Tiffy Cooks

Starred review from February 5, 2024
Tiffy Cooks blogger Chen’s appetizing debut offers home cooks a wide array of easy and economical recipes designed to go quickly from fridge to table. Taiwan-born Chen digs deep into her family’s recipe book for culinary treasures while also putting her own distinctive twists on classic fare. Drunken chicken and hot and sour soup appear alongside more surprising options such as cheesy baked pasta with an Asian kick, and a Taiwanese breakfast sandwich with Japanese mayo, cucumber, egg, and ham. Prawn and pineapple fried rice and mushroom and chicken sizzling plate are welcoming, tasty, and stunning. Recipes are grouped into quick and easy, family-style, “make-in-bulk,” and desserts/drinks, giving readers a range of options depending on how much time they have. Home cooks will treasure the step-by-step photos showing how to make more involved components including the dough for bao and buns, dumpling wrappers, boba pearls, and more. Those new to Taiwanese cooking will appreciate Chen’s Back to Basics section, offering instruction on making such core elements as fluffy rice, hand-cut noodles, and flavored oils. Sidebars on Taiwanese culture add to the appeal, with Chen describing “bustling night markets,” the importance of breakfast, and the popularity of noodles in the Taiwanese diet. For those looking to make their first foray into Taiwanese cooking, Chen proves a gracious and knowledgeable guide.