Finding Freedom in the Lost Kitchen


Erin French - 2021
    And of her son who became her guiding light as she slowly rebuilt her personal and culinary life around the solace she found in food--as a source of comfort, a sense of place, as a way of creating community and making something of herself, despite seemingly impossible odds.Set against the backdrop of rural Maine and its lushly intense, bountiful seasons, Erin French's rollercoaster memoir reveals struggles that have taken every ounce of her strength to overcome, and the passion and courage behind the fairytale success of The Lost Kitchen.

The Last Rose of Shanghai


Weina Dai Randel - 2021
    Aiyi Shao is a young heiress and the owner of a formerly popular and glamorous Shanghai nightclub. Ernest Reismann is a penniless Jewish refugee driven out of Germany, an outsider searching for shelter in a city wary of strangers. He loses nearly all hope until he crosses paths with Aiyi. When she hires Ernest to play piano at her club, her defiance of custom causes a sensation. His instant fame makes Aiyi's club once again the hottest spot in Shanghai. Soon they realize they share more than a passion for jazz—but their differences seem insurmountable, and Aiyi is engaged to another man.As the war escalates, Aiyi and Ernest find themselves torn apart, and their choices between love and survival grow more desperate. In the face of overwhelming odds, a chain of events is set in motion that will change both their lives forever.From the electrifying jazz clubs to the impoverished streets of a city under siege, The Last Rose of Shanghai is a timeless, sweeping story of love and redemption.

My Day with Gong Gong


Sennah Yee - 2020
    Gong Gong doesn't speak much English, and May can't understand Chinese. She's hungry, and bored with Gong Gong's errands. Plus, it seems like Gong Gong's friends are making fun of her! But just when May can’t take any more, Gong Gong surprises her with a gift that reveals he’s been paying more attention than she thought.A glossary at the end of the book features translations of the Chinese words from the story into Chinese characters and English.

Complete Chinese Cookbook


Ken Hom - 2001
    With Cantonese stir-fries and spicy Sichuan favourites alongside new discoveries from the lesser-known culinary styles of Yunnan and Hong Kong, this comprehensive collection is filled with accessible and easy-to-follow recipes, demonstrating the amazing depth of flavour that is only now being fully appreciated in modern Chinese cuisine.Set to become a kitchen classic, this all-encompassing work guides you through the essential techniques, equipment and ingredients, all with Ken's trusted blend of experience and enthusiasm. Featuring 250 recipes covering all aspects of Chinese food, Ken offers tips and inspiration for a wealth of dishes that use simple, healthy ingredients to create quick and delicious meals.Over the past 25 years Ken has brought Chinese cookery into mainstream British homes, and in this beautifully photographed new package - published in time for Chinese New Year - he brings together all of his expertise to offer the ultimate guide to the flavours of China.

Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage


Kay Bratt - 2008
    As a volunteer at a local orphanage, Bratt witnessed conditions that were unfathomable to a middle-class mother of two from South Carolina.Based on Bratt's diary of her four years at the orphanage, Silent Tears offers a searing account of young lives rendered disposable. In the face of an implacable system, Bratt found ways to work within (and around) the rules to make a better future for the children, whom she came to love. The book offers no easy answers. While often painful in its clear-sightedness, Silent Tears balances the sadness and struggles of life in the orphanage with moments of joy, optimism, faith, and victory. It is the story of hundreds of children and of one woman who never planned on becoming a hero but became one anyway.

The Flower Boat Girl: A novel based on a true story of the woman who became the most powerful pirate in history


Larry Feign - 2021
    She embeds herself in the dark business of piracy, carving out her role against the resistance of powerful pirate leaders and Cheung Po Tsai, her husband’s flamboyant male concubine.Caught between bitter rivals fighting for mastery over the pirates—and for her heart—Yang faces a choice between two things she never dreamed might be hers: power or love.Based on a true story that has never been fully told until now, The Flower Boat Girl is the tale of a woman who, against all odds, shaped history on her own terms.

Clean Green Eats: 100+ Clean-Eating Recipes to Improve Your Whole Life


Candice Kumai - 2015
    In Clean Green Eats, celebrity chef Candice Kumai offers an answer to that dilemma, offering more than 100 simple, unique and delicious recipes made from whole foods packed with of nutrients that will help you lose weight, detox, and look amazing. All of her recipes are effortlessly gluten free (no complicated ingredients required!) and while a plant-based diet is the focus, the idea of “meat as a treat”—eating high-quality, sensible portions of animal protein—is also central to her plan.Clean Green Eats kicks off with Candice’s one week cleanse, which includes juices, smoothies, and simple meals, and continues with a six-week plan to develop healthy practices that will last a lifetime. There’s no deprivation with Candice’s delicious drinks, breakfasts, snacks, soups, salads, sides, mains, and desserts. Start your day with a Coconut Almond Green Smooth or Cinnamon-Spiced Granola. For lunch, fill up on Farro, Edamame, and Pea Salad. Whip up Asian Ginger Garlic Steak Salad, Superfood Curry Salmon Salad, or Chili Lime Shrimp Tostadas for a delicious dinner. For a fabulous finale, she includes desserts like Vegan Dark-Chocolate Avocado Cake and Banana Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ‘Ice Cream.’Banish the processed food, sugar, and carb habits that lead to fatigue, belly bloat, poor digestion, and constant cravings—let Clean Green Eats help you look and feel better than ever, no deprivation required!

