Customer Reviews

Dim Sum: The Art of Chinese Tea Lunch

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This 'Dim Sum, The Art of Chinese Tea Lunch' is the second book from graphic artist Ellen Leong Blonder. The first three things which strike one about the book is that it is a smallish book for a fairly sizable subject, the author is neither a chef nor a culinary journalist, and that the design and illustrations in the book are exceedingly well done.

I always have problems rating small books which commonly give half the value for about two thirds of the price of full sized books. Since this is Ms. Blonder's second book on a culinary subject, and since her first book won an IACP Cookbook award, her being an apparent culinary amateur should cause no concern about the quality of the book's contents.

The book is divided into the following chapters:

Steamed Dumplings
Boiled and Pan-Fried Dumplings
Breads and Baked Dishes
Rice and Rice Flour Dishes
Greens and Pan-Fried Dishes
Deep-Fried and Bean Curd Sheet Dishes
Meats
Sweets
Sauces and Condiments

The book also contains small sections on types of tea, planning a menu, equipment and supplies, resources, and bibliography.

In a book this small, the bibliography becomes an important resource. The text states that some Dim Sum restaurants offer over a hundred dishes, yet this book has barely 110 pages devoted to often two page recipes. The book makes up for this sparseness in two very important ways.

First, it spends much of its space dedicated to Dim Sum cooking methods and equipment for steaming and deep-frying. It also gives excellent recipes for dumpling doughs and wrappers plus methods for folding dumplings.

Second, this book succeeds very well as a 'feel good' book based on both the text and the color drawings, and the exceptionally good job of designing the book.

The greatest personal attraction of the book is the fact that it includes excellent recipes for baked 'char siu bao' dumplings, something I often got at New Jersey Asian Markets, but which seem totally alien to the backwater Lehigh Valley. Having taken up cooking, this is one of the first things I wanted to try. The instructions for these baked filled rolls is a clean and you may wish. I have seen recipes in other books, which seem to require instructions on how to read the recipe.

If you love well-designed books or Chinese cooking, this book will warm your heart and your tummy.

For years I have been searching for dim sum recipes so as to recreate those dishes I had grown up with. Previously, cookbooks were either too complicated, or didn't show how to form the dumplings. with this book, you have both easy-to-follow instructions and exquisite illustrations showing you how to form the dumplings. I look forward to being able to try all of these recipes out. Most of the basic, common dim sum recipes are covered. My only complaint? One of my favourites is not given!

A great find. Dim Sum have always been perceived as hard to make and time consuming. But this book makes it really simple. I have tried some of the recipes and they are good.

I just recieved my copy of Ms Blonder's wonderful "Dim Sum: The art of Chinese Tea Lunch". As with the earlier "Every Grain of Rice - this book is a visual delight.

Intrigued by the recipe for Char-Siu Pastries I decided to try them as an appetizer for a lunch party. After first preparing the pork, I was surprised at how clear the instructions were and how well the pastries turned out, warm out of the oven with a light flaky crust - I found the sweet taste of the Char-Siu and the hot meat inside made these irresistable. Next time I will know to make more.

I'm going to have fun with this book.

"I can't wait to start making Dim Sum at home." was my first thought when I purchased the book.

Being far away from the cities that have it, it made me sad and I wanted to create the dishes I enjoyed so much at lunches that I enjoyed with loved ones.

I had purchased this book for a friend and she exclaimed that they were fun and easy! I was thrilled to hear it and bought it!

It is easy! And being able to share it with my family is a treat!

I've been burned by alot of promising cookbooks in the past. But the recipes in this book work, with great tasting and great looking results (okay maybe mine aren't the prettiest Dim Sum you've ever seen, but they taste FANTASTIC).

Great little book. Simple, easy-to-follow instructions. I highly recommend it.

This book saves me from the isolation and longing only a trip to Calgary or San Francisco satisfies. Now I can make these wonderful treats at home. Clear and beautiful instructions make this possible. I was lucky to find this book in our small town Montana library. I need it in my own.

I couldn't help myself: barely had this cookbook arrived when I greedily read it from cover to cover. Containing information I had been hungering for ever since I first tasted a succulent, meat-filled dumpling, it proved a delight to the eye as much as to the imagination.

From the first page, you know you are in the presence of a connoisseur with a passion for the art of dim sum -- whether at a restaurant in Hong Kong or in your own home. She gently leads you through the process, from getting your own basic equipment, through the making of dumplings, potstickers, meatballs, rolls, and dozens of other tasty morsels, plus a section on the vital sauces you'll want to try. It even features several dessert recipes that make you smack your lips in anticipation. The instructions are thorough and easy to follow, with just the right amount of personal insights. Several vegetarian dishes are interspersed, as are options for making other recipes meatless.

This book is not an encyclopedia on making dim sum, so you might not not find some recipes here you may have wanted, such as one for preparing chicken feet. Yet, its bounty of recipes and loving presentation make this the perfect book for anyone wanting to learn the basics of the art of the Chinese tea lunch.

As if tantalizing recipes weren't enough, the author has blessed us with exquisite watercolor drawings that accent nearly every page. As cook, you can experience the double pleasure of feasting your eyes on mouth-watering artwork while you prepare a feast that will touch the heart.

I was skeptical about the book because of the lack of photographs and fewer-than-usual pages, but I was happily wrong. The dim sum selection is comprised of authentic items found in restaurants, so you can use almost every recipe. The color illustrations are actually better than photographs because the details, such as how to wrap dumplings, are easier to see. The writing is very straightforward, and there are helpful tips along the way. This is a great book!