Salt sugar MSG Recipes and stories from a cantonese American home

Calvin Eng

Book - 2025

"From the chef behind the groundbreaking Brooklyn restaurant Bonnie's comes 100 recipes that showcase his unique style of Chinese home cooking, a mashup of Americana and Cantonese classics, inspired by the flavors of his childhood. As an American-born Cantonese kid, chef Calvin Eng grew up watching his mother Bonnie in the kitchen. Though he he was often embarrassed by aspects of his heritage growing up, he eventually embraced his upbringing-and his mom-as a primary source of inspiration, and even named his restaurant after her. He would go on to define his lauded culinary style through dishes that frequently defy tradition but are rooted in the Cantonese flavors of his childhood, a third-culture perspective now reflected in his d...ebut cookbook. Salt Sugar MSG is an introduction to Cantonese cooking through an American lens, drawing a thread from his mother's cooking to what he cooks for his own family today. Some recipes stick closer to tradition, like Sizzling Steamed Fish with Seasoned Soy Sauce, Charred Cabbage with Shrimp Paste Butter, and Ginger Congee, while others upend expectations, like Salt & Pepper Pork Schnitzel with Chinese Ranch, Crispy Sheet Pan Hong Kong Egg Noodles, and Mini Sweet & Sour Meatloaves. While these dishes may not look especially Cantonese at first glance, they certainly taste like it. Written with his wife, Phoebe Melnick, Salt Sugar MSG is full of personal stories and practical tips and tricks as a loving ode to what it means to cook together as a Cantonese family today"-- more