Blue Ginger: East Meets West Cooking with Ming Tsai: A Cookbook

Tsai, Ming; Boehm, Arthur

ISBN 10: 0609605305 ISBN 13: 9780609605301

Publisher: Clarkson Potter, 1999

Synopsis

John Mariani has called Ming Tsai "the foremost interpreter of East-West cuisine in America today," and the appreciative diners at Blue Ginger, Ming's celebrated restaurant in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and fans of his top-rated Food Network show, East Meets West with Ming Tsai, agree. Now, in his first cookbook, Ming shares the technique and philosophy behind his exciting cross-cultural fare.
        
The key, Ming explains, is retaining a healthy respect for the traditions of each cuisine so that diverse elements can be combined in a harmonious way. His trademark Foie Gras and Morel Shu Mai, for example, elevates a traditional yet simple Asian preparation with a luxuriously sophisticated Western ingredient and transforms a humble dish into truly elegant fare. Prosciutto and Asian Pear Maki is a playful reinterpretation of a Japanese favorite, while Classic Roast Chicken with Sticky Rice Stuffing gives the holiday staple a savory new spin. The result is food that's inventive yet not trendy, complex in flavor but surprisingly easy to prepare.
        
In chapters devoted to Soups; Dim Sum (irresistible starters and bite-sized party fare); Rice and Noodles; Seafood; Birds; Meat; Sides; Oils, Dips and Seasonings; and Desserts, Ming proves again and again how delicious the coming together of East and West can be: Gingered Beef with Leeks and Asparagus, Hoisin-Marinated Chicken with Napa Slaw, Asian Gazpacho with Cilantro-Jicama Cream, and Wok-Flashed Salt and Pepper Shrimp are all quick and straightforward preparations that provide big flavors in every bite. And when it's time to pull out all the stops, a chapter dedicated to Over-the-Top recipes will guide home cooks through an array of showstopping dishes that dazzle with innovative techniques and presentations. Beverage suggestions accompany each recipe to complete the dining experience.
        
Filled with Ming's tips for working with unfamiliar ingredients and preparations, Blue Ginger is an outstanding introduction to the pleasures of East-West cooking.

About this title

About the Author

Ming Tsai is chef/proprietor of Blue Ginger in Wellesley, Massachusetts, a 1999 James Beard nominee for Best New Restaurant. He was named Chef of the Year by Esquire in 1998 and was awarded an Emmy for his work on Food Network's highly rated cooking show, East Meets West with Ming Tsai. He has also created a signature series of ceramic knives, produced by Kyocera. He and his wife, Polly, live in Massachusetts.

Arthur Boehm writes about food for a number of national publications and is coauthor of The Modern Seafood Cook and Empire Kosher Chicken Cookbook. He lives in New York City.

From the Back Cover

"Ming Tsai puts to rest the notion that cross-cultural cooking is merely faddish or contrived. His is food that lingers long in the memory and promises to become an indelible part of American gastronomy." ?John Mariani, Esquire

"No one in the country can match Mr. Tsai's virtuosity in this idiom." ?R.W. Apple, Jr., New York Times

"I'd like to try one of everything in this delicious book! The recipes and techniques are as simple and clear as Ming's show, East Meets West with Ming Tsai, and his text is witty and insightful. If I had to sum this book up in one word it would be tasty." ?Mario Batali

"In Ming Tsai's perfect introduction to the way of the new millennium he creates dazzling dishes that showcase a melodious marriage of flavors from the East and the West. This book is sure to wow your senses." ?Sam Choy

From the Inside Flap

has called Ming Tsai "the foremost interpreter of East-West cuisine in America today," and the appreciative diners at Blue Ginger, Ming's celebrated restaurant in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and fans of his top-rated Food Network show, East Meets West with Ming Tsai, agree. Now, in his first cookbook, Ming shares the technique and philosophy behind his exciting cross-cultural fare.

The key, Ming explains, is retaining a healthy respect for the traditions of each cuisine so that diverse elements can be combined in a harmonious way. His trademark Foie Gras and Morel Shu Mai, for example, elevates a traditional yet simple Asian preparation with a luxuriously sophisticated Western ingredient and transforms a humble dish into truly elegant fare. Prosciutto and Asian Pear Maki is a playful reinterpretation of a Japanese favorite, while Classic Roast Chicken with Sticky Rice Stuffing gives the holiday staple a savory new spin. The result i

Reviews

"Successful East-West cooking finds a harmonious way to combine distinct culinary approaches," proclaims Tsai, Emmy Award-winning chef-host of Food Network's East Meets West cooking program and owner of Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, Mass. Tsai and Boehm (Empire Kosher Chicken Cookbook) distinguish their cross-cultural fare with popular fusion cooking. After a brief introduction summarizing Tsai's beginnings in his parents' Chinese-American restaurant in Dayton, Ohio, he turns to the eclectic contents of his pantry. Chapters divide the 125-plus recipes into soups, dim sum, rice and noodles, poultry, meat, seafood, elaborate side dishes and desserts, with mail-order sources. Flavor combinationsAfrom Rock Shrimp Lollipops with Spicy Almond Sauce to Lemongrass Parfait with Pineapple SalsaAdefy tradition. Many recipes require a long list of ingredients (e.g., Crispy Scallops with Carrot-Star Anise Syrup, Pomegranate-Marinated Squab with Thai Quince Chutney), but instructions are clearly written and often include tips for wine and food pairings and advice on ingredient substitutions and techniques. Tsai brings vigor and enthusiasm, along with inspired, intense flavor creations, to his cookbook, which will appeal to fans of his show and all readers with diverse palates. 9-city author tour. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Blue Ginger is Tsai's restaurant in Wellesley, MA, where he serves innovative crosscultural dishes like Onion Soup with Steamed Coriander Scallops and Mongolian Beef Sandwiches with Black Bean Aioli. Tsai, who is Chinese American (his parents had a restaurant in Dayton, OH), has an interesting culinary background that includes the Cordon Bleu; a stint at Fauchon, the famed Paris food emporium; study with a sushi master in Japan; and an earlier Southeast Asian restaurant in Palo Alto. His recipes are imaginative but not contrived, and he has an engaging style, as fans of his Food Network television series already know. Recommended for most collections.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Clarkson Potter
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0609605305
• ISBN 13: 9780609605301
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288