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Asian Group

NullTuples

(6,017 posts)

24. His writing style is very amusing

Reply to fierywoman (Reply #23)

Sat Apr 22, 2023, 09:43 PM

Apr 2023

It almost feels like he was one of those people who could tell a story and only later would his audience realize there was a slight chance he was pulling their leg. But only a slight chance, so they'd never really be sure. Likewise with the recipes. Not that there was anything wrong with them, but if you don't already know Chinese cooking, the tiny crucial details he may - or may not - have left out could easily turn an amazing dish into a mediocre one. I don't blame him, as that feels like a number of cookbooks of that era and several others. It just means his book is now sitting right next to Corrine Trang's Essentials of Asian Cooking on the shelf, and I think I'm going to have fun learning some of his dishes.

Thank you again so much for the recommendation, this brings back such memories of the SF I knew and love.

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24 replies

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Highlight:

Regarding Chinese food in the United States [View all] YoshidaYui Apr 2023 OP

She said NJCher Apr 2023 #1

My Dad used to take us to the Jackson Cafe in leftieNanner Apr 2023 #2

Someone introduced me to the Hunan restaurant in downtown SF in the mid seventies-- fierywoman Apr 2023 #4

slightly OT, but a SF story about restaurant-donut shop combos... NullTuples Apr 2023 #9

How interesting! fierywoman Apr 2023 #13

I'm so curious about the cookbook! Do you recall the title &/or author(s)? NullTuples Apr 2023 #17

Here you go (cheap if used!): fierywoman Apr 2023 #18

Oh! You mean Henry's Hunan Restaurant in Chinatown! NullTuples Apr 2023 #19

I think after the restaurant I knew, they opened a branch (or two?) fierywoman Apr 2023 #21

My copy of the cookbook came today! It's a fun read. Thank you so much! NullTuples Apr 2023 #22

When I cook from it, it tastes exactly like what I remember from the restaurant (back in the 70s!) fierywoman Apr 2023 #23

His writing style is very amusing NullTuples Apr 2023 #24

I used to get Hunan region food in a NY restaurant. Spicy as I remember. brush Apr 2023 #11

Yeah, spicy! If I understand correctly, they are literally next to each other. fierywoman Apr 2023 #12

Thank you. This thread makes my mouth water, and hot. brush Apr 2023 #14

Here's the book -- really easy to cook out of: fierywoman Apr 2023 #15

Thank you. I'll check it out. brush Apr 2023 #16

I remember a restaurant in the Chinese section of NYC (Bowery/Canal Street area). One menu item, 3Hotdogs Apr 2023 #3

one of our lunch group ordered fish, the cooked fish came with the head and eyes BlueWaveNeverEnd Apr 2023 #6

Right? Plenty of wp in the South think of smoked or grilled hog's head as "comfort food". NullTuples Apr 2023 #20

More details dvduval Apr 2023 #5

I saw this video a few weeks ago. I like how she straightforwardly addresses the issue BlueWaveNeverEnd Apr 2023 #7

This is such a helpful video for DU. SleeplessinSoCal Apr 2023 #8

Very helful. She knows what she's talking about. Thanks for posting. brush Apr 2023 #10