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77 Comments
Neil J.
January 7, 2021
My 1978 English edition is my favourite of 640+ cookery books . Its the one I would save given a choice should a fire break out! Bought after my book by Ken Lo "A Guide to Chinese Eating" 1976.. a real education!
Giselle
October 29, 2020
When my husband and I married in 1984, I didn’t know the first thing about Chinese cooking. My husband is American-born Chinese and he grew up eating his mother’s Cantonese specialties, so I really wanted to learn, but my mother-in-law wasn’t a teacher. She would say, “The Chinese don’t have recipes. Just cook!” My husband’s uncle gave me Irene Kuo’s book and I felt like I had hit the jackpot! Kuo’s writing style is warm, clear, and respectful. I’ve prepared probably half the recipes in this book over the years, and they are all fantastic! I’m an avid cook and I own hundreds of cookbooks (my husband feeds my “addiction”!) but I rank this one as my very favorite. It is a treasure!
[email protected]
September 30, 2019
I have a 1977 first edition and have cooked from and loved this book for many years. Irene Kuo is to Chinese cuisine what my inspiration Julia Child is to the cuisine of France. Demystified and codified. A treasure to enjoy
Anne S.
March 15, 2019
Just stumbled across this article. Kuo’s is one of the first cookbooks I ever owned, certainly the one I’ve had the longest. It was a gift from my mother and I treasure it.
Liz R.
June 16, 2018
I am a rabid collector of cookbooks of all cuisines and aspects. This book is my go-to book for Chinese cooking and reliably turns out extraordinary, restaurant-quality (or better!) dishes.
Bob M.
February 27, 2018
This has always been my all-time favorite cookbook, ever since I first bought it sometime around 1985, and I use it often. I've purchased a extra copies since, and also gave copies to friends. It should go back into print!
Taro I.
November 21, 2017
I had the fortune to encounter Irene's book in 1992, a few months after graduating from college. Being from Japan, where Chinese food is bastardized in a different way, it was through reading and enacting each of Irene's carefully described recipes that I came in contact with the breadth and richness of authentic Chinese cooking. It was amazing to see her dishes shape in my kitchen. What was especially wonderful is the lack of photographs, and relatively sparse illustration in the book. It was as if I was listening to Irene herself, as I read her passages many times over to understand the recipe and its intent. I can't thank her enough.
Taro I.
November 21, 2017
I had the fortune to encounter Irene's book in 1992, a few months after graduating from college. Being from Japan, where Chinese food is bastardized in a different way, it was through reading and enacting each of Irene's carefully described recipes that I came in contact with the breadth and richness of authentic Chinese cooking. It was amazing to see her dishes shape in my kitchen. What was especially wonderful is the lack of photographs, and relatively sparse illustration in the book. It was as if I was listening to Irene herself, as I read her passages many times over to understand the recipe and its intent. I can't thank her enough.
Bruce M.
November 17, 2017
Impressed by my enthusiasm for good stir-fry, my wife bought me a new Key to Chinese Cooking in our second decade of marriage. It has been a source of inspiration and eating satisfaction for over 40 years; there are still so many recipes to try! We just lunched on "open-face omelet with shrimp sauce," substituting leftover fish, and I felt such an affection that I was moved to google Irene Kuo to find out if she might still be among the living and thankable. So sorry to learn that she left us so soon, and that her amazing book is out of print. Will have to take better care of ours for the daughters' sake. Thanks for a good article!
hayford P.
October 3, 2017
I bought this book not long after it came out and have been using it regularly for 40 years now. It, along with Julia's Child's first volume of French cooking, would be one of my two desert island cookbooks. Couldn't live without it! And I'm certainly glad to know more about Ms. Kuo and the history of this book. I've always been baffled that she did not achieve the fame of Julia and Marcella....
Debra S.
September 28, 2017
My first and to this day my favorite Chinese cookbook. The binding is falling apart, the pages are stained, just as it should be.
It stands next to a slew of books with sexy photos and glossy covers. Most pages are still clean and binding still intact.
It stands next to a slew of books with sexy photos and glossy covers. Most pages are still clean and binding still intact.
Sheila
July 30, 2017
Thank you for a great article! I bought this book sometime in the early '80s and it's still my favorite Chinese cookbook.
