We are extra lucky today as not one but two experts have concocted a gourmet feast of their Top 10 favourite multicultural stories about food. It seems fitting that authors Grace Lin and Jama Rattigan should each select food as their theme, since they have both written stories revolving around tasty recipes – as you will discover by looking at each of their menus. In fact, each has put a book by the other on her menu, while unaware that the other was cooking up their own recipe, so it seems fitting that we should bring you the whole spread for you to gorge on at a single sitting – and it’s also interesting to see which books come up as double portions…
Jama Rattigan is the author of Dumpling Soup illustrated by Lilian Hsu-Flanders (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 1998); The Woman in the Moon: A Story from Hawai’i illustrated by Carla Golembe (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 1996); and Truman’s Aunt Farm illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Sandpiper, 1996). As well as her website (check out the recipe for Dumpling Soup), Jama also hosts the truly delectable Jama’s Alphabet Soup, a must-visit blog for anyone interested in children’s books, food, or both at the same time.
Grace Lin‘s latest book is Starry River of the Sky (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2012), the much-awaited companion novel to Newbery Honor Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009). She has written and illustrated many books for a wide age-range of children, including The Ugly Vegetables (Charlesbridge Publishing, 1999) and Dim Sum for Everyone (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2001); and picture books she has illustrated include Where on Earth is my Bagel? by Frances and Ginger Park (Lee & Low Books, 2001). You can read our 2010 interview with Grace here, and view some of her beautiful artwork in our Gallery here and here. And do check out Grace’s website and blog, where she has a fantastic giveaway on offer in celebration of the launch of Starry River of the Sky.
Top 10 Favorite Multicultural Picture Books about Food by Jama Rattigan
Whether it’s a big platter of noodles, warm-from-the-oven flatbread, fried dumplings, or a steamy bowl of Ugly Vegetable Soup, there’s nothing tastier than a picture book about food. You eat with your eyes first, then step into the kitchens or sit at the tables of friends and family from faraway places, all of whom seem to agree that love is the best seasoning for any dish, and food tastes best when it is happily shared. These tasty tales always make me say, “More, please!”
~ Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet S. Wong and Margaret Chodos-Irvine (Harcourt, 2002)
~ Aunty Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic by Ginnie Lo and Beth Lo (Lee & Low, 2012)
~ Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park and Ho Baek Lee (Clarion, 2005)
~ Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore and Kristi Valiant (Shen’s Books, 2009)
~ Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules and Kathryn Mitter (Albert Whitman, 2009)
~ Hiromi’s Hands by Lynne Barasch (Lee & Low, 2007)
~ Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji by F. Zia and Ken Min (Lee & Low, 2011)
~ The Have a Good Day Café by Frances Park and Ginger Park, illustrated by Katherine Potter (Lee & Low, 2005)
~ The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin (Charlesbridge, 1999)
~ Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto and Ed Martinez (Putnam, 1993)
My Top Ten Food-Themed Multicultual Books by Grace Lin
In my family instead of saying hello, we say, “Have you eaten yet?” Eating and food has always been a successful way to connect us to culture, familiar as well as exotic–perhaps because it’s so enjoyable! So these books about food can be an appetizer to another country, a comfort food of nostalgia or a delicious dessert of both. Hen hao chi!
~ Hiromi’s Hands by Lynne Barasch (Lee & Low, 2007)
~ Ganesha’s Sweet Tooth by Sanjay Patel and Emily Haynes, illustrated by Sanjay Patel (Chronicle Books, 2012)
~ Bee-Bim Bop! by Linda Sue Park,illustrated Ho Baek Lee (Clarion, 2005)
~ How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R. Friedman, illustrated by Allan Say (Sandpiper, 1987)
~ Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet Wong, illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine (Harcourt, 2002)
~ Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley, illustrated by Peter Thornton (Carolrhoda Books, 1992)
~ Yoko by Rosemary Wells (Hyperion, 1998)
~ Auntie Yang’s Great Soybean Picnic by Ginnie and Beth Lo (Lee & Low, 2012)
~ Peiling and the Chicken-Fried Christmas by Pauline Chen (Bloomsbury, 2007)
~ Dumpling Soup by Jama K. Rattigan, illustrated by Lillian Hsu Flanders (Little, Brown, 1998)
A couple of weeks ago, I posted a slideshow featuring some of the Korean dishes typically served at my family's New Year's celebrations in Hawai'i (and as featured in my picture book, Dumpling Soup).
