How Katie Chin’s Global Family Cookbook is a “Must-Have”

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Katie’s book filled me with menu ideas from the minute I first looked through it at the suggestion of our friend @Tableconversation. Markers of recipes to cook soon filled own copy.

And I loved her book launch party demo. How can you resist a sophisticated lady who turned aside from the crowd while trying to tear off the paper guard from a seasoning bottle top, while she called out, “I don’t want you to see me opening this with my teeth but I always do.” So do we!

“Must-have” Global Family Cookbook’s compilation of clearly written, ingeniously updated, enticing ethnic recipes plus one of the most comprehensive, compact sections on global pantry items; international noodle, chile and pepper varieties; cooking techniques and tools – are all thoughtfully photographed, making it a go-to reference book for all time.

Katie learned to cook alongside her mother and it’s an experience she now loves to share with her daughter. In a throw away line, she mentioned that her mom catered David Burkus’ bar mitzvah (Neil Patrik Harris partner). “But that’s another story,” she laughed. And we intend to hear it.

We already made two recipes that we loved: The Grilled Corn and the Grilled Shrimp with Tequila and Lime. We loved them, so did guests, and we would make them again anytime. Thanks go out to the inspiration prep and products for renewed favorite: corn on the cob.

Grilled Corn with Mexican Pesto on p. 207 features the flavors associated with the culture: lime, tequila and spices. We added the “shucked” version made for Katie’s daughter Becca, who wears braces on her teeth, as a choice for our guests.

Gelson’s Market came through with the one adamant corn 🌽 grilling tip of starting with quality, fresh corn (plus cilantro for the pesto). So juicy, flavorful you can almost eat it raw!

We substituted Melissas’s Ground Green Hatch Chile for chili powder in the recipe to add just the perfect heat enhancing the cotija and pesto.

Thanks to @tableconversation and writer Mona Day who got me back to eating fresh corn – decades after I adored picking it to eat on my uncle’s gentleman farm near Ann Arbor. Thanks to CleverOne (TM) Board for our 2-year old mainstay, pliable NFlex “wood” backdrop and to Pots & Co for the little tub that originally held a decadent dessert. You can find links to those stories on: //localfoodeater.com/pots-cos-perfect-lava-cake-in-a-ceramic-pot/ and //localfoodeater.com/the-cleverone-board-for-a-smart-original-gift/

We already Gelson’s Market fresh cilantro, minced garlic, plus a stash of 16-20 shrimp for the Grilled Tequila Lime Shrimp.

We toasted Katie for this special “spirited” dish. We toasted the Jalisco Mexico highlands-based tequila line named in honor of fearless Adelita, who led the female fighters in the Mexican Revolution.

Pad Thai (serving 4) is an example of the global holiday recipes developed for a home kitchen. It is perfect to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Katie gives the tip of substituting brown sugar and lime juice to mimic the classicTraditional Pad Thai recipe ingredient of tamarind concentrate to mimic its sweet tart signature taste. 

Even Katie Chin’s Global Family Cookbook Launch Party was filled with the international, community spirit of the book with a food demo, cocktail party and activities for the fund raiser. Katie Chin is just one of those capable, food-passionate people who draws the best around her.  and, yes, you can see from the photos that she is as effervescent as in her TV cooking demonstrations, and as humble. Even meeting her for the first time amidst scores of guests she greeted me personally with a fellow writer’s affection and respect.  Wow.

You can find Faye Levy’s Hanukah  recipe in Global Family Cookbook.  Here she is pictured with photographer-husband, Yakir, and podcast host, Linda Grasso.

Katie Chin co-hosted the national PBS cooking series Double Happiness, has been a guest judge on Food Network’s Iron Chef America and appeared as a contestant on Cutthroat Kitchen and Beat Bobby Flay. Recently, Katie and her kids teamed up for the online series CoopedUp Cooking with Katie— meant to inspire people stuck at home during COVID-19 to get creative in the kitchen. She is the author of Everyday Thai Cooking and Katie Chin’s Everyday Chinese Cookbook and the Culinary Ambassador for The National Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Find her @chefkatiechin