I own a fair number of cookbooks. I've always thought of them as helpful tools and some, like the Time-Life "Foods of the World" series that my mother subscribed to when I was a child, even gave me an early glimpse into a foreign culture.
But it's rare that a cookbook by itself would represent a significant milestone in the life of a culture. So when I heard that a friend was working on the first cookbook of Hmong cuisine ever written, I had to know more. You can discover its importance for yourself in my article in today's edition of The Oregonians FoodDay section titled "A Hmong Journey."
Wonderful article. I spent a day cooking with Sheng here in Sacramento. Their cookbook is a work of love, with authentic recipes, poetry, and stories. Wonderful food.
ReplyDeleteI know they worked hard to make it represent the breadth of Hmong cuisine in this country. A great read, even if you never intend to cook a single dish.
ReplyDeleteThough if you do, the food is incredible!
that was a fun read, thanks! Liked the photos, too...
ReplyDeleteIt was a great story to do. Both Sheng and Sami are terrific. And Motoya Nakamura, the photog, was fun to work with and did an awesome job. Kudos all 'round!
ReplyDeleteI will be hunting with Sheng's husband Leo this winter. He'll take me squirrel hunting, I'll take him duck hunting. Should be a blast! Um... so to speak.
ReplyDeleteLucky you! If he's as nice as Sheng you'll have a great time…maybe she'll pack you both a lunch!
ReplyDeleteGreat article Kathleen! In the photos accompanying it, I think I spotted one of my favorite dishes: stir fried morning glory. Not sure what the Hmong call it, but you can find the ingredients in and around Portland. Here's a recipe: http://alancordle.com/blog/?p=3572
ReplyDeleteLoved this article! I was totally unaware of the Hmong people much less their cuisine! Very interesting ans wonderful alliance to make this book a reality. Thanks again Kathleen for being the ultimate foodie informate!
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