Product Description

A pioneer in the food world, Cecilia Chiang introduced Americans to authentic northern Chinese cuisine at her San Francisco restaurant, the Mandarin, in 1961, earning the adoration of generations of diners, including local luminaries such as Marion Cunningham, Ruth Reichl, and Chuck Williams. In THE SEVENTH DAUGHTER, Chiang presents a classic collection of recipes framed by her gripping life's story. Beginning with her account of a privileged childhood in 1920s and 1930s Beijing, Chiang chronicles a 1,000-mile trek on foot in the wake of the Japanese occupation, her arrival in San Francisco, and her transformation from accidental restaurateur to culinary pioneer. The book's recipes feature cherished childhood dishes and definitive Mandarin classics, while showcasing Cecilia's purist approach to authentic Chinese home cooking.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #81373 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-01
• Released on: 2007-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

From Publishers Weekly
A foreword by legendary chef Alice Waters hints that this volume is filled with authentic recipes, cultural stories and food memories. And indeed, Chiang, the one-time proprietor of San Francisco's famed Mandarin restaurant—which is widely credited with introducing Americans to real regional Chinese cuisine—presents a rich, heartfelt volume filled with recipes and stories from her life. There are recipes from the original Mandarin, of course: its Pot Stickers, Sichuan Spicy Eggplant, and Beggar's Chicken, which Chiang says is a favorite of Williams-Sonoma founder Chuck Williams. There are also recipes from the Mandarin in Beverly Hills (such as Sesame Shrimp) and many recipes from Chiang's family. Of Yun Hui's (My Mother's) Red-Cooked Pork, Chiang says, I've had dreams about this dish that have been so vivid that I thought I could actually smell the aroma of the meat as it was being carried from the kitchen to the dining room of our family home in Beijing. Interspersed among the recipes are tales of growing up in China, leaving there after the Communist takeover in 1949 and founding her landmark restaurant in the U.S. Foodies intrigued by Chinese food and culinary history—and the life of a remarkable restaurateur—will relish the journey through this book. (Oct.)
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Review
"delicious, doable recipes...a wonderful book...a moving memoir of a plucky woman who grew up in a Beijing palace" -- O Magazine

From the Publisher
* The signature recipes and extraordinary story of Cecilia Chiang, the grande dame of Chinese cooking in America. * Includes more than 80 recipes, 20 full-color styled food photographs, and archival photography from Chiang's private collection. * Recipes feature in-depth notes on sourcing ingredients and tips on simplifying the recipes. * Features menus for putting together Chinese banquets and dinners at home.

Customer Reviews

A Remarkable Blending of Food and History
Wonderful! Food is so often distanced from the study of history and civilizations. The Seventh Daughter truly offers a remarkable blending. It provides not only recipes from a great chef (thank goodness we gained Chinese dishes beyond the too-often blandness of Cantonese) but real context. Great stories go with great dining. Chinese cuisine is world-class while Cecilia Chiang's stories offer an enlightening take on the human condition. I also very much appreciate Lisa Weiss's tips that help make preparing Cecilia's dishes practical in a home kitchen. I hope we see more cookbooks like this one.

Recipe for Success
Reading The Seventh Daughter is akin to partaking in a sumptuous banquet, which satisfies the palate, but more importantly feeds and nourishes the soul. The aptly described "culinary journey" is just that, as author Lisa Weiss brilliantly blends Chinese old-world, delectable recipes with deftly seasoned insights into the life of a truly remarkable and regal lady -- Cecilia Chiang. My family had enjoyed the excellent cuisine at The Mandarin restaurant almost from its opening at Ghiradelli Square in San Francisco, but had no idea that its owner Cecilia Chiang had such a remarkable history personifying in her elegant way the Chinese intellect and spirit of her heritage with the American dream. Weiss brings such evident devotion and love to her work and successfully elevates the reader's understanding of Cecilia Chiang's passage from early, upper-class childhood in China to escaping on one of the last flights from the specter of the Communists to arriving in San Francisco -- penniless in money, rich in courage and tradition. The Seventh Daughter is a veritable feast, destined to be savored over and over again. It is most highly recommended.

Seventh Daughter: Awesome
Cecilia Chiang (whose son co-founded the chain PF Chang's) founded San Francisco's ground-breaking MANDARIN in American in 1961, introducing Chinese cuisine that rocked our jaded concepts of oriental foods. Recipes for her authentic dishes are the secrets carried through turmoil and heartbreaking sacrifices, showing both the terrible damages of wars and the strong spirit of a soul meant for greater things.

If you think that running your business is tough, draw inspiration from the woman whose determination to survive humbles the mightiest of us. Recommended.

Mark Braun
Associate Publisher
Food Industry News