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A review by hugbandit7
Xi'an Famous Foods: The Cuisine of Western China, from New York's Favorite Noodle Shop by Jason Wang
3.0
It is such a treat to be a member of Abrams Dinner Party because we receive the hot new cookbooks that are sure to wow and excite our palettes. And during this past year with Covid, I think a lot more people were cooking at home and hopefully, they were trying many new recipes.
Not living in the North East, there are many restaurants that I have never heard of but I'm sure the same could be said for those that live there and the restaurants available in Texas. I always enjoy learning about new places and dishes and while I may only drool over some of them, there are always some that I will endeavor to make or adapt.
The wonderful thing about this cookbook, and several others I have enjoyed over the past few years, is that it is more than just a book with recipes and photos of those dishes. It is a story begging to be told about the founders of the restaurant, their family, and the dishes that have made them popular.
While reading through this book, there are so many different aspects to inhale. Outside of the founder's story, there is a section that is a guide to the flavors of Xi'an. There is a discussion of the spices used to flavor dishes from sour to spicy to super spicy. I enjoyed the history of the spices and how they arrived in this part of China to be used in cooking. There is also a section about what should be stocked in your pantry and refrigerator so when you are craving these foods you have everything ready to make the dish of choice.
We move on to cooking lessons and the biggest lesson is how to cook rice the right way. I learned a few tips I hadn't thought of before and will be trying those out next time I need to make some rice. And while I'm not sure how I feel about trying to make noodles, the recipe looks simple enough and I think it is just a time consideration. So this would need to be a weekend project when I have more time. The same would probably hold true for the dumplings.
Interspersed with the recipes are more stories of the family and restaurant and that it is not all work, there is definitely time to play and have a good time. I think we get a better insight into them from this information and that they are no different than you or me.
Overall, this cookbook is more than meets the eye and should be savored over time.
Not living in the North East, there are many restaurants that I have never heard of but I'm sure the same could be said for those that live there and the restaurants available in Texas. I always enjoy learning about new places and dishes and while I may only drool over some of them, there are always some that I will endeavor to make or adapt.
The wonderful thing about this cookbook, and several others I have enjoyed over the past few years, is that it is more than just a book with recipes and photos of those dishes. It is a story begging to be told about the founders of the restaurant, their family, and the dishes that have made them popular.
While reading through this book, there are so many different aspects to inhale. Outside of the founder's story, there is a section that is a guide to the flavors of Xi'an. There is a discussion of the spices used to flavor dishes from sour to spicy to super spicy. I enjoyed the history of the spices and how they arrived in this part of China to be used in cooking. There is also a section about what should be stocked in your pantry and refrigerator so when you are craving these foods you have everything ready to make the dish of choice.
We move on to cooking lessons and the biggest lesson is how to cook rice the right way. I learned a few tips I hadn't thought of before and will be trying those out next time I need to make some rice. And while I'm not sure how I feel about trying to make noodles, the recipe looks simple enough and I think it is just a time consideration. So this would need to be a weekend project when I have more time. The same would probably hold true for the dumplings.
Interspersed with the recipes are more stories of the family and restaurant and that it is not all work, there is definitely time to play and have a good time. I think we get a better insight into them from this information and that they are no different than you or me.
Overall, this cookbook is more than meets the eye and should be savored over time.