What a pity that we don't have more Irene Kuo cookbooks to learn from.
What a pity that we don't have more Irene Kuo cookbooks to learn from.
thefarelady
July 19, 2017
This was the book that taught me how to cook Chinese food. I always wondered about Irene Kuo. I've had her book forever, and cannot recall where I obtained it. But I'm glad I did.
Irene C.
May 29, 2017
I took a cooking class from her in 1980. It was held in Arlington, Va. she brought paperbacks of her cook book and everyone in the class bought one. It is by far the best cookbook I've ever owned. I use it all the time. After reading your story, she was truly an amazing woman. How lucky was I!
Samantha
April 24, 2017
I had this book in my Amazon wishlist forever. I went back to buy it today and noticed the price is now way over my budget. I think it was due to this article. Groan. I should have bought it a long time ago.
Charlie M.
April 23, 2017
Great article! Very informative. It's one of my favorite cookbooks, but the author was mysterious to me...until now.
Leighann
April 17, 2017
In the 1980's I had the pleasure of knowing and working with Barbara Tropp in San Francisco...Irene Kuo's book was a great addition to that period and I still cook from both her book and Barbara's!
DMG
April 14, 2017
I bought Irene Kuo's book back in 1980 as a newlywed. Still have it in regular rotation. I've used it more for instruction on technique, and to help decipher mysterious ingredients in Asian markets. Because of Irene, I bought a real rolled steel wok and a cleaver in Chinatown, still have the wok. The Key always survives my bookshelf "purges"!
Barbie
April 12, 2017
I managed to get one online for a not to crazy price right after this piece went out, and it is, in fact, a lovely book. I love to read cookbooks, and it's well written, I have not been able to cook out of it yet. Soon.
Marketmaster
April 12, 2017
I have used this book for years. I have learned so much from Kuo's Julia Child-like approach to cooking Chinese food. The book that is closest to my heart, however, is Bwuei Yang Chao's How to Cook and Eat in Chinese. It's another out of print book to grab if you see it is a used book store.
Gaie C.
April 12, 2017
My late lamented brother gave me the book when he was living on the south coast of England. He had befriended the chef owner of an excellent local Chinese restaurant, who recommended the book to him.
I treasure my copy, which I read and re-read like a novel, always learning something new, and have used several recipes. They are simple to understand and invariably produce excellent results. What a shame the second volume never saw the light of day.
I treasure my copy, which I read and re-read like a novel, always learning something new, and have used several recipes. They are simple to understand and invariably produce excellent results. What a shame the second volume never saw the light of day.
Steve M.
April 12, 2017
This book has pride of place in my collection. I got it as a gift from my mother, who used it to teach me to cook. I now use it as a reference for my culinary students when they are cooking Chinese.
Timothy R.
April 3, 2017
This is one of the best reads on Food 52, hands down. I learned so much from this. The only part I found annoying was that because of this article (or others I may have not read) her cookbook is now selling as a collectible for hundreds of dollars. That's a bunch of BS. Other than that, thank you for writing such a great piece.
Nate
March 21, 2017
Thank you for chronicling and preserving the incredible history and life of this woman! There are eight million stories in the naked city and I figured this one would be lost in time like so many others. Many, many thanks for your words and research.
Chocolate B.
March 20, 2017
Mr. Sen is an outstanding writer. After reading the Kuo piece, I went back to read anything else I could find authored by Sen. I wanted his articles to go on and on and on--War and Peace length! I offer my thanks to Mr. Sen and also to Food52 for bringing him to my attention.
Mayukh S.
March 20, 2017
Thanks to those of you who left very kind comments. (I am glad that she has a Wikipedia page!) To those who have asked, there is, to my knowledge, no substantive difference between the 1977 and 1996 versions of the book.
sjschen
March 20, 2017
Thank you for making writing the Wikipedia page so easy by providing so many sources, you're a coauthor for the page. One question, where did you find Irene's birth name? I suspect "Irene Hsingnee Yuan" is actually "Irene Hsing (née Yuan)", and it would be good to verify.
Eileen T.
