Reviews

Chen is the daughter of Joyce Chen, of restaurant and cookware fame, and here she presents the homestyle dishes she grew up with. She also includes an excellent glossary of ingredients as well as clear explanations of the cooking techniques. The recipes range from well-known standards to lighter and easier versions of some classics to her mother's personal favorites, along with a selection of popular dishes from their restaurants; few are complicated, and many are quick to prepare. Nina Simonds's China Express (LJ 12/93) offers streamlined versions of many classic Chinese dishes. Chen's book, with its emphasis on homestyle cooking, is a good companion. For most collections.

Once planned as a mother-daughter collaboration with author and restaurateur Joyce Chen, this comprehensive yet unassuming collection of family recipes and practices became a solo venture when the elder Chen was stricken with multi-infarct dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Attempting to offer a complete view of the Chinese cooking experience, TV and cooking school teacher Chen first outlines the ingredients and techniques of the cuisine. She then turns to recipes, which range from well-known traditional Chinese dishes like ``steamed whole fish Cantonese-style and ``Chinese shrimp chips'' to less familiar fare. Instructions are simple and clearly written; background details on the cuisine, such as the importance of pork and the serving of tea at the meal, provide authenticity. Above all, in its detailing of the differences between everyday home-style cooking and banquet preparation, the attention to traditional Chinese recipes and the acceptance of compromise in the inclusion of popular but not truly authentic recipes like chicken chop suey, the book reflects the variety and practicality that defines a family. Born of experience and balance, it is a worthy alternative to more scholarly or exotic Chinese cookbooks. Illustrations not seen by PW. (Apr.)