Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods

by Grace Lin

A New York Times bestseller!

Newbery and Caldecott honoree and New York Times bestselling author Grace Lin delivers a groundbreaking, lushly illustrated, and beautifully written full-color book that explores the whimsical myths and stories behind your favorite American Chinese food.

From fried dumplings to fortune cookies, here are the tales behind your favorite foods. Do you know the stories behind delectable dishes—like the fun connection between scallion pancakes and pizza? Or how dumplings cured a village’s frostbitten ears? Or how wonton soup tells about the creation of the world?

Separated into courses like a Chinese menu, these tales—based in real history and folklore—are filled with squabbling dragons, magical fruits, and hungry monks. This book will bring you to far-off times and marvelous  places, all while making your mouth water. And, along the way, you might just discover a deeper understanding of the resilience and triumph behind this food, and what makes it undeniably American.

Award-winning and bestselling author Grace Lin provides a visual and storytelling feast as she gives insight on the history, legends, and myths behind your favorite American Chinese dishes. Chinese Menu makes the perfect gift book for anyone who loves good food—and an even better story.

Genres: Nonfiction, Food, History, Middle Grade, Mythology, China, Audiobook

288 pages, Hardcover

First published September 12, 2023

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

With her 2023 (rather all-encompassing and delightfully detailed) Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods, award-winning author (and illustrator) Grace Lin leads readers on a wonderful and also mouthwatering reading tour showcasing American Chinese food (and while Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods has been conceptualised by Lin with primarily a young readership in mind, well and in my humble opinion, Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods is really and truly something for readers both young and no longer young, and that for me in particular, the informative endnotes and bibliographical lists are truly and utterly the proverbial absolutely delicious icing on an already wonderful cake).

Now in Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods Grace Lin describes specifically American Chinese dishes (and which have been adapted and changed from those found in China, something that I actually did not know was the case, although in retrospect, I should probably have assumed this, as a lot of foods described as being "German" in the USA and Canada are actually not really the same as their German counterparts either, are similar but certainly not or no longer identical). And yes, Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods features a plethora of chapters that are organised like a typical Chinese-American restaurant menu (including tea, appetisers, soups and chef’s specials) and where famous, where well known in the USA and Canada dishes such as Bird’s Nest Soup, General Tso’s Chicken (who was an actual general during the 1850 Taiping Rebellion) and Chop Suey also make appearances, and not to mention that there are also lots and lots of interesting history details and facts presented in Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods.

Thus and as a textual example, albeit according to Lin the fork may have actually been invented in China, Confucius later advised people to use chopsticks to eat, believing that knives and forks resembled weapons and for said reason could bring disharmony to meals. And in addition to the food and history bits of Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods, Grace Lin also and wonderfully, delightfully offers numerous retellings of food based Chinese folktales and mythology (interesting, enlightening and entertaining lore, gently, sensitively retold by Lin, but just to point out that some of the stories encountered in Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods do deal with death, poverty and other potentially heavy topics). Accompanied by numerous colour illustrations (also by Grace Lin) which nicely mirror and reflect what Lin is textually providing in Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods, as well as a map of China, an illustrated timeline and a recipe for Lin’s mother’s scallion pancakes (although I do wish that more recipes would be included), for me and in my opinion, Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods is absolutely and utterly perfect and rates a very rare and appreciated five stars for me (and yes, I do highly recommend Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods and not just for children, not just for young readers either).

[Lisa Yee Swope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will make you hungry!
Caldecott & Newbery honoree Grace Lin, a Bookmarks favorite & a repeat Authors in Schools visitor, pairs up origin stories of your favorite Chinese eats with some instructions, some archeology, and some family stories. A delight for the senses. Best read with some nibbles. And practice up! Get good so if you eat with chopsticks as you read, your fingers and pages stay clean, and it nourishes both body and soul.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness. Fascinating. So much to learn about such a variety of topics. I recommend it to everyone who enjoys Chinese food... which, believe it or not, is not everyone. My brother doesn't, and he probably wouldn't enjoy this book. But everyone who likes history and/or mythology should at least take a look at this at their library.

(My only quibble is entirely *not* the author's fault. It's just that there are several items she assumes most readers have enjoyed, that I never have, though I have lived in, and traveled through, several parts of the country. Notably, Scallion Pancakes sound wonderful and are supposedly common, but I've never heard of them.)
---
Ok, well, I'm done now. Excellent back matter includes a recipe (the only one) for, yes, Scallion Pancakes! It looks totally doable, and delicious, if you're comfortable with wok (or skillet) frying.

" begging for alms... is an important part of being a Buddhist monk.... the monks believe their begging gives people a chance to do good deeds. And by doing good deeds, the monks believe that
the givers will earn merit and will be blessed. To Buddhist monks, begging for alms is thought of as a circle of kindness."

From the note at the end:

The fortune cookie is "a completely American invention. And when I mentioned this to people, many of them exclaimed, 'oh, so, fortune cookies aren't *really* Chinese?' This was always said in a tone of disdain....
"But Chinese American cuisine is the flavor of resilience, the flavor of adaptability, the flavor of persistence and triumph. Above anything, this food is the flavor of America. Because right upon their arrival in the United States during the Gold Rush... Chinese immigrants faced racism, violence, and almost never-ending hardship.... They constantly adapted and changed the recipes to use the ingredients that were locally available and to woo non-Asian customers. By doing so, they created a new branch of Chinese cuisine-the Chinese cuisine of the diaspora."

Excellent art, too. Perfectly suited to the text and concepts.

I'm bringing this to my next book club meeting to show the other ladies as we share "what have we been reading" together.

[Christiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpectedly loved this! It’s giving mythology/traditional literature but in this beautiful way of telling stories about heritage, culture, history, and most importantly, food. 15 pages of bibliography (Grace did the work) and a beautiful endnote about how Chinese food IS American heritage and food. I keep telling everyone the stories because they’re so cool! Also, will make you hungry.

[Kari Yergin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very quick and interesting read that shed some light on how many different Chinese American dishes came to be.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! You can tell that Lin did a lot of work to make sure that she was not only giving us a well-researched and developed work, but one that also called out things (such as physical appearance) that we don't want to carry into our lives moving forward. I loved the idea behind the book - to explore common Chinese dishes that you can find in American Chinese restaurants - and definitely want to eat Chinese now lol. This is a great book for the kids who love reading Greek and Roman myths - plus you can learn a little bit about the complicated history of China that is exemplified in Grace Lin - who once thought of herself as Chinese American and now considers herself as Taiwanese American. Grace Lin was one of my childhood favorites and I love everything that she's written now as an adult. I love to recommend her books and cannot speak highly enough of her.

[Dominic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved these stories!

[Izzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun little read! Highly deserved to be on OPLs Top 100. Now to read a book with a non-human main character…

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Grace Lin introduces the history, folklore, and legends behind many of the common dishes you find on the menu at an American Chinese restaurant.

This book surprised me. First off, it is HUGE! The height and width are the same as your average picture book, but it is 288 pages long and on glossy paper, so it is hefty. This isn't a light read in the literal or figurative sense. It also surprised me because it reads very much like a Chinese Grimm's fairytales in that many of the stories behind the dishes are a bit grittier/gorier than you might expect (just like the original Grimm version of fairytales you were introduced to by Disney). This isn't a light, cheery read for the most part. I did learn quite a bit about the different regions of China and what kind of food comes from each, and I also learned several common legendary figures. I really liked the fairy tale about the dragon and the phoenix which I hadn't heard before. But for the most part, I was a little disappointed. Lin made some effort to clarify when stories were historical and when they were legendary, but still there were times when it wasn't clear if a story was fictional or historical and I can see that confusing some readers. You really need to go into this just assuming most of the stories aren't factual and treat them like folklore/fairy tales. When I purchased this (before realizing how long it was) I was picturing this would be for lower or middle grades, but after reading this, I think it is more appropriate for our freshmen who do a geography class research project on regional foods and the cultures surrounding them.

Notes on content:
Language: 1 instance of name calling that is considered a swear usually.
Sexual content: The Emperess Chicken section talks about how the dish used to be called Concubine Chicken salad and briefly explains what a concubine was and then shares a story about an emperor's consort. The Mu Shu Pork section talks about a eunuch and briefly explains how a eunuch becomes a eunuch (not in excessive detail, but with some terms that are likely to lead to questions or Google searches).
Violence: The Origin of Tea section talks about a monk trying to stay awake who cuts off his own eyelids. There's a death by suicide in the Rice Cake section. And wars and other deaths from illness or old age are mentioned in a couple of the other stories.
Ethnic diversity: The distinctions in cultures in different areas of China, plus Mongolia, and Italians are mentioned in stories.
LGBTQ+ content: None specified
Other: There's 2 stories in which characters get drunk. Buddhist monks and their beliefs are included in several stories. How people judge others by their looks is prominent in a couple stories. Racism between Mongols and the Chinese is part of a few stories.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Chinese American cuisine is the flavor of resilience, the flavor of adaptability, the flavor of persistence and triumph…this food is the flavor of America.”

