Kