The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family

Hi chefs!

For our September meetup, we’ll be cooking from The Woks of Life.

We’ll be meeting at Barbara's home in Belmont. (Exact location will be sent 3 to 4 days before the event to members who have RSVP’ed YES. Please reach out to me directly if you do not receive the address.)

Barbara has three cats. Parking is ample in her neighborhood.

Please bring at least one recipe’s worth of food, prepared for 6 to 8 people. Post what you’ll be bringing in the comments at least one week before to get our appetites going and to confirm your attendance. Those who don't post will be bumped if there is a waitlist.

If you've RSVP'ed you can post any dietary restrictions or allergies in the comments section of the event. Please let us know if allergens (nuts, gluten) will be in your prepared dish. Avoiding recipes with these, or swapping in other ingredients, is welcome!

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ONE OF THE TEN BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: San Francisco Chronicle, Simply Recipes

ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Food & Wine, NPR, Smithsonian Magazine, Delish, Epicurious

This is the story of a family as told through food. Judy, the mom, speaks to traditional Chinese dishes and cultural backstory. Bill, the dad, worked in his family’s Chinese restaurants and will walk you through how to make a glorious Cantonese Roast Duck. Daughters Sarah and Kaitlin have your vegetable-forward and one-dish recipes covered—put them all together and you have the first cookbook from the funny and poignant family behind the popular blog The Woks of Life.

In addition to recipes for Mini Char Siu Bao, Spicy Beef Biang Biang Noodles, Cantonese Pork Belly Fried Rice, and Salt-and-Pepper Fried Oyster Mushrooms, there are also helpful tips and tricks throughout, including an elaborate rundown of the Chinese pantry, explanations of essential tools (including the all-important wok), and insight on game-changing Chinese cooking secrets like how to “velvet” meat to make it extra tender and juicy.

Whether you’re new to Chinese cooking or if your pantry is always stocked with bean paste and chili oil, you’ll find lots of inspiration and trustworthy recipes that will become a part of your family story, too.