Our family is a HUGE fan of Grace Lin. She’s so prolific that we haven’t read nearly all of her works, but we’ve loved both her picture books and her novels and how her fantastic storytelling immerses us the Chinese culture we love. I listened to this as an audiobook as I considered it for a family read aloud. I think a couple of my kids wouldn't appreciate this one as a straight-through read aloud (also, our exposure is more to mainland Chinese food, not the Chinese restaurants in America, so they wouldn’t be familiar with several dishes), but my 10 year old is loving it. I loved hearing the Chinese phrases in the audio version, but if there are illustrations, photographs, and maps, that might make the written version more preferred. As a collection of short stories, myths, history, and fables, this could be a great addition to a Chinese takeout (or cooking) night - just picking and choosing which stories to enjoy depending on what’s for dinner. This is such a clever concept and I’m so glad it exists in the world! The only thing that I missed was I wish she’d included a few recipes. Can other authors write books like this for other countries’ foods too???

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever wanted to know more about the food that you find at a Chinese restaurant? This book, which is laid out like a takeout menu with sections for tea, appetizers, soups, and "chef's specials," tells the stories behind more than twenty Chinese dishes. Some of the foods have stories based in folklore, in mythology, in historical fact, and all are shared with vivid detail. Each section includes the author explaining a little about the dish and her personal connection to it before digging into the origin story behind our feast. Line drawings and full-color gouache images bring the stories and foods to life.

This is an ambitious kind of project and it pays off. The resulting book is highly unique and very special. The resulting spread of dishes examines Chinese culture, Chinese folklore, and even relates to the history of Chinese Americans -- touching on the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the Gold Rush, and even Henry Kissinger's secret visit to China. If you think this may be a lot for a child audience, you'd probably be right. But the layout of this book is perfect for treasuring as a family keepsake and revisiting favorite dishes as part of your takeout order. If you read this book hungry, you may end up with your biggest ever takeout order -- but it will be so, so worth it.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun book to listen to. I chose the audiobook over the hard copy and I was glad I did. Not only was the book interesting and well written but the audiobook included Chinese pronunciation that would have been lost had I read it myself. I listened for my own enjoyment but my kids would hear me playing the book and stop what they were doing and listen to the stories. I loved the stories, myths, and legends behind foods that I had only seen on a menu. This book gave me the appreciation of the culture behind the food…and the desire to try foods that I’ve not tried before! Well worth the read…or listen.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Chinese Menu by Grace Lin - it covers all your favorite Chinese eats, and probably some you haven't tried. We learn the history, myths, and legends behind these foods. I received an ARC from the publisher so the illustrations were in black and white; I can't wait to see what they look like in color in the finished book, because they can only be even more amazing. And I can't wait to see what Grace Lin writes next.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated, exhaustively researched, and a joy to read. Grace Lin is celebrated for building new fairy tales and legends out of Chinese folklore. In this volume she applies that approach to Chinese American dishes that many of us have eaten and enjoyed. In doing so, she makes a case that this cuisine is both rooted in Chinese traditions and uniquely American. Enjoy!

[BiblioBrandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book interesting and engaging. Lin provides a detailed overview of different Chinese dishes, including their historical and cultural significance, along with some interesting stories about their origins. If you like Chinese food, you should read this book. I was feeling hungry the entire time I was reading!

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gorgeous book of stories, legend, and history, and FOOD! I loved that each section had some commentary from the author before getting to the story she chose to go with it. The illustrations are so beautiful. I learned a lot and now I have a list of things I'd love to try, as well as re-trying old favorites with a new perspective.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book! I loved getting to learn about the myths, legends, and stories behind American Chinese food that I see on restaurant menus. It definitely made me hungry!

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this so very much and plan to buy my own copy! Great and well written stories about these wonderful Chinese dishes we love! The artwork is amazing.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a gorgeously illustrated collection of folktales and history about Chinese cuisine. I loved it all.

[Sarah Bowling · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful book! I was confused when it first came because it is shaped like a cookbook, but I think that was intentional. She wants to serve you a feast of stories, and that’s exactly what she does. With a pleasant mix of history and folklore, she serves up the origin stories of all your favorite Chinese dishes. If you are a food and culture nerd, you will love it!

