinxia, Jiang Li. Various Chinese and Western Soups. Xiangang: Wan Li, 1994.
  • Lo, Eileen Yin-Fei and Alexandra Grablewski. Chinese Kitchen. New York: William Morrow, 1999.
    According to Eileen Yin-Fei Lo, food we think of as "Chinese" here in America is quite foreign to chefs in China. In her sixth cookbook, Lo not only shares over 250 authentic Chinese recipes, but also discusses Chinese food history, its connection to culture, and the downfalls of "Chinese" cooking in America. Unlike other cookbooks, Lo makes Chinese Kitchen special by sharing her memories of life with her family in Canton and her experiences with cooking. Recipes along with intimate memories make this cookbook a useful tool in the kitchen and an enlightening tool on Chinese food history and culture.
  • Lo, Kenneth H.C. The Encyclopedia of Chinese Cooking. New York: Bristol Park Books, 1996.
  • Mai, Zhicheng. The Gourmet Tea Snacks. Xiangang: Wan Li, 1999.
  • Simonds, Nina, Leslie Swartz and Meilo So. Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes. Harcourt, September 2002.
    While recipes are included, Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats: A Treasury of Chinese Holiday Tales, Activities & Recipes is more of an interactive learning and activity guide than a cookbook. Along with recipes, this unique format includes information on five Chinese festivals: Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival, Qing Ming, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. To aid in the learning experience, the book provides craft activities and recipes that teach cultural lessons. Moonbeams, Dumplings & Dragon Boats is a great book to creatively teach children about Chinese food and culture. However, if a serious cookbook is desired, this is not a good choice.
  • Yan, Martin. Martin Yan's Chinatown Cooking: 200 Traditional Recipes From 11 Chinatowns Around the World. New York: W. Morrow, 2002.
    Martin Yan is a well-known, best-selling cookbook author. In this book, Yan tours the streets of Chinatowns in seven different countries collecting recipes from restaurant chefs and home cooks. His book serves as a guide to Chinese food around the world. He includes color photographs along with recipes and numbered instructions for over two hundred dishes. An entire section is devoted to equipment and techniques that make his recipes more easily accomplished. Martin Yan's Chinatown Cooking is written in an accessible style especially in sections where the author introduces recipes and provides background information.
  • Yan, Martin. Chinese Cooking for Dummies. Foster City: IDG Books Worldwide, 2000.
  • Yan, Martin. Martin Yan's Culinary Journey through China. San Francisco: KQED Books, 1995.
  • Young, Grace. The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen: Classic Family Recipes for Celebration and Healing. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1999.
    Growing up in San Francisco, Grace Young realized her Cantonese heritage and family traditions were dying out. In The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen, Young shares techniques, recipes, and philosophy behind traditional Cantonese cooking using step-by-step instructions, colorful photos, and a glossary of ingredients. However, unlike most cookbooks, Young incorporates personal aspects including stories about her time in China before the revolution, her emigration to America, and family pictures. Her recipes are introduced by memoirs such as "Going to Market with Mama" or "The Meaning of Rice" which gives the book a more story-like feel. Recipes range from easy, everyday cooking and "health giving" soups and teas to difficult celebration dishes. One hundred and forty recipes are included with one downfall being they are not listed by main ingredient.
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Journal Articles

  • Knechtges, David R. "A Literary Feast: Food in Early Chinese Literature." Journal of the American Oriental Society 106 (1986): 49-63.
  • Sokolov, Raymond. "The China Syndrome." Natural History 99 (1990): 114-116.
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Newspaper or Magazine Articles

  • Chen, Ingfei. "Diet Wisdom from the East." Health April 2000: 126.
    This article discusses the cooking style of a master in Asian cuisine. Comparing Western meals to Chinese dishes, the author argues that cooking and consumption choices are why Western women are five times more likely than Asian women to develop heart disease or obesity. A study documenting eating habits in the U.S. and China reveal significant differences in the ratio of carbohydrates to protein. This article shares healthy Chinese recipes and nutritional backgrounds of key ingredients like cabbage and soy. Highlighting the health benefits of Chinese over Western cuisine, Ingfei Chen supports her argument with convincing evidence.
  • Haram, Karen. "Cook Carries On Tradition; Author Follows Her Mother's Recipes for Chinese Cuisine." San Antonio Express News 3 Mar. 2004: 1F.
    Joyce Chen left China in 1949 when the Communists took over and settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts where she opened up several Chinese restaurants. Chen is also the author of many cookbooks. Since her mother is credited with popularizing Mandarin Chinese cuisine in America, Chen has big shoes to fill as she continues her mother's work of cooking and teaching. In this article, Chen briefly describes the four culinary regions of China and what is typically eaten in each. She also discusses cooking techniques and histories behind some of the most popular Chinese ingredients such as rice and noodles. Finally, the article shares some of Chen's favorite recipes like Peking Hot and Sour Soup.
  • "Hold the Egg Roll." Consumer Reports May 1997: 10-14.
  • "Let Them Eat Cake! China Southern's Cantonese Culinary Confection Cuisine Cookout." Business Wire 1 Aug. 2001.
  • Mekler, Jerry. "New Dragon Buffet brings Chinese Cuisine to Sebastian." Sebastian Sun. 9 January 2004.
  • Moore, Victoria. "China Tease." New Statesman 20 Nov. 1998.
  • "Pass a Snake, Hold the Rat." Newsweek 29 Jul. 1991: 35.
  • Shapiro, L. "Going Beyond Egg Rolls." Newsweek 13 Aug. 1990: 61.
  • Skidelsky, William. "Food: William Skidelsky Gets Stuffed On Dumplings." New Statesman 14 Apr. 2003.
  • Straus, Karen. "Chinese." Restaurants & Institutions Sept.1994.
  • Wilde, Dana. "Chinese Cuisine Key to New Year; Writer Recalls Feast at Shanghai Home." Bangor Daily News 21 Jan. 2004, sec. C: 1.
    This article walks readers through the excitement of New Year in Shanghai and all over China where 1.3 billion celebrate the two-week holiday. It is a time for people to celebrate hopes for the coming year, to talk and pray with family members, and a time to eat. The author talks about his own experience visiting the home of one of his Chinese students during the festival. He recalls the memory of being "served waves of food in embarrassing quantities." He gives a quick recount of new and interesting food he experienced, comparing some to Western tastes. He also offers information about what he learned about Chinese culture and the celebration of the New Year. The article is entertaining and easy to read, but skims the surface. It is a good first hand story of a foreigner's view of Chinese New Year.
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Newspaper or Magazine Articles on the Internet

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Website Articles

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Web Pages

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Websites

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Asian American Studies Program
University of Maryland Undergraduate Studies