Gone with the Wine: Living the Dream in France's Loire Valley


Rosanne Knorr - 2003
    Along with her husband and pate-loving dog, Folly, they gain insights on the history, people, and daily life. Joyful reading for voyagers and armchair travelers alike!

The New 5:2 Diet Cookbook (No Junk Jac, #1)


Jacqueline Whitehart - 2017
    Jacqueline demystifies the latest research, giving you up-to-the-minute guidance to get the most from your 5:2 Diet. 800 calorie ‘diet’ days Overnight fasting New junk food rules Over 100 new and revised recipes 800 Calorie Meal Plans This essential and easy-to-follow guide is choc-full of advice and help to get you started with The New 5:2 Diet. Bestselling diet author Jacqueline Whitehart makes the 5:2 Diet easier than ever before.

Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas


Natasha Yim - 2014
    She eats up the littlest panda’s rice porridge, breaks his rocking chair, and rumples all the blankets on his futon. When Goldy takes responsibility for her actions, she makes a new friend (and a whole plate of turnip cakes!) just in time for Chinese New Year.

Grandpa Grumps


Katrina Moore - 2020
    Throughout the week, she tries all sorts of things to get him past his grumpiness. Will she be able to make him smile before he goes home?

Healing With Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition


Paul Pitchford - 1993
    It's also a primer on nutrition--including facts about green foods, such as spirulina and blue-green algae, and the regeneration diets used by cancer patients and arthritics--along with an inspiring cookbook with more than 300 mostly vegetarian, nutrient-packed recipes.The information on Chinese medicine is useful for helping to diagnose health imbalances, especially nascent illnesses. It's smartly paired with the whole-foods program because the Chinese have attributed various health-balancing properties to foods, so you can tailor your diet to help alleviate symptoms of illness. For example, Chinese medicine dictates that someone with low energy and a pale complexion (a yin deficiency) would benefit from avoiding bitter foods and increasing sweet foods such as soy, black sesame seeds, parsnips, rice, and oats. (Note that the Chinese definition of sweet foods is much different from the American one!)Pitchford says in his dedication that he hopes the reader finds healing, awareness, and peace from following his program. The diet is certainly acetic by American standards (no alcohol, caffeine, white flour, fried foods, or sugar, and a minimum of eggs and dairy) but the reasons he gives for avoiding these negative energy foods are compelling. From the adrenal damage imparted by coffee to immune dysfunction brought on by excess refined sugar, Pitchford spurs you to rethink every dietary choice and its ultimate influence on your health. Without being alarmist, he adds dietary tips for protecting yourself against the dangers of modern life, including neutralizing damage from water fluoridation (thyroid and immune-system problems may result; fluoride is a carcinogen). There's further reading on food combining, female health, heart disease, pregnancy, fasting, and weight loss. Overall, this is a wonderful book for anyone who's serious about strengthening his or her body from the inside out.

A Low Carbohydrate, Ketogenic Diet Manual: No Sugar, No Starch Diet


Eric C. Westman - 2013
    This manual describes the practical details of a low carbohydrate, ketogenic diet as used by nutritional and medical professionals.

Maggie's Chopsticks


Alan Woo - 2012
    Poor Maggie struggles to master her chopsticks — it seems nearly everyone around the dinner table has something to say about the "right" way to hold them! But when Father reminds her not to worry about everyone else, Maggie finally gets a grip on an important lesson.

Why Taiwan Matters: Small Island, Global Powerhouse


Shelley Rigger - 2011
    Shelley Rigger explains how Taiwan became such a key global player, highlighting economic and political breakthroughs so impressive they have been called "miracles." She links these accomplishments to Taiwan's determined society, vibrant culture, and unique history. Drawing on arts, economics, politics, and international relations, Rigger explores Taiwan's importance to China, the United States, and the world. Considering where Taiwan may be headed in its wary standoff with China, she traces how the focus of Taiwan's domestic politics has shifted to a Taiwan-centered strategy. All readers interested in Asia and international affairs, as well as travelers to the region, will find this an accessible and entertaining overview, replete with human interest stories and colorful examples of daily life in Taiwan.