Win Son Presents a Taiwanese American Cookbook

  

I received a copy of this release from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Win Son Presents a Taiwanese American Cookbook

Author: Josh Ku

Publisher: ABRAMS

Release Date: 1.24.23

Publisher’s Summary 

A modern, brashly flavorful guide to cooking Taiwanese-American food, from Brooklyn’s lauded Win Son, Win Son Bakery, and Cathy Erway, celebrated writer and expert on the cuisine

Josh Ku, born in Queens to parents from southern Taiwan, and Trigg Brown, a native Virginian whose mentor was a Taiwanese-American chef, forged a friendship over food—specifically, excellent tsang ying tou, or "flies’ head," a dish of chopped budding chives kissed with pork fat. Their obsession with Taiwanese food and culture propelled them to open Win Son together in 2016. The East Williamsburg restaurant quickly established itself as a destination and often incurs long waits for their vibrant and flavorful Taiwanese-American cuisine.

Ku and Brown have teamed up with Cathy Erway, Taiwanese food expert and celebrated writer, to create this book which explores and celebrates the cuisine of Taiwan and its ever-simmering pot of creative influences. Told through the eyes, taste buds, travels, and busy lives of Ku, Brown, and Erway, this book brings the cuisine of this misunderstood island nation into the spotlight. With 100 creative, yet accessible recipes, this book will unravel the history of this diaspora cuisine. While featuring classic dishes and well-known favorites, this cookbook also stretches this cuisine's definition, introducing new dishes with brazen twists that are fun, flavorful, and decidedly American-born in style.

My Review

I was excited to receive my colorful copy of Win Son Presents a Taiwanese American Cookbook on a dreary January day. In addition to interesting dishes that I have never heard of like flies' head (spoiler alert, there are no flies in the dish) this cookbook also has recipes for items I know I love but had no idea how to make like lamb wontons, milk bread, and bolo bao (pineapple buns.) I'm not sure what will be first up for me to cook, probably niu rou mian (beef noodle soup) or sticky rice with sausage, shrimp, and mushrooms. The Sloppy Bao is also a strong contender as I believe it would likely be a success with my family of eaters. I also want to try the sesame waffles (paired in a recipe with fried chicken) so bad that I may finally break down and buy a waffle maker. In addition to all the new dishes, I find the final chapter on sauces, spices, and recipe builders extremely helpful because this is where I struggle the most when trying to produce any Asian dishes. 

In addition to the amazing recipes, this cookbook features several interviews, educational sidebars, and insight into Taiwanese-American history and culture. I learned so much during my first overview and am looking forward to diving more deeply into each section.