Comments on: Comfort Food Without Borders http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/02/15/comfort-food-without-borders/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:23:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.2 Comment on Comfort Food Without Borders by: Barbara Fisher http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/02/15/comfort-food-without-borders/#comment-1428 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 15:59:59 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/02/15/comfort-food-without-borders/#comment-1428 It is, indeed, Shirley. It is an interesting enough book, though I am wondering if I should suspect the veracity of the content. It is, indeed, Shirley. It is an interesting enough book, though I am wondering if I should suspect the veracity of the content.

]]> Comment on Comfort Food Without Borders by: Anonymous http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/02/15/comfort-food-without-borders/#comment-1427 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 15:59:59 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/02/15/comfort-food-without-borders/#comment-1427 Barbara,<br />Is the book by Richard Craze and Roni Jay? I saw it in a used book store here but it's sealed to prevent browsing. Let me check out the libraries here. Shirley. Barbara,
Is the book by Richard Craze and Roni Jay? I saw it in a used book store here but it’s sealed to prevent browsing. Let me check out the libraries here. Shirley.

]]> Comment on Comfort Food Without Borders by: Barbara Fisher http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/02/15/comfort-food-without-borders/#comment-1426 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 15:59:59 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/02/15/comfort-food-without-borders/#comment-1426 Thank you very much, Shirley. I will email you in the morning, after I get back from taking our dogs for their shots and before starting to make chili for the chili cook-off tomorrow!<br /><br />A lot of what I have learned about the energy of Chinese foods I have picked up in dribs and drabs from talking with people and from reading. Also I had a couple of times at work when I was feeling sickly, or very stressed and one or another of the cooks at the restaurant would make me a special soup to balance my energy or to make me better. Lo was very good for that. Thank you very much, Shirley. I will email you in the morning, after I get back from taking our dogs for their shots and before starting to make chili for the chili cook-off tomorrow!

A lot of what I have learned about the energy of Chinese foods I have picked up in dribs and drabs from talking with people and from reading. Also I had a couple of times at work when I was feeling sickly, or very stressed and one or another of the cooks at the restaurant would make me a special soup to balance my energy or to make me better. Lo was very good for that.

]]> Comment on Comfort Food Without Borders by: Anonymous http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/02/15/comfort-food-without-borders/#comment-1425 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 15:59:59 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/02/15/comfort-food-without-borders/#comment-1425 Barbara,<br />No such thing as correction. We're all learning. I am pretty new to cooking as well and I have yet to find my calling. I dabble too much in too many areas and simply can't make up my mind. I have come across books written in Chinese about soups and using herbs in dishes. Most of them don't adequately address the balance of chi. I find that they just tell you what to put it and what it supposedly does to your body, e.g. strengthens the spleen, improve the appetite etc. I haven't seen any decent English ones. But rest assure I'll be on the lookout for a good one to recommend to you. As for "yun" soups, I might be able to help because hubby's family is Cantonese, where soups are a must. Would you want to give me your email address? I can't find it on your blog, or, you can email me at shiangy_l@yahoo.com. Thanks! Shirley Barbara,
No such thing as correction. We’re all learning. I am pretty new to cooking as well and I have yet to find my calling. I dabble too much in too many areas and simply can’t make up my mind. I have come across books written in Chinese about soups and using herbs in dishes. Most of them don’t adequately address the balance of chi. I find that they just tell you what to put it and what it supposedly does to your body, e.g. strengthens the spleen, improve the appetite etc. I haven’t seen any decent English ones. But rest assure I’ll be on the lookout for a good one to recommend to you. As for “yun” soups, I might be able to help because hubby’s family is Cantonese, where soups are a must. Would you want to give me your email address? I can’t find it on your blog, or, you can email me at shiangy_l@yahoo.com. Thanks! Shirley

]]> Comment on Comfort Food Without Borders by: Barbara Fisher http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/02/15/comfort-food-without-borders/#comment-1424 Wed, 31 Dec 1969 15:59:59 +0000 http://www.tigersandstrawberries.com/2005/02/15/comfort-food-without-borders/#comment-1424 Thank you, Shirley--after reading your comment, I went back to dig out where I had read that comment about giving congee/jook to a woman after childbirth, and no surprise--it was written by an American. It is in a book called The Tao of Food, which is a fairly accurate overview of the chi in food and how to harmonize and balance one's diet in a Chinese way to help promote health and well-being. I say "fairly accurate," because it is not very in depth, and makes no reference to what Grace Young calls "yun" soups--soups which are meant to revitalize and balance a person's body in the face of illness or after eating too many yang foods. <br /><br />Now, I am wondering how shallow the book really is. <br /><br />Thank you for correcting me, Shirley. One of the things that I am still working on learning is the underlying principles of chi that are foundational in Chinese cooking. I know a small amount, in general terms, but very few books discuss the depth of the topic at all--probably because it is assumed that Western rationalists would scoff at the idea. <br /><br />But the understanding of harmony, balance and energy is so integral to Chinese cooking, that I wish there were books that talked about it at length. <br /><br />Can you recommend any yorself--unfortunately, they have to be in English, which is my handicap, though I keep thinking I should start the effort of learning Mandarin or Cantonese, just to be able to have access to more information. Or, maybe I should take to interviewing very experienced cooks....<br /><br />Thank you again, Shirley! Thank you, Shirley–after reading your comment, I went back to dig out where I had read that comment about giving congee/jook to a woman after childbirth, and no surprise–it was written by an American. It is in a book called The Tao of Food, which is a fairly accurate overview of the chi in food and how to harmonize and balance one’s diet in a Chinese way to help promote health and well-being. I say “fairly accurate,” because it is not very in depth, and makes no reference to what Grace Young calls “yun” soups–soups which are meant to revitalize and balance a person’s body in the face of illness or after eating too many yang foods.

Now, I am wondering how shallow the book really is.

Thank you for correcting me, Shirley. One of the things that I am still working on learning is the underlying principles of chi that are foundational in Chinese cooking. I know a small amount, in general terms, but very few books discuss the depth of the topic at all–probably because it is assumed that Western rationalists would scoff at the idea.

But the understanding of harmony, balance and energy is so integral to Chinese cooking, that I wish there were books that talked about it at length.

Can you recommend any yorself–unfortunately, they have to be in English, which is my handicap, though I keep thinking I should start the effort of learning Mandarin or Cantonese, just to be able to have access to more information. Or, maybe I should take to interviewing very experienced cooks….

Thank you again, Shirley!

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