CC: mythical creatures, eunuchs (she explains what they are very tactfully), concubines (again handled tactfully)

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a truly delightful book! Luckily for me, most of the dishes are meat based so I couldn’t race out and order the dishes, being vegetarian! I absolutely love how all these dishes seem to have stories attached to them! I think my favorite might have been Buddha’s Delight since it showed the wonders of cooperation AND is vegetarian! However the story of egg drop soup was lovely too. Egg drops representing clouds! So many of the stories have humor in them as well! Highly recommended!

[Trigger Warning Database]

Trigger & Content Warnings

Self-muitilation mentioned
Alcohol consumption mentioned
Suicide mentioned
Poisoning
Drowning mentioned
Battles & sword violence mentioned
Animal injury (a dog girl gets his tails cut off)

[Renata · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a cool book! Definitely the kind of book to pore over and read in small bursts or revisit when you have certain meals.

[Hannah]

This is lovely and fascinating.

[Kim Stock · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a gem of a book!

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Undisputed masterwork

RATL24: Folklore

[Ms. B]

I am sure this is good; it's by Grace Lin. It's meant to give us the history and stories behind our favorite Chinese foods. Divided into sections; Chopsticks, Tea, Appetizers, Soup, Side Orders, Chef's Specials and Dessert, you can easily read the stories/chapters that interest you most first.

[Nancycampbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely concept book with beautiful illustrations and fascinating information about the Chinese Menu.

[Juan Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chinese Menu is written by Grace Lin who is a Newbery and Caldecott Honor Author. I came across this book when I noticed that it was an honorable mention for the 2023 Freeman Book Awards for the young adult/middle school literature section.

In this book, Lin engages readers by providing history, myhts, and legends behind popular Chinese American food, which at some point a reader may have tried. What I liked the most about this book is how the author did it in an engaging and storytelling way which is perfect for young adult readers.

In particular, the section on dumplings and kung pao chicken were my favorites. I was able to learn facts such as how dumplings were once considered festival food and how kung pao chicken was named after an emperor and how its name is similar to saying "your highness." Little things like this make this book a fun and informative read.

In the classroom this can be read for pleasure or to gain new information. Books like this can help students gain knowledge on different cultures and learn a bit of history on some of their favorite Chinese American dishes!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you read any amount of children's literature, you've undoubtedly heard of Children's Literature Legacy winner Grace Lin. All her work, from picture books to middle grade, celebrates Chinese and Chinese American culture with art styles approachable and magnificent. Looking through her impressive body of work, I don't know if she's ever written any nonfiction before. But Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods may just be her magnum opus. The coffee table style book (it is pretty big and heavy) incorporates different styles of art. There are realistic and detailed (and thus, mouthwatering!) paintings of favorite dishes and illustrations in the style of traditional Chinese ink drawings to show historical and folktale depictions of people. Each section (tea, appetizers, entrees, desserts) tells the historical context of each dish as well as the folktales that may or may not have inspired them. What I was most blown away by is that no dishes are treated as "authentic" or "inauthentic." In fact, some dishes that I have always dismissed as not being truly Chinese, such as General Tso's chicken (I grew up in a Chinese American enclave and had never heard of that dish til college) are demonstrated to be at least somewhat inspired by a Chinese dish. Lin shows so much respect for dishes like chop suey and fortune cookies and connects these American Chinese dishes to a Chinese American identity--who are we to say what or who is truly Chinese?

I read this book for our annual children's librarian awards book discussion, and since it was recognized with an Odyssey (award for audiobooks) honor, I decided to simultaneously read and listen to it. I didn't want to miss out on the fabulous illustrations! I didn't realize it while I was listening to it, but the audiobook is narrated by Lisa Ling. While I would always recommend reading the physical book (or e-book) to see the illustrations, the audiobook really did add to the experience. Not only can you hear how the Chinese dishes or names are pronounced, but there are elements like Chinese instruments and sounds of tea kettles whistling. Furthermore, looking at Lin's website (https://gracelin.com/chinese-menu/), you can see videos of her making dishes and giving info bites about different dishes, but there are also links to recipes from some of my favorite creators (Omnivore's Cookbook, Nom Nom Paleo, Woks of Life) to some of the recipes in the book (the book includes a family recipe for scallion pancakes). I guess you could say that this is a Chinese feast that should be enjoyed via multiple formats.

Additionally, the back matter in the book is really impressive and thorough. This book would probably be of interest to adults perhaps even more than children, but if you like history or folktales or food, I highly recommend this book! It may even inspire children to try some new foods.

Gr. 3-5