March 20, 2017
I do love this cookbook! It was my gateway into trying Chinese cooking before I married my first-generation Chinese husband - so many memories for me! Thanks Food52 for featuring!
sjschen
March 20, 2017
Thanks for pointing out the lack of an Wikipedia article for Irene and providing so many sources! Just finished it up, though it's still a bit rough around the edges. Check it out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irene_Kuo
David
March 19, 2017
You did such a beautiful job writing about here you should really write the Wikipedia page for her memory.
Arsten H.
March 18, 2017
re: the price jump--certain online sellers (real booksellers call them "bookjackers") use computer programs to set their prices. The more page views there are, the higher the price goes. And the ones with the super-high prices don't even own the book--their algorithm sets the price to 3x the highest price online, so if they get an order for the book, they can buy a copy and still make a nice profit. Hence the $3,500+ listing on Amazon. Try your local bookstore instead.
John
March 18, 2017
I had 2 Amazon sellers say they don't have the book in stock after I purchased it, it was at a reasonable price.
I'm thinking they pulled the book to let it "cook" for a while and get someone to buy it for 3X what I would have paid for.
I'm thinking they pulled the book to let it "cook" for a while and get someone to buy it for 3X what I would have paid for.
Arsten H.
March 18, 2017
Yes, or they never had it to begin with. Say bye-bye to Amazon, you'll be a better person and we'll have a better world.
Lin
March 18, 2017
I love, Love, LOVE your articles: the one on the vintage African American cookbooks brought me here and again learned something new and fascinating, Thank You!
I went to Amazon to check out The Key to Chinese Cooking and uhm, they don't cost $7 and change any more :)
Hardcover
from $615.87
4 Used from $615.87 2 New from $782.26
Paperback
from $55.27
7 Used from $55.27 9 New from $582.14
I went to Amazon to check out The Key to Chinese Cooking and uhm, they don't cost $7 and change any more :)
Hardcover
from $615.87
4 Used from $615.87 2 New from $782.26
Paperback
from $55.27
7 Used from $55.27 9 New from $582.14
fran
March 18, 2017
I bought this book in the 70's. I love it and it is a go to whenever I want to cook Chinese dishes. Favorite dishes:One, Two, Three, Four, Five spareribs, Chicken with black bean sauce, and Velvet Chicken. It is old and worn but still in use.
carlenedrake
March 18, 2017
I have had this book in my collection for years. It sits on the shelf beside my two Barbara Tropp books. I just checked and I do have a first edition. As someone else posted I also love the velvet chicken recipe. I must say it has been a while since I pulled it out. I am going to take it off the shelf and try something new. I love this article! Thanks so much for the history.
Sheila
March 18, 2017
I DO know about this cookbook. It came out during a time when my hubby was making an effort to learn how to make different ethnic foods and I bought him a copy. But I used it too and I still have it (though the dust cover is long gone from use and abuse) and have favorites I still make. Her method of making egg fried rice was a revelation to me and I gave up any other way of cooking yams after trying her recipe of simmering in water with a slice of ginger, then draining and stirring in sugar once soft. (I notice both of these are mentioned near the end of the article.) I always found her commentary preceding each recipe fascinating and enlightening and the illustrations so helpful. It is a beautiful and beautifully done book Yet I knew nothing about the woman herself until this article. Thanks for sharing!
Sheila
March 18, 2017
I DO know about this cookbook. It came out during a time when my hubby was making an effort to learn how to make different ethnic foods and I bought him a copy. But I used it too and I still have it (though the dust cover is long gone from use and abuse) and have favorites I still make. Her method of making egg fried rice was a revelation to me and I gave up any other way of cooking yams after trying her recipe of simmering in water with a slice of ginger, then draining and stirring in sugar once soft. (I notice both of these are mentioned near the end of the article.) I always found her commentary preceding each recipe fascinating and enlightening and the illustrations so helpful. It is a beautiful and beautifully done book Yet I knew nothing about the woman herself until this article. Thanks for sharing!
John
March 17, 2017
Great article!
I should also say that there should be a new term called the "Food52 Effect".
Reason: The copy of this book on Amazon (and anywhere else) went from $25 yesterday afternoon to over $60 since everyone started buying it in droves. :)
I should also say that there should be a new term called the "Food52 Effect".
Reason: The copy of this book on Amazon (and anywhere else) went from $25 yesterday afternoon to over $60 since everyone started buying it in droves. :)
Verónica L.
