First Generation: Recipes from My Taiwanese-American Home [A Cookbook]

In this stunning exploration of identity through food, the blogger behind Little Fat Boy presents 80 recipes that are rooted in his childhood as a first-generation Taiwanese American growing up in the Midwest.

“This book will transport you, it will make you cry (again and again), and it will delight you with flavor combinations that are both new and nostalgic.”—Molly Yeh, cookbook author and Food Network host

ONE OF THE TEN BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: San Francisco Chronicle
ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: Bon Appétit, Los Angeles Times, Epicurious

In First Generation, Frankie Gaw of Little Fat Boy presents a tribute to Taiwanese home cooking. With dishes passed down from generations of family, Frankie introduces a deeply personal and essential collection of recipes inspired by his multicultural experience, melding the flavors of suburban America with the ingredients and techniques his parents grew up with. 

In his debut cookbook, Frankie will teach you to master bao, dumplings, scallion pancakes, and so much more through stunning visuals and intimate storytelling about discovering identity and belonging through cooking. Recipes such as Lap Cheong Corn Dogs, Honey-Mustard Glazed Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken, Stir-Fried Rice Cakes with Bolognese, Cincinnati Chili with Hand Pulled Noodles, Bao Egg and Soy Glazed Bacon Sandwich, and Lionshead Big Mac exemplify the stunning creations born out of growing up with feet in two worlds. 

Through step-by-step photography and detailed hand-drawn illustrations, Frankie offers readers not just the essentials but endless creative new flavor combinations for the fundamentals of Taiwanese home cooking.

Frankie Gaw is a former designer turned food writer and photographer who creates recipes based on his Taiwanese American upbringing. He’s the founder of the food blog Little Fat Boy, which has been nominated for a Webby and won Saveur’s Blog of the Year and the IACP Individual Food Blog Award. Frankie resides in Seattle, Washington.