Ni hao! Hello!
Do you ever dream about dumplings? I certainly do.
In fact, just hearing the word “dumpling” makes me happy. It’s the ultimate comfort food and my favorite term of endearment (feel free to call me ‘Dumpling’ any time). 🙂
Whenever you have a meat and vegetable filling wrapped with dough it’s a good thing. Plump, tender, savory, lip-smackingly delicious. Mmmmmm!
Since I’m a big fan of Chinese dumplings in particular, I was especially happy to see Dumpling Dreams: How Joyce Chen Brought the Dumpling from Beijing to Cambridge by Carrie Clickard and Katy Wu (Simon & Schuster, 2017).
Written in rhyming couplets, this delectable new picture book is an absolute delight, a charming introduction to the Chinese-American chef, author, restaurateur, entrepreneur, and TV personality who popularized Northern Chinese and Shanghainese cuisine in America.
We first see Jia (Joyce) as a young girl in Beijing.
A quiet room.
One ink-stained girl
determined to perfect each curl.
Her writing brush
sweeps down the rows.
A scrumptious scent slips
past her nose.
Dumplings!
Jia’s favorite treat.
Cook hands her one, still warm, to eat.
Cook offers to teach Jia how to make her own dumplings. But no matter how hard she tries, hers don’t look anything like his.
Undeterred, Jia “practices from spring to fall.” She makes not only dumplings, but noodles and sweet rice balls too. Come New Year’s, Jia proudly shows Cook what she can do and he is duly impressed. As she grows up, Jia retains her interest in cooking, garnering praise from her father for her zongzi. In school, teachers begin calling her “Joyce.”
Joyce marries and has two children, but life has become troubling and uncertain because of the Communist Revolution. They are forced to leave Shanghai for America, where they eventually settle in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
There, she invites Chinese students over for home-cooked meals. A new country feels less strange when sharing news from home and eating familiar foods.
Cambridge bursts
with students learning.
Far from China,
filled with yearning.
Joyce invites them:
“Come and eat!”
Sharing news and
homemade treats.
One day at a school bake sale, Joyce brings a platter of egg rolls along with her cookies. Everyone else has brought only Western treats, and at first she is embarrassed. But she’s relieved when they all praise her egg rolls and clamor for more. Soon, family and friends convince Joyce to open a restaurant.
She’s thrilled at her grand opening, but a little puzzled when customers resist trying her dumplings. After she renames them “Peking Ravioli” they sell like hotcakes. Joyce goes on to give cooking lessons, writes a cookbook and even has her own TV show, the first syndicated cooking series in America hosted by a woman of color.
Success has come for all to see:
an author, chef, and mom of three!
Days filled with what
Joyce loves to do.
Her dumpling dreams have
all come true.
Clickard’s upbeat, engaging text succinctly captures the key events in Chen’s life, showing how one woman’s passion for cooking led to a successful career and a coveted place in American culinary history. Mandarin Chinese words are sprinkled throughout the story, with traditional treats mentioned to mark special occasions: zongzi (sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves) for the Dragon Boat Festival, tangyuan (rice balls stuffed with red bean) for Joyce’s wedding, red eggs for the birth of her first child.
Katy Wu’s vibrant, emotive illustrations pull the reader right into the action. Defty drawn facial expressions capture moments of frustration, surprise, dismay, pride, worry and contentment. Wu uses the color red (a symbol of happiness and good fortune in Chinese culture) to great effect: Joyce wears red for most of the story, and there are striking red tablecloths, working surfaces, lanterns, and restaurant doors.
Of course I love all the food illustrations: platters of freshly steamed dumplings and long life noodles, moon cakes, egg rolls, and steamed fish. There are typically “American” foods too (hamburgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, ice cream, pizza, donuts, cookies). Food being prepared, served, eaten, and shared with ethnically diverse groups large and small — what could be better?
This book made me think back to when I first learned of Joyce Chen. I didn’t watch her cooking show on PBS, but as a young newlywed I certainly encountered her cookbook, famous flat bottom wok with a handle, high quality cooking utensils and bottled Chinese stir-fry sauces (she was the first to develop these for the U.S. market).
Joyce (who would have been 100 this year) was quite a trailblazer in her commitment to introducing authentic Chinese cuisine to Americans. She was a proponent of healthy (low fat, low sodium, low cholesterol) cooking, refused to use the standard Red Dye #2 or any other food coloring in her dishes, and was one of the first to use canola oil in her restaurants (she owned 4 restaurants over a 40-year period).
She was also an astute businesswoman. When commercial publishers initially refused to include color photographs of finished dishes in her cookbook, she self published it. In order to introduce people to a wider variety of Chinese foods (and to drum up business on slower mid-week nights), she introduced the restaurant buffet.