March 17, 2017
I agree. I went to look for one and they are all sky high now. BTW...is there a difference between the 1977 and 1990's print versions?
John
March 17, 2017
I did some internet digging and haven't found anything about the differences unfortunately.
Verónica L.
July 28, 2017
Patience has paid off. I just secured a used hard-cover copy for $13! I am looking forward to receiving it.
Verónica L.
March 17, 2017
Loved this article. And now I'm adding this book to my list of "must haves" and i want to learn more about Ms. Kuo. Thank you.
Jeannette F.
March 17, 2017
I won this book and treasured its techniques and recipes as a youn mother and new cook in Bloomington, Indiana. The best grocer in town was an Asian grocer, the gift of a stalled PhD who remained in town supplying the enthusiastic cooks with ingredients and advice. I have fond memories of this cookbook , its beloved dirty pages reminders of the adventure it represented
nicole
March 17, 2017
while I wasn't born during this time period this article makes me wish I was so I could experience this book. I will have to search for it to add to my collection.
Victoria
March 17, 2017
Thank you for this. I normally never comment but wanted to say how much I appreciate the new articles I've been seeing that so expand our sense of the world, yet reminds us at the same time what we have in common. Keep up the great work.
LAMY F.
March 17, 2017
Mr Sen , you are a gifted writer !
I enjoyed your article tremendously .
Thank you
I enjoyed your article tremendously .
Thank you
anotherfoodieblogger
March 16, 2017
Either the Amazon sellers have glommed onto the fact that everyone wants this book or you bought this copy a long time ago. The cheapest copy now available is about $45.
Nina
March 16, 2017
Amazing biography, beautifully written piece. I'm 66 years old, but don't remember this book, even though I read cookbooks like novels (Edna Lewis, anyone?).
I will now look for this exquisitely written and illustrated legacy to Irene Kuo to add to my collection. Thank you!
I will now look for this exquisitely written and illustrated legacy to Irene Kuo to add to my collection. Thank you!
gwen S.
March 16, 2017
The first thing I remember learning from this book was velveting chicken, both in water and in oil- a revelation to me back in the '70's. Thanks for the great article I will now pull out and dust off my copy!
Sue
March 17, 2017
Same! This is the book that taught me about Chinese cooking techniques as a teen. I still rely on quite a lot that I learned from it today. Thanks for the reminder of a great book. I will need to pinch it from my mother, who I don't think uses it very often.
Whiteantlers
March 16, 2017
I tip my hat to you for another meaty, wonderful article! : )
I am old enough to have bought, enjoyed and cooked from this book. I still have my original, well used volume.
I am old enough to have bought, enjoyed and cooked from this book. I still have my original, well used volume.
magpiebaker
March 16, 2017
I loved this article and the other longer-form articles you've written (like the one on Madhur Jaffrey). I'm American-born Chinese with SE Asian roots, and only know a few dishes handed down from my mom, so thank you for the introduction to this book! I'm putting it on my wish list immediately.
foofaraw
March 16, 2017
Your article makes me want to get her book!
I saw 1977 and 1996 edition at Amazon. Do you know the improvement/difference between the two editions? Which one should I get?
I saw 1977 and 1996 edition at Amazon. Do you know the improvement/difference between the two editions? Which one should I get?
Brent L.
March 16, 2017
I really enjoyed reading your article. I vaguely remember her name from my early years.
Emily
March 16, 2017
Beautiful biography -- I picked up this book on Amazon as a conpendium of Chinese cooking without realizing it's rich history. It's served me well in its technique instruction and recipes. I'll have to try the fried rice!
monkeymom
March 16, 2017
I so want this book now! This story is so interesting. I also want to recommend another out of print book from Pei Mei. She was also an amazing cook and cooking instructor in Taiwan. Her cookbooks are in both chinese and english, with pictures of the finished dishes. There are 3 volume but I think the 1st two are the best. You can find copies available on Amazon.
Melanie K.
March 16, 2017
I second Pei Mei's cookbooks, based solely on the dishes my mom cooks from them. Her pork wonton recipe is a family staple.
And thank you, Mayukh, for such in-depth and thought-provoking articles! I'm loving this series, and you write so, so well.
And thank you, Mayukh, for such in-depth and thought-provoking articles! I'm loving this series, and you write so, so well.
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