How to Cook and Eat in Chinese

by Buwei Yang Chao

This book includes two works of Bu Wei Yang How to Cook and Eat in Chinese' and 'How to Order and Eat in Chinese'. This book introduces Chinese food and the Chinese cooking culture to involving the principles of Chinese cooking, table manners, cultural differences between the East and the West, and traditional customs of various places in China. After its initial publication, this book was mentioned by the New York Times and enjoyed great popularity, and was thus reprinted over twenty times. Later, it was translated into many languages and published again, selling well for decades in Europe and America.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Food, Cooking, Food History, China, Cuisine

249 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1943

Reviews

[^ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author of this book is an immigrant to the United States of America who has rendered sterling service to her adopted country. She is clearly a natural cook and communicator. Her book is well-structured and detailed. Her relaxed but precise style of writing is very readable, and very practical. There are no pictures; not that any are needed. The table of recipes is given in Chinese as well as in English, so one can even have fun drawing a menu out for friends coming round to dinner!

I love the very practical philosophy behind this book; for example “… but nothing takes the place of a little thinking. If you cannot get beef, get pork. If you cannot find an egg-beater, use your head” (p.15) (no, not to beat!). That practical ability to think on one’s feet is crucial in almost any walk of life – when dancing, piloting an aircraft, avoiding traffic jams, ... – and, of course, especially when cooking!

There’s a heart-warming quality of engagement and user-friendliness within this cook-book. It delivers much more than it’s slightly anodyne title might initially suggest. Enlightenment dawns; drawn from straightforward explanations as to how and why particular dishes are named; together with recommendations as to what dishes to group together. This is Chinese cookery that I feel that (if I wished) I could perfectly happily cook and eat all day, every day. For example, guidance is given as to what to cook with the different meats on a chicken. Nothing is wasted. It may be a factor of the age of this book, but here there are no hard-to-find ingredients or lack of substitutes.

In how many ways can I say that this book is really is a joy to read and cook from?

[Kiwi Carlisle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me begin by saying that I read a somewhat poorly scanned download from the Internet Archive, which interfered a bit with my pleasure in reading this excellent cookbook. I think I read the first or nearly the first edition. This is a charming book, with endearing bits of asides between its two authors. It’s also historically important, as the first cookbook to introduce real Chinese cooking to white Americans. Some cooking terms we all use now come from this book— stir frying, pot stickers—and a few others that didn’t make it. It’s a bit dated now, but most of the recipes are truly appetizing and are simply and clearly explained for home cooks. It’s not the least bit intimidating to read, and many cooks will find it inspiring.

[Bryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this interesting less for the recipes, which are written for the kitchens and groceries and palates of the 1940s, than for the information from a Chinese woman about how Chinese meals are put together, what foods are usually served in what order, and what specialties are of different regions. I feel like it shed some light on things I have seen in older Chinese fiction, and makes me want a big chewy modern book about food culture in China, which I am sure I will find somewhere if I go looking.

[Cin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has an interesting history, being one of the earlier books that aim to teach Americans about Chinese cooking. It also coined some of the English terms for words such as stir fry and pot stickers.

Was an enjoyable read and learned something new from the recipes, but perhaps too plain for someone who already has some ideas about Chinese cooking. Can someone write a book which covers the marvels of Chinese cooking already? Well, I guess I just have to keep looking.

[Channon Coats · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you star a classic that started before you were born and will outlast anything you might possibly come up with in your own life as a cultural paean to China or anywhere else? You don’t. This a thorough and complete historic analysis of Chinese food and how it can be authentically cooked in the USA, that exceeds in logic and precision of organization the Uniform Code of Military Justice? This author is not just astounding, she is outstanding.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best Chinese cookbook I've ever bought. Picked this up at a used book sale (Friends of the Library) in 1980s, it's copyrighted in 1945. She wrote it in English and provides clear, precise directions. She also writes with humor and takes the time to explain why food is so central to Chinese culture.