Betty Crocker, Julia Child is not exactly part of my history nor my natural palate.

However I love some French dishes which we have done…such as from this cute book: http://www.amazon.com/Pedaling-Through-Provence-Cookbook-Sarah/dp/0761102337

I seem to have cookbooks, but don’t use many recipes from them. I guess I like the idea of creative cooking when I pore over the recipes.

Have some good Asian and Asian fusion cookbooks. I like a cookbook with many creative recipes which may combine the author’s travels in a foodie way, history snippets of the feature cuisine

http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/RevChanLegacyProject/_archives/2005/8/9/1122948.html Cookbook I bought as a gift for several family members. It has meaning because my father worked in a Chinese-Canadian restaurant his whole life. And the Chinese restaurant phenomena has a historical thread in North America..since that’s where many of the Chinese men went to work after the national railroads were built. Recipes are more homey..in tune.

I have a cookbook by Ken Hom, http://www.kenhomcooks.com/mystory/index.html where he goes back to China and learns/samples regional cuisine. The book is out of print..and now, valuable to me. Hom’s dishes are more traditional, authentic Chinese. Ming Tsai originally from Ohio, who is more well-known to some American audiences, seem to use more creams, sugars..more French influences in some pan-Asian fusion dishes, I find abit more heavy and sometimes more complex to prepare. But I would recommend as quality stuff fusion: http://www.ming.com/

Martin Yan has improved in his self-presentation and diversified his recipes…excellent in traditional Chinese recipes from China also from Chinese communities worldwide. You have to understand that Chinese cooking in Hawaii, Carribbean, Peru, Singapore and Malayasia, each get influenced by their locales. http://www.yancancook.com/

This Australian-Chinese chick-chef, is cool also. http://www.kyliekwong.org/home.aspx

All of the above people, cook and speak with passion about a cuisine …that is on par with French cuisine.

As for my cooking techniques..most of it is from memory…from my mother. My steamed savoury egg custards, steamed chicken, etc…seaweed soups. I’ve never consulted a recipe book for these dishes that I learned from mother.