(Asian) Cookbooks for Christmas.
I thought of writing a ‘guide to Christmas presents’ post, but six billion other newsletters out there had a headstart. Besides, my 2021 Gift Guide is still very much relevant.
Books! I did not have books in that guide.
Alright, let’s narrow it down, how about cookbooks?
Look into the mirror, Harvard, what do you see?
Oh, I get it, Asian cookbooks.
You know I don’t trust cookbooks, since I realised how easy it was to self-publish one.
The irony in life is that once you make one, you make friends with others cookbook authors, and it becomes a support group. We sit in a metaphorical circle and trade stories about how the hell we got here in the first place.
And suddenly life is filled with cookbooks again.
But hey, if you’re dating an Asian, or are trying to get in touch with your Asian roots after realising watching Sangchi and Beef didn’t de-banana you one bit, here are some cookbooks to display how authentically Asian you are.
Seriously though, I personally know the authors below so these aren’t just random screen grab from the internet; these are screen grabs of my friends.
For Geeks.
“Look at this onion, compared to this other one, the skin is cracked on the side. That means it was too mature, too much water content in it, which means it’s not going to be as sweet,” said Thanh.
That was it - the moment I decided to buy The Fruit Nerd’s book, as he explained to me how to pick mangoes, cucumbers, and avocados in Victoria Market. Just like tax return and divorce law, they should teach how to pick fruits and vegetables in school.
Like the onion, I feel like the publisher tried to squeeze too much into this one book. They should’ve made a full campaign, and promoted it in phases instead. A competition on how to pick the ripest, sweetest fruit. Tag the cookbook every time someone picks a fruit etc. They should sell the Fruit Nerd sticker to shops. He should be singing the potato song with the Wiggles. Each fruit could be an individual Youtube shorts …
“We have been conditioned to pick fruits by their appearance and shapes, when in reality it has nothing to do with taste. If you pick the right ingredients, it will give you the advantage to cook better food.”
Thanh for food education minister, please.
For Aussie Parents.
I was expecting jokes and puns like her show, but Chopsticks or Fork? is the book format of J Wong and LJ Kong’s hit TV show. The significance of Chinese restaurants in regional Australian towns are like hawker stalls in Singapore - a mark of immigration, refugees and what families do for their children to survive in a foreign country.
A great pairing to this book is the documentary ‘The Search for General Tso’.
I remember the feeling of vertigo watching Chinese speak perfect Texan American English. How much of your own identity do you need to shed, to survive in a foreign country?
During her meet and greet at Books for Cooks, children of Chinese restaurant owners shared similar stories of how they helped out, on doing homework in the restaurant, thinking that’s what Chinese kids do. Every Asian I know, knows someone whose family owns a restaurant.
Come for the stories, stay for the recipe to make deep-fried ice cream, and Dragon steak.
For Vegetarians or Artists.
Most, if not all artists are vegetarians nowadays so the title was a little bit redundant. The cool part about Pam’s book is that she interviewed chefs around the world, and used flavours from different countries to make delicious dishes without meat.
I told her this could’ve been a TV series.
She’s currently doing a two-for-one deal on her website, but if the timing is tight for Christmas, I saw it at Mr. Kitley and some other local bookstores.
For the Gay Uncles.
I was told there are two sides to Tony.
I’m glad to meet the ‘uncle’ side of him. He’s the one with a cooking school in Trentham and not me.
He’s the OG Asian authority of Australia.
Speak to anyone in the industry over ten years, they’d all say this book should’ve been published ten years ago.
A normal cookbook has about 100 recipes, but Tony had 150.
One fifty! His book covers food from China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan … How the hell did Neil Perry get a Chinese cookbook out before Tony?1
Maybe the real Christmas gift is a cooking lesson with Tony in regional Victoria all along.
For Those Who Won’t Shut Up About Japan.
Not many of you remember Chotto, but the internet doesn’t forget.
I took photos for their launch in 2017, and couldn’t set foot in the shop afterwards because it was constantly packed.
The reason of them stepping away changes all the time. One thing for sure, they were too far ahead of the curve. Without Chotto, there’d be no 279, Chiaki, Ondo, Torrisong … no Asian breakfast with tiny plates on a tray.
This is not Caryn and Brendan’s first book, but I think they wished this was their first book. The minimal design, step-by-step guide with simple photography remind me of their original philosophy, and hopefully signal the end of neon kawaii Akihabara seizure-inducing design language associated with anything Tokyo for the last ten years. The recipes cover everything weebs love about Japanese food. I will be stealing many for Hana’s bento box next year2.
