Dim Sum: The Art of Chinese Tea Lunch: A Cookbook

Let me first say that I am born in Hong Kong and have literally grown up with Dim Sum. I view it as more than just great foods but also as part of a traditional family event. Much like Southern barbecue isn't just about the pork. I am giving this book a 4.5-stars rating One thing I really appreciate about this book is that its small 2 pages devotion in tea. Tea plays a very important role in traditional Dim Sum. Dim Sum are the foods, but the entire event/experience of going to a Chinese restaurant, ordering Dim Sum and drinking tea is called "Yum Cha", which literally means "Drink Tea". In short, the book converses more than just recipes. The recipes are not entirely authentic from two angles. It is not necessary a bad thing, but potential buyers should know where this book is coming from. First, a few of the traditional Dim Sum dishes, like Black Bean Sauce Chicken feet, are passed up for semi-western pastries like Mango Pudding. Second, the recipes themselves are not purely authentic. A good example is the recipe for Char-Siu Bao (Steam Cantonese BBQ Pork Buns). It only calls for cake flour. A more authentic recipe would have called for both cake flour and wheat starch. That being said, this book is much more authentic than many other books which simply call for all-purpose flour. I have altered 80% of the recipes I tried thus far because the final products differ from my recollection. Nevertheless, the book provides a good starting point for people who want to try making Dim Sum. The book also offers many vegetarian versions of the same dish. The pictures are wonderful. They are beautiful hand-drawn pictures of the Dim Sum, as well as the hand-drawn procedures, like the steps to pleat a Char Siu Bao. These hand-drawn procedures are cleaner and simpler to understand than photographs. The cooking instructions are easy to follow as well, assuming you have a basic knowledge in cooking and have read one or two cookbooks before. Here is a dilemma for Dim Sum book. Many Dim Sum dishes are not simple. Most Chinese home cooks cannot make them. They are certainly not typical cookies which home cooks can easily make. As such, a Dim Sum book can be very authentic but >1% of home cook can follow or it can be very easy to learn but does not resume the real dishes at all. This book strikes a good balance between being authentic and accessible. It is not too daunting for a person to learn and the ingredients are not too difficult to find, yet it is authentic enough that readers will not be wasting time and energy in learning subpar recipes. Although this book is an introductory cookbook for Dim Sum enthusiasts, it is not a beginning cookbook. It assumes the readers have a decent background in general cooking. In short, it is a beginner book for Dim Sum, but it is not a beginner book for cooking.

I looked forward to receiving this cookbook but was disappointed by how few and familiar the recipes are. The illustrations and story behind the book were fun to read. Unfortunately I expected to read it through marking many recipes to make. I didn't. I think the book would benefit by an updated version. So many of us who buy Chinese and specifically dim sum cookbooks have little to gain by this book. Perhaps it's best as a gift to friends who have just discovered dim sum. Then the book would resonate with their interest and level of cooking experience.

This dim sum is targeted for worldwide readers who are interested in making and cooking dim sum at their own homes. This is a great book that gives an introduction how dim sum is served, the food culture of dim sum especially found in restaurants in Hong Kong, or any restaurant found in any country. The illustrations and cooking directions are well-thought out, organized and easy-to-follow. Recipes are mixed with traditional and authentic on some, while others have a mix of more modern and easier ways to do it. I love this kind of dim sum cookbook because it is targeted for those who want to cook some dim sum at home for family and guests. This book is well-written, and illustrations give it a beautiful appeal of creating these delicious morsels, and she gives other variations of exploring new flavor profiles and such.Some of these recipes are connecting my childhood while living in Hong Kong, so yeah I highly recommend this book about dim sum. Like remembering these key ingredients while going to markets to shop, or eat at well-known, popular and enjoying great food in Hong Kong. Then eating restaurants that serve dim sum- so yes, it can be used elsewhere.

I not only loved this as a cookbook but also for the stories that are recounted throughout.I have loved Dim Sum from my first experiences in Singapore and wanted to try something at home that was more creative than normal. I have already tried 8 of the recipes with varying success (through NO fault of the book - only my lack of practice creating some of the delicate folds in the wheat starch dough).Couple of hints:1) Practice, practice, practice2) Before doing a full meal, there is a resources section at books end that has great suggestions for combinations that can mostly be made ahead.3) Finally - if you really want to do alot and often, invest in multiple bamboo steamers. I just purchased my fifth and sixth. Dinner table now reminds me of Dim Sum houses from my past...

I bought this book several years ago and it has been a trusty companion - one of the few cookbooks I own that never fails me. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser is the char siu spare ribs recipe. I learned how to make dumplings (and several kinds of dough) with this book. Some dumpling recipes call for wheat or tapioca starch, which may be special buys.There are also several recipes and/or variations of recipes for vegetarians, including how to make mock chicken from bean curd sheets. I've used the sauce recipes for all kinds of things. For a home cook who likes to try different things, this book is a gem. It's also thoughtfully and artistically designed, including DIY tips and cute illustrations - would make a good gift.

I am so glad that I found what i was looking for , there are many recipes in this dim sum cookbook that I like for my taste , I am So glad I found this cookbook because now I can make my own delicious dim sum at home without the long wait , However The only thing that are missing in this book are curry beef tripe , chicken feet and the steamed surf clams that i use get at san francisco gold mountain restaurant because of sweet and savory taste without those rice noodles at the bottom if those recipes were added to this book i would be really happy !

I bought this book for throwing a Dim Sum party with my friends, making fillings, folding them, steaming/frying them and eating them.In that way, we tried 6 of the recipes in the book, those for which the ingredients were easiest to find, and I have to say, they all worked out very well.The amounts are in OZ, but not too difficult to translate into metrics.I can especially recommend the mushroom dim sum, they were just marvellous! The rest of them were good, but not great. I got the tip from a Chinese person to make the fillings the night before, and let them marinate for a while, which may very well optimise the taste.There was one thing, however, which I found disappointing: That was the amount of dim sum recipes in the book, compared to overall recipes. Only about 2/5th are devoted to actual dim sum, the rest is about spring rolls, sticky rice, stuffed vegetables... Not that I have anything against stuffed vegetables, but hey, it is a dim sum book, right?Given the lack of dim sum books in the market, it is a satisfying buy, but will not inspire great art.

The layout is delightful and very clear, the recipes delicious and cover a good range of different dim sum. Highly recommended!

This was a gift for someone for Christmas. They really like it so I decided to give it the five stars.

This book has no photos of the finished product only illustrations

Malgrado il piccolo formato e la scelta di illustrare minuziosamente passaggi e ricette solo con i propri disegni (l'autrice è una grafica professionista), questo rimane ad oggi il più completo e brillante libro sui Dim Sum; anzi, l'aspetto grafico qui porta dei vantaggi notevoli quando si tratta di spiegare con immediatezza le varianti, le operazioni manuali (le pieghettature dei raviolini, il tipo di chiusura specifico, l'aspetto finale), ma risulta proficuo anche per illustrare gli ingredienti, le attrezzature e le tecniche di cottura.Immancabile per gli amanti della cucina cinese.