cookbook query

Ambra Ferrari's Emilia in Bocca

or,

Mrs. Chiang's Szechwan Cookbook

?

These are two recent finds of mine and I haven't had much luck digging up info beyond the most reductive.

as for Mrs. Chiang's, just from a cursory look-see, it offers "authenticity" in spades predating Dunlop by near 30 years...

Ferrari's book is merely beautiful: outstanding bookmaking technique and lovely prints

so...anyone familiar with these two?

I have Mrs. Chang's. 'Twas given me by my first food mentor. Sadly, I have never delved into it that deeply because, as with Indian food, it usually requires a special shopping trip, as opposed to supplying ideas for what I already have around. However, when it was given to me, about 30 years ago, it was described as a "must have." When we were cooking from it together I remember doing lots of scallion pancakes, maybe drunken and twice-cooked pork, hacked chicken. And, is there a dish called "ants crawling up trees?" Right now it's packed away with all my other books as we are in temp. digs for a time. But, as I said, very highly recommended. At least in its day.

mrbarolo wrote:I have Mrs. Chang's. 'Twas given me by my first food mentor. Sadly, I have never delved into it that deeply because, as with Indian food, it usually requires a special shopping trip, as opposed to supplying ideas for what I already have around. However, when it was given to me, about 30 years ago, it was described as a "must have." When we were cooking from it together I remember doing lots of scallion pancakes, maybe drunken and twice-cooked pork, hacked chicken. And, is there a dish called "ants crawling up trees?" Right now it's packed away with all my other books as we are in temp. digs for a time. But, as I said, very highly recommended. At least in its day.

actually, yes, in the frontispiece they mention "ants climb a tree" as a sought after recipe(I admit I've heard of it..but,
"sought after?" not so much)

My Dunlop x 2 familiarity heightens "authenticity" apprehensions: the Mrs. Chiang book holds it's own forgiving three decades+ removed context...

It's not as rigorous as Dunlop, but it's no "soy sauce, ginger, and scallion" cock-up either...