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Cookbook Flavored With Green Tea
And Words Of Wisdom |
| By Helen
Johnson Cooking with Green Tea: Delicious Dishes Enhanced By The Miraculous Healing Powers Of Green Tea, was written by accomplished chef and Gunbarrel resident Ying Chang Compestine. Published by Avery, a member of Penguin Putnam, it is available in area bookstores. Ying’s friend and mentor Chef Martin Yan, of the television show Yan Can Cook, wrote in the foreword, “I met Ying many years ago and immediately was struck by her great energy, her boundless enthusiasm and her vast knowledge of teas. We share a great love for our native country, China… An educator and a natural born teacher, Ying has such an easy way of guiding her audiences to make their own discoveries on any subject.” Cooking with Green Tea offers more than 70 delicious easy-to-follow recipes, including sauces and appetizers, entrees and desserts, all flavored with tea. Notes at the end of many recipes allow the cook to vary the flavors. But the book is much more than a cookbook. There are tips on how to distinguish between the different kinds of tea, and step-by-step instructions on how to brew it. A chapter called “Cooking Basics” lists essential tools, describes techniques such as stir-frying, and discusses basic ingredients, from rice to tofu to chili peppers. The book also is flavored with words of wisdom, not only about cooking, but also on health and Chinese culture. “Cooking with green tea may be a new idea for Americans, but the Chinese have been doing it for centuries. For those growing up in China, it is a natural part of cooking, an important aspect of Chinese culture. For centuries, we have revered tea as a natural healer for body and soul,” Ying said. Recent research in this country has found that green tea is a natural source of antioxidants and that it has many health benefits. “With the fast pace of life today, I find it hard to make the time for four cups of green tea every day. The Chinese solution is to incorporate green tea into cooking. You can enjoy not only its unique flavor in your cooking, but a healthier mind and body,” Ying explained. “The book would be a great holiday gift, perhaps with some green tea and a teapot,” she added. The teapots she recommends are available at the Celestial Seasonings gift shop. Growing up in the People’s Republic of China, Ying learned to cook from her grandmother. “Cooking is now a passion for me,” she said. “I associate cooking with friendship. I love to cook for my family and friends.” By combining her passion for cooking and her interest in health, it was natural for Ying to turn her talents toward recipe development. Ying began to write around six years ago. She sees writing as a way to keep in touch with her roots and a way that she can introduce Asian culture to Americans. Ying also writes children’s books, which bring back her wonderful childhood memories. Her newest is The Runaway Rice Cake, illustrated by Tungwai Chau and published by Simon and Schuster. See Meryl’s Kitchen for an easy rice cake recipe from this new book to celebrate the new year. Ying will have two book signings in January. On Jan. 24 she will be at the Boulder Book Store at 9:30 a.m. to sign her new children’s book, “The Runaway Rice Cake,” and “Cooking With Green Tea.” She also will be at the Tattered Cover bookstore in Denver on Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. |
Posted January 2001