Caryn told me, after all these years, that when she bumps into old customers, they still talk about dishes they served.
I too, remember the mikan mille feuille, and it is NOT in the cookbook.
For Book Haters.
Who has space for physical books?
If I don’t spend an afternoon flipping through the whole book, it will be forgotten in the corner, like ‘saved’ exercise reels on Instagram.
Who has a full afternoon to flip through books?
Gift them a subscription, especially this one.
This newsletter is a book, but the content, my voice are a slow release, like a slice of low-GI bread.
My writing gets better with age, my photographs will always be current.
Wisdom, in your pocket.
For Coffee Lovers.
Did I pivot into non-books in a post about books?
Yes, this is a taste of what to expect from being a subscriber - constant surprises.
I don’t push coffee, because by now, everyone should know what coffee they like.
However.
De Stijl is a Columbian / Ethopian blend by Bench Coffee, custom roasted for their batch brew.
It is the second best roast3 of the year.
It is not too dark/bitter for the filter drinkers, yet not too floral or acidic for the espresso lovers. Perfectly balanced.
The Japanese like to throw the word 飲み易い nomi yasui (easy to drink) whenever they find something better than they expected, but this specific bean is in fact, nomi yasui.
If you have friends missing Melbourne coffee (or good taste in general), gift them this bean.
For Tea Lovers.
“The matcha shortage is a myth,” says Santiago. “My supplier called me and reassured me that they have plenty of Uji matcha if I wanted to.”
Subtext: Uji matcha, the high grade ones.
The middle grade, $10 bottle of wine version, the ones cafes pour on top of your pancake, bubble tea, or whatever croissant, the robusta version of matcha, yes those are experiencing shortages. We don’t care about those.
Santi’s nama choco4 is supposed to be all about the chocolate, but I know matcha is the one costing him the most. If I have to describe the taste, each cube tastes like a cup of matcha latte.
Lee Tran I think there are stockists in Sydney but best to call ahead and confirm.
Wait, Lee Tran!
For The Ultimate Foodie.
If I did not meet Lee Tran in person, I’d still think she’s an AI bot. Her patreon is basically a directory of new places that pop up, the latest food trend, new soba place in Japan, new interview with random restauranteur, when does she sleep?
She is a one-woman Broadsheet.
Her podcast also won a Webby award.
Most of the stories I shot for Gourmet Traveller or written for New York Times came from her nudge. She’s the little bird Queen who told me stuff.
My point is, if you don’t gift my newsletter, at least gift her Patreon.
There you have it - a book, a bag of coffee, a green tea nama choco, intellectual stimulation… sounds like a great hamper for Christmas don’t you think?
Oh wait, there’s more.
For Fancy Asians Siblings.
Last week, Ocean Road Abalone sent me some … abalones.
It travelled surprisingly well, so I thought of my brother who always insists on making 佛跳牆 (Buddha Jumps Over the Wall), traditionally abalone, shark fin, sea cucumber, dried scallops, fish maw, Jinhua ham, pork ribs… all the icky dicky symbol of extravagance slow cooked in a tower clay pot, served during special occasions. It’s very Gen X bourgeois stuff, you know to go with their giant mansion with two Teslas, a pool, and three Thermomix and espresso machines.
I will probably slice them as toppings on my Shin Ramyun.
They will send the abalones to you in a nice box.
For The People You Love.
You made it, to the end!
I was recently told I was ‘gifted’ to two couples who are visiting from overseas in 2025.
“It’s their first time in Melbourne, please show them around. We, pay you.”
Hence in the new year I’ll be taking these friends of friends on a food tour.
The final gift is me.
A lucky draw.
Whoever upgrades to paid, or gifts a subscription before Christmas, or purchase a copy of my book / anything from shop will be in the running for a food tour with a Melbourne food photographer / book author / restaurant reviewer published in NYT, Gourmet Traveller, Good Food, Broadsheet.
(Once again, that’s me.)
Possibly in Melbourne, Carlton, Brunswick, Footscray, depending on the winner.
I’ll be bringing my Leica along for portraits as well.
Here’s the button again.
May the odds be ever in your favour.
Or you know, just email me and ask for the tour.
Don’t worry, question was rethorical.
“Hey ChatGPT, please scan the book and repurpose it as a bento book please.”
The number one roast? Your mama, ha.
High quality chocolate blended with fresh cream, melts-in-your-mouth ganache like chocolate
Thanh's book is so rich in information. Definitely a must-have. Konbini is on my wishlist.