Several of you asked for recipes, which my mom was happy to provide. Keep in mind these quantities are her best guestimates; feel free to adjust according to your taste and needs. Enjoy!
KOREAN KALBI (Grilled Shortribs)
Marinade Sauce for approximately 3 lbs. shortribs:
1 cup shoyu
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 T garlic, crushed fine
2 T ginger root, crushed fine
1 tsp black pepper
2 T toasted sesame seed
5 T green (spring) onions, chopped fine
1 T sesame oil
2 T Wesson oil
Marinate shortribs in sauce for about 3-4 hours. Grill or broil to desired doneness.
Notes:
1) This same marinade sauce can be used for vegetable namul (bean sprouts, fern root, watercress, etc.), using the sauce sparingly in lesser amounts).
Soybean sprout namul.
Fern root namul.
2) This marinade sauce can also be used with lean slices of beef to make bulgogi.
3) If you are using a strong soy sauce like Kikkoman, you may wish to add more brown sugar.
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JAP CHAE
(makes one medium size mixing bowl)
1/2 lb. beef sirloin, sliced thin and tossed in Kalbi marinade sauce
1/2 lb. string beans
3 medium size carrots
3 stalks celery
1 medium yellow round onion
5 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water for about an hour
1 bunch Korean long rice, cooked according to package instructions
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Slice vegetables and mushrooms into thin julienne pieces.
2. After long rice is cooked, drained and cooled, cut into 6" lengths.
3. Sauté marinated sirloin in frying pan or wok.
4. Add vegetables to beef mixture in the following order: string beans, carrots, celery, and remaining items. Add salt sparingly as needed.
5. Combine beef and vegetable mixture with the cooked long rice, top with chopped spring onions or cilantro.
Note: Korean long rice is available in most Asian food stores. It is typically thicker than Japanese long rice.
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VEGETABLE OR SHRIMP CHUN
Shrimp chun shown above.
3 or 4 eggs, depending on how much batter you need
Zucchini, eggplant, or other similar vegetables of your choice
Medium or large shrimp, tails and veins removed
1. Beat eggs together, then season w
1. I spotted Fuzzy again, playing in the back yard! He was busy digging in the dead leaves for something to eat -- a mouse, maybe, or a mole. We think he and his wife are expecting kits. One of them has a very scrawny tail, probably due to pulling out fur for lining a nest. Years ago, I saw a family of four foxes -- the parents watched while the babies frolicked and tumbled and explored everything in sight. Adorable!
2. Big hugs and a heartfelt THANK YOU to Carrie of Reading to Know, who recently wrote this awesome post about my books! What a nice surprise; it felt surreal being the subject of a post, rather than the one writing it.
3. BLOGGERS LIBRARY-LOVING CHALLENGE!
Get ready! It's coming next week!
Thanks to Jennifer Hubbard, a group of bloggers are gonna show their love for libraries by participating in a special comment challenge. Beginning Thursday, March 26, and running through Saturday, March 28th, I will donate $1 for every comment I receive on my Library-Loving Challenge Post (total amount not to exceed $100), for the Friends of the Chantilly Regional Library. Please look for my post on Thursday. All you have to do is leave a comment to show your love for libraries! I would really really really appreciate your support on this.
And, if you have a blog, it's not too late to sign up with Jennifer to join the fun! Read more about the Bloggers Library-Loving Challenge here.
Please help spread the word!
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