Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and Other Curiously Named Classic Chinese Dishes: A Graphic Cookbook

 

Stars: 4 for interest factor and foodie factor

My Thoughts:

This book would not necessarily be for this blog. I do have a specific cooking blog, The Rubber Slipper Contessa, which is actually a repository of family recipes more for my kids so that when my daughters in law or sons ask me where a certain recipe is, it is on the blog. 

On the other hand, I found some of my old kid's cookbooks that I used to use to feed my littles and I gave them to my oldest granddaughter (she is 4). She loves to read it like a book, see the pictures and try some of the recipes. That got me thinking that this middle and YA reading blog is right where this graphic cookbook belongs.

First, the graphics are hilarious and crisp. They are a great stand in for the text sometimes. The story behind the names of the recipe are really lovely to read. There are some nuggets from the author and illustrator that just talk about family food stories, like the little vignette about learning to use starter chopsticks from her grandmother, and then as a mother, trying chopsticks for her son and instead focusing on finger foods that he would like. This particular story comes before the mango spring rolls which look yummy. I actually go and seek out mooncakes at my local Chinatown after this book. My granddaughter appreciated when I brought mooncakes because of the Netflix animated movie Over the Moon. 

I think these recipes may be a little more difficult for young cooks. The sourcing of ingredients are difficult if you do not have an Asian market nearby. I guess Amazon, but there is something about taking young chefs to source their ingredients locally that makes it more real for them. I also think that these stories and recipes for middle and young adults will motivate aspiring cooks/chefs to have conversations with their own grandmothers about the food stories from their own family meals in the same way that the author talks about her own upbringing with her grandmother. It changes the way we look at food. If this, as an adult reader, motivates you to read more foodie books, I would suggest The Last Chinese Chef  by Nicole Mones. I see tofu in a very different way. I think Buddha Jumps Over the Wall will do the same thing for budding foodies, chefs, Chinese food fans. Personally we are going to try the Husband and Wife Lung Slices for the name and the spicy factor.

From the Publishers:

Storytelling is one of the most universal and collaborative components in every culture. In Chinese culture, dishes are often connected to a classic legend, a famous person, or a historical event, underlining the importance of food.
In this delightful graphic novel-style recipe book, Chinese American cookbook author Ying Chang Compestine explores the folkloric stories behind beloved Chinese dishes and gives easy-to-follow recipes for each, such as:

• Mapo Tofu, a savory dish named for the “old lady with a pockmarked face” who invented it
• Goubuli Baozi (translation: "ignored by doggy stuffed buns”), classic buns with minced pork and vegetables made popular by an unusually taciturn village boy
• Tear-inducing Heartbreak Jelly Noodles that combine chili oil, peppercorns, and other fiery ingredients and are believed to cure the sadness of a broken heart
• Steamed Milk Custard, one of the most beloved desserts in China, originated during the Qing Dynasty by a hungry young cattle farmer as a way to preserve milk

These are dishes Ying grew up with, cooked with her grandmother, and prepares for her own family today. Stories and recipes are illustrated and presented in panel layout, with art by award-winning children’s book illustrator Vivian Truong.

Publication Information:

Author: Ying Chang Compestine

Illustrator: Vivian Truong

Publisher: Chronicle Books (March 4, 2025)

Paperback: 184 pages