Brandon Jew took a roundabout journey to cooking, but when he found himself inspired by the Chinese food he grew up making, he not only realized its untapped potential as a cuisine but also gained a new appreciation for his heritage. He tells those tales and more in this unique cookbook, including the story of his last name, which was changed during the immigration of his family and eventually reclaimed as the original name for his restaurant, Mister Jiu's.
Instead of the usual tools of modern fine dining in this country, Mister Jiu's relies mostly on Chinese equipment and methods, like woks, chopsticks, steam, smoking over open wood fires, and blanching in oil. The result is a menu grounded in Chinese tradition but also unbounded by borders. In this unique cookbook, Jew gives us spins on classic recipes like Sizzling Rice Soup, Orange Chicken Wings, and Liberty Roast Duck to interesting takes on Crispy Pork Sui Yok, Squid Ink Wontons, and Banana Black Sesame Pie, and of course an entire chapter devoted to dumplings and entertaining. Beginning with the fundamentals of Chinese cooking and then moving into master class recipes, both occasional and more experienced cooks will benefit from Jew's intrepid tricks. Through 100 moving and evocative photographs of finished dishes as well as atmospheric shots of Chinatown, Jew shares an intimate look down the alleyways, above the tourist shops, and into the kitchens of Chinatown's residents as they live and continue to thrive in the Chinatown that changed the flavor of America.
