Read an Excerpt
From My Kitchen to Yours
Welcome to my kitchen! I’m Tiffy and I’m a proud home cook. While I don’t have any professional culinary training, I love to draw inspiration from my childhood growing up in a food-loving family in Taiwan. As we take this culinary journey together, you will find my personal stories tied to authentic recipes from my culture, as well as dishes updated with my own twists.
As I sat thinking about writing my cookbook, I knew I wanted to bring happiness into this book and your home and share some of my family’s traditions and stories with you. I reflected on my food blogging journey and how blessed I have been. I also started to reminisce about my childhood in Taiwan and learning how to cook with my mom and grandma. I remembered how happy I felt spending time with my family as we all raised our glasses (mine was filled with juice, of course!) before eating a big, yummy meal. In Mandarin, we call this 乾杯 gānbēi, for “cheers.” This word is shared across several Asian cultures, as “cheers” is kanpai in Japanese and geonbae in Korean. Even today, before every meal, my family always drinks a toast to good health, happiness, and safety. It brings me back to my days growing up in Taiwan, when we’d go to my grandma’s house during holidays and have big, delicious meals together as a family.
As I started curating my recipes for this book, I began thinking about the stories and rich history behind each dish. I wanted to ensure that I was staying true to my heritage, so, after not seeing my grandparents for over five years, I traveled back to Taiwan. It was such a fun journey, as I got to cook with my grandma in her kitchen and all my childhood memories came rushing back. Taiwan is foodie heaven, as no matter where you go you can find amazing dishes made with the freshest ingredients sourced from local producers. From day markets to night markets, there is a diverse culinary landscape that was an endless source of inspiration for me. Day markets are similar to farmers’ markets, where vendors sell fresh produce, meats, and seafood for extremely affordable prices. I remember wandering the stalls to see what fresh local ingredients were available throughout the week. Taiwanese night markets are outdoor markets that open in the evening and typically operate until late at night. They offer a wide variety of products and food, including clothing, electronics, and traditional Taiwanese street food. The atmosphere is lively and bustling, with vendors calling out to attract customers and music playing. Many night markets also feature games and other forms of entertainment. Night markets are a popular destination for both tourists and locals and are considered a unique aspect of Taiwan’s culture. Some of the best traditional Taiwanese street food is found at night markets, and there is always a wide variety of delicious and affordable options. I worked really hard with my family to re-create all of my recipes to be as easy yet as authentic as possible. I’m a strong believer that there is no right or wrong when it comes to cooking—the most important thing is to have fun.
And so, in these pages you will find traditional Taiwanese recipes passed down in my family for generations, going back to my great-grandmother’s kitchen. There are also recipes that have evolved over twelve years of my own passionate home cooking. A lot of those recipes stemmed from when I moved away from home to attend university in a small town and craved home-cooked Asian food.
Tiffy Cooks features eighty-eight recipes. Why eighty-eight, you ask? Because eight is considered the luckiest number in Chinese culture. It symbolizes luck, success, and prosperity.
My book is divided into four parts. The first part, “Quick and Easy All Day,” includes everyday recipes that you can make in minimal time so you can treat yourself from breakfast to dinner. The second part, “Family-Style Dining,” features recipes for dishes you’d find in restaurants in Taiwan, where all dishes are meant for sharing and you are able to choose from different appetizers and entrées to customize your meals for your friends and family. The third part, “Make in Bulk,” shows you how to prepare bao, buns, dumplings, and wontons in quantity. These recipes are all freezer-friendly and will save you tons of time throughout the week. The fourth part includes all my favorite desserts and drinks.
I hope with this cookbook you are able to re-create my family’s recipes in your own kitchen. I am a proud first-generation immigrant from Taiwan, and I’m passionate about bringing delicious Taiwanese dishes to your table and sharing my beautiful country and culture with you. Let’s make some amazing meals together and say cheers to health and happiness. Thank you so much for supporting me throughout my journey. I can’t wait for you to try my family’s recipes!
Gānbēi,
Tiffy
