The image highlights the cover of "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family" by Gneiss Spice. A bowl of dumplings in a fiery red sauce, topped with green onions and herbs, stands out against the red textured background, providing a taste of enticing Chinese recipes.
A person is preparing triangle-shaped pastries on a wooden surface, filled with a savory mixture inspired by recipes from "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family." Some pastries are brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with black seeds. Ingredients like dough squares and a cracked egg are visible, making the scene ideal for any cookbook photo spread by Gneiss Spice.
Four people are smiling and standing outdoors near a picnic setup featuring Cantonese Roast Duck alongside other delicious dishes on a stone surface, bringing to life a scene reminiscent of "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family" by Gneiss Spice. Surrounded by grassy areas with trees and rocks, it feels like an image straight from a vibrant cookbook celebrating Chinese recipes.
A recipe page for Pork, Mushroom & Cabbage Dumplings welcomes you to the realm of Chinese cooking with "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family." On the right, a plate of dumplings sits alongside a jar of sauce, chopsticks, a spoon with chili flakes from Gneiss Spice, and a small bowl with filling; on the left, ingredients evoke images straight from an alluring cookbook.
A plate of vibrant Napa cabbage salad adorned with carrot strips and green onions sits on a light blue dish. Accompanying text features a "Sour Spicy" salad recipe from *The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family* by Gneiss Spice, highlighting flavors reminiscent of traditional Chinese recipes, all set against a white background.
A cookbook page from "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family" by Gneiss Spice showcases an enticing Hand-Shredded Chicken dish. On the left page, you'll find the ingredients and instructions, while the right page features images of tender chicken combined with herbs and stirred using a red spatula. Experience flavors reminiscent of Cantonese Roast Duck.
A cookbook page from "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family" by Gneiss Spice showcases a popular Chinese recipe for Mapo Tofu with Fermented Black Beans. On the right side, there is a close-up of the dish featuring tofu cubes in savory sauce, while the left side provides clear instructions. Discover more delights like Cantonese Roast Duck in this delectable guide.
A copy of "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family" by Gneiss Spice is open to a Beef and Broccoli recipe on the left, offering detailed instructions. On the right, there's a plate of beef, broccoli, and rice next to a can of Coca-Cola, a glass filled with soda, and crispy chips in a red container—an inspiring scene for delving into more Chinese culinary adventures.
A recipe page for Homestyle Mushroom Mei Fun adds a touch of The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family flair. The left side presents a plate of mushroom noodle stir-fry with greens and soy sauce, elegantly garnished with chopsticks. On the right, explore this cookbook-like text by Gneiss Spice showcasing traditional flavors.
The image highlights the cover of "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family" by Gneiss Spice. A bowl of dumplings in a fiery red sauce, topped with green onions and herbs, stands out against the red textured background, providing a taste of enticing Chinese recipes.
A person is preparing triangle-shaped pastries on a wooden surface, filled with a savory mixture inspired by recipes from "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family." Some pastries are brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with black seeds. Ingredients like dough squares and a cracked egg are visible, making the scene ideal for any cookbook photo spread by Gneiss Spice.
Four people are smiling and standing outdoors near a picnic setup featuring Cantonese Roast Duck alongside other delicious dishes on a stone surface, bringing to life a scene reminiscent of "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family" by Gneiss Spice. Surrounded by grassy areas with trees and rocks, it feels like an image straight from a vibrant cookbook celebrating Chinese recipes.
A recipe page for Pork, Mushroom & Cabbage Dumplings welcomes you to the realm of Chinese cooking with "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family." On the right, a plate of dumplings sits alongside a jar of sauce, chopsticks, a spoon with chili flakes from Gneiss Spice, and a small bowl with filling; on the left, ingredients evoke images straight from an alluring cookbook.
A plate of vibrant Napa cabbage salad adorned with carrot strips and green onions sits on a light blue dish. Accompanying text features a "Sour Spicy" salad recipe from *The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family* by Gneiss Spice, highlighting flavors reminiscent of traditional Chinese recipes, all set against a white background.
A cookbook page from "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family" by Gneiss Spice showcases an enticing Hand-Shredded Chicken dish. On the left page, you'll find the ingredients and instructions, while the right page features images of tender chicken combined with herbs and stirred using a red spatula. Experience flavors reminiscent of Cantonese Roast Duck.
A cookbook page from "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family" by Gneiss Spice showcases a popular Chinese recipe for Mapo Tofu with Fermented Black Beans. On the right side, there is a close-up of the dish featuring tofu cubes in savory sauce, while the left side provides clear instructions. Discover more delights like Cantonese Roast Duck in this delectable guide.
A copy of "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family" by Gneiss Spice is open to a Beef and Broccoli recipe on the left, offering detailed instructions. On the right, there's a plate of beef, broccoli, and rice next to a can of Coca-Cola, a glass filled with soda, and crispy chips in a red container—an inspiring scene for delving into more Chinese culinary adventures.
A recipe page for Homestyle Mushroom Mei Fun adds a touch of The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family flair. The left side presents a plate of mushroom noodle stir-fry with greens and soy sauce, elegantly garnished with chopsticks. On the right, explore this cookbook-like text by Gneiss Spice showcasing traditional flavors.

The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family


$ 35.00
Minus Plus

“The Woks of Life did something miraculous: It reconnected me to my love of Chinese food and showed me how simple it is to make my favorite dishes myself.”—KEVIN KWAN, author of Crazy Rich Asians

The family behind the acclaimed blog The Woks of Life shares 100 of their favorite home-cooked and restaurant-style Chinese recipes in a very special book. 

A cheerful group of four individuals sits in a well-lit room, each holding a copy of "The Woks of Life: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese American Family" by Gneiss Spice, brimming with mouthwatering Chinese recipes. They are all smiling widely, surrounded by large windows and vibrant plants in the backdrop.
This is the story of a family as told through food. Judy, the mom, speaks to traditional Chinese dishes and cultural backstory. Bill, the dad, worked in his family’s Chinese restaurants and will walk you through how to make a glorious Cantonese Roast Duck. Daughters Sarah and Kaitlin have your vegetable-forward and one-dish recipes covered—put them all together and you have the first cookbook from the funny and poignant family behind the popular blog The Woks of Life.

In addition to recipes for Mini Char Siu Bao, Spicy Beef Biang Biang Noodles, Cantonese Pork Belly Fried Rice, and Salt-and-Pepper Fried Oyster Mushrooms, there are also helpful tips and tricks throughout, including an elaborate rundown of the Chinese pantry, explanations of essential tools (including the all-important wok), and insight on game-changing Chinese cooking secrets like how to “velvet” meat to make it extra tender and juicy.

Whether you’re new to Chinese cooking or if your pantry is always stocked with bean paste and chili oil, you’ll find lots of inspiration and trustworthy recipes that will become a part of your family story, too.
Stock up on: chili flakes, Chinese 5 spice, cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel, Sichuan peppercorns, black sesame, toasted sesame, turmeric, and lots of white pepper. You'll need cinnamon sticks, star anise, black cardamom and gochugaru to make their Ultimate Chili Oil. 

ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Food & Wine, NPR, Smithsonian Magazine, Delish, Epicurious

Published 2023.