The Chinese Cookbook. Shiu Wong Chan

Truly a worthy addition to any cookbook-collectors library, this is not only one of the first Chinese cookbooks printed in English, but it also gives us a window into the early twentieth century’s attitudes toward foreign cooking. Written in 1917, this fascinating piece of history delivers beautiful recipes for all kinds of Chinese dishes. You’ll find lots of duck dishes of course, and fish, chicken, and pork, but you’ll also see recipes for delicacies like steamed turtle and bird-nest soup. The book rounds out with mouth-watering recipes for Chinese desserts and candies like almond cake and sesamum-seed candy among others.