We have Joyce Chen to thank for food menu items being numbered (to simplify communication between Chinese and non-Chinese speaking restaurant employees), and for menus printed in both English and Chinese. And where would we be without mouthwatering favorites such as Peking Duck, Soup Dumplings, Moo Shi Pork, or Hot and Sour Soup? A far cry from the generic “chop suey” and fortune cookies that characterized Americanized Chinese food before Joyce came on the scene.
A scrumptious blend of biography, culture, food and fun, Dumpling Dreams is sure to have kids craving dumplings and eager to make their own. Clickard has included a biographical timeline, glossary, bibliography and dumpling recipe (with both veggie and meat fillings, and instructions for boiled, steamed, or pan-fried varieties). Get your hands on this book pronto and prepare to drool! 🙂
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Just to whet your appetite a little more, a little sampler of foods mentioned in the story:
Hungry yet? 🙂
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DUMPLING DREAMS: How Joyce Chen Brought the Dumpling from Beijing to Cambridge
written by Carrie Clickard
illustrated by Katy Wu
published by Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster, September 2017
Picture Book for ages 4-8, 48 pp.
*Includes timeline, glossary, bibliography and dumpling recipe
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♥ Click here for a 1966 episode from Joyce Chen Cooks, where she makes her famous Peking Ravioli.
♥ Enjoy this video of Stephen Chen (Joyce’s younger son) making Joyce Chen 5-Minute Potstickers:
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🌺 SPECIAL BOOK GIVEAWAY 🌺
The publisher has generously provided a copy of the book for one lucky Alphabet Soup reader. For a chance to win, simply leave a comment at this post no later than midnight (EST) Tuesday, November 28, 2017. You may also enter by sending an email with DUMPLING in the subject line to: readermail (at) jamakimrattigan (dot) com. Giveaway open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only, please. Good Luck!
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Carol at Carol’s Corner is back and hosting the Roundup today. Zoom over to check out the full menu of poetic goodness being shared in the blogosphere this week. Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend!
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This post is also being linked to Beth Fish Read’s Weekend Cooking, where all are invited to share their food-related posts. Put on your best bibs and aprons and come join the fun!
Copyright © 2017 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.
Jama's Alphabet Soup 
The food looks delicious and so colorful!
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Katy did a wonderful job with the illustrations — very vivid and appealing :).
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What a delightful story with fun illustrations . My little grandkids love to cook and would love this charming book. I never really heard of Joyce Chen until I just realized I bought a Joyce Chen spiralizer years ago! Thanks again for your wonderful reviews!
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Joyce’s cooking utensils are definitely still out there — it’s good to learn about the woman behind them :).
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Loved reading about Joyce. Impressive businesswoman and trailblazer. Delightful illustrations.
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Just owning 4 restaurants would be a big accomplishment. I like that her daughter Helen and son Stephen are carrying on the tradition.
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Yes, I’m hungry! (Haven’t had breakfast yet.) Would tangyuan be a good breakfast food?
I’m shocked that commercial publishers would balk at having colour photos in a cookbook! Smart lady, good businesswoman, self-publisher…Joyce was a true pioneer!
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Color photos in cookbooks are so commonplace these days that it’s hard to imagine a time when there would be an objection. It’s logical that home cooks would want to see the finished product of the recipes.
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This is a wonderful review and this book looks delightful! Dumplings! Yum!
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Thanks for visiting, Terri. Yes, dumplings!!
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What a gorgeous book, and of course, tasty as always!
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This is a fun and informative book about a true culinary trailblazer. More people need to learn about Joyce.
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*gasp*
Joyce Chen got a postage stamp!?!? Oh, wow.
I never saw her show, being too young – I barely saw Julia Child as a kid, and only because she went well into PBS-land reruns – but Ming Tsai – also a PBS alum – talked about her, and so I looked her up. I have a Joyce Chen knife which, reading this, lets me know what a HUGE big deal she was. The first woman of color with her own syndicated cooking show! Go, Ms. Joyce!
Thank you for sharing this book!
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Yes, Joyce got a postage stamp — along with other culinary giants like Julia, James Beard, and Edna Lewis.
Sadly, her cooking show didn’t enjoy the longevity that Julia Child’s series did. Julia was a hard act to follow.
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It looks like a cute book! Thanks for sharing it, Jama & Happy Thanksgiving!!
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It’s a fun read and will make you crave dumplings!
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Well, I actually do dream of dumplings! Some of my children are from China (my husband and I are not) and dumplings have become a cultural “thing” in our house as something from China we all enjoy. We make them and we buy them. What a beautiful book! I’m off to let all my friends with kids from China know about it.
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How cool! Thanks for helping to spread the word about this book, Linda. 🙂
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What a wonderful surprise to find you’re featuring Dumpling Dreams, Jama! I guess I should’ve guessed you would, though. It does score high on the tasty-o-meter! Mr. C. looks like he’s ready to dive right in. Thanks, Dumpling. 🙂
PS– no need to include me in the drawing.
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Yay, someone called me Dumpling! 🙂
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When I lived in Cambridge my apartment was just down the street from Joyce Chen restaurant! Amazing neighborhood aromas. 😊 I wonder if she and Mary Chung had a dumpling rivalry?
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They likely knew each other. Interesting question.
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Dumplings are my absolute favorite and this is a cute book!!
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Yay for dumplings!
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it looks like a delightful book. I love hearing stories about how food immigrated from their native lands and the richness added to life when cultures and their people interact. thanks for the review little dumpling. that does have a different feel than little ravioli – doesn’t it 🙂
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LOL Yes Little Dumpling is much better than Little Ravioli, though the more I say Little Ravioli the more I want to eat some. 🙂
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I’ll be eating turkey today, but thinking about Chinese dumplings! Thanks, Jama.
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Chinese dumplings are good any time. 🙂
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The book looks fantastic. Makes me want to go out for Dim Sum this morning. And dumplings for lunch!
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Good idea, Brenda!
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Looks like a beautiful, yummy, informative book…so I want to be in the running for the giveaway!
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You’re in, Shaynie. good luck!
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What an important book — and so fun that it’s written in verse with such scrumptious illustrations! Can’t wait to share it with my class!
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It was good to learn more about Joyce Chen. Kids will be hungry for dumplings after reading this one. 🙂
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Yum–this book looks delicious! Thanks for shining a light on it, Jama.
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My pleasure. Hope you get to see it soon. 🙂
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What a joyous book, Jama – I loved the vibrant illustrations and the message, too.
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Katy Wu really brought this book to life with her bright colors and interesting scenes.
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I’m late to this table, Jama, and I think it’s time to eat my Thanksgiving leftovers. Your post has made me hungry. The sticky rice in bamboo looks very tasty! I know so little about Joyce Chen, will look for this book by Carrie! The illustrations are so happy, great to see.Thanks for sharing this new bio!
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I think your granddaughters would enjoy this one, Linda, and maybe ask to try the recipes in the back. 🙂
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Oh yum. Food and poetry in one book? Delicious. Thanks for sharing – and making my mouth water.
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Food and poetry = my favorite combination in a book. 🙂
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Yum! Everything looks and sounds delicious here Jama, including the book! The book is lively, colorful, and the illustrator has done a marvelous job of capturing this little, spirited girl, Jia. What a story to share and unfold, thanks for giving us a glimpse into this special book. We go to Chinatown in Chicago, for dim sung. I also made pot stickers from scratch a long time ago.
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Now I’m craving dim sum. I’ve never tried making my own potstickers, but the recipes Carrie included have me tempted.
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From scratch they are a good amount of work-though very tasty!
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Jama, you have changed my menu for today…. Have a great week. Cheers from Carole’s Chatter
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Hope you blog about it :).
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Great post Jama! I have a copy of her Joyce Chen Cookbook that I bought at a used bookstore and I own “her” spiralizer. It was my first spiralizer before it became “a thing!” 😉 This book looks so bright and colorful and I love the fun poetry too. What a great tribute for an incredible woman!
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I’m curious to read through her cookbook after learning more about her life. Didn’t know she had a version of the spiralizer on the market.
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Wow! I had not heard of Joyce Chen before now, but I have been the recipient of many of the fruits of her labors. Thank you for sharing her story in this book. I look forward to learning more!
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I was surprised to learn about some of the things I took for granted and didn’t know where the credit should have gone. I’m glad some of her cooking show videos are available online.
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What a fabulous book — I adore the illustrations, but more than that, I never knew Joyce Chen’s story, beyond the bare-bones facts. I still have an early Joyce Chen cookbook, now I’m gong to have to search my shelves to find it.
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This book is long overdue — I’m glad kids will get to learn about Joyce’s life now.
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Thanks — though I knew of Joyce Chen, your post really showed me just what she contributed to Chinese food-loving in America. I did know about the postage stamp, though!
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
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Definitely an interesting book — good for kids to know and an incentive for older readers to dig deeper.
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You are my favorite foodie writer, Jama, and when you write about food from your own tradition, it’s better than “Iron Chef Eats.”
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Thanks, Violet, such a lovely thing to say!!!
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I took my time at the table with this one. Such an inviting book, and your photos and writing are always so enjoyable, Jama.
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Glad you enjoyed the post, Wendy!
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Any kind of dumpling–yum, yum. Interesting to know how potstickers got their name. Glad to get some recipes, too. Would love this book for grandchildren. Thanks again, Jama!
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