Cookbook: Seventh Daughter

the appetizer:

Seventh Daughter by Cecilia Chiang and Lisa Weiss, features Northern Chinese cuisine from the fabled Mandarin Restaurant, with recipes like Pot Stickers (Guo Tie); Green-Onion Oil-Tossed Noodles (Shanghai Cong Yu Ban Mian); and Tea-Smoked Game Hens (Zhang Cha Zi Ji).

Seventh Daughter:
My Culinary Journey from Beijing to San Francisco

by Cecilia Chiang and Lisa Weiss

Click to buy Seventh Daughter

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.

The book...

...presents 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.
...features recipes with in-depth notes on sourcing ingredients and tips on simplifying the recipes.
...provides menus for putting together Chinese banquets and dinners at home.

About the Authors

Cecilia Chiang opened her original restaurant, the Mandarin, in 1961. With the publication of her first cookbook. The Mandarin Way, in 1974, Chiang's career blossomed to include television appearances and cooking demonstrations. Although the Mandarin closed in 2006, Chiang continues to consult for popular Bay Area restaurants, including Betelnut and Shanghai 1930. Chiang lives in Marin County, California.

Lisa Weiss trained at the California Culinary Academy and cowrote the critically acclaimed Farallon Cookbook with Mark Franz, Bruce Aidells' Complete Book of Pork, and Boulevard: The Cookbook with Nancy Oakes and Pamela Mazzola. Weiss lives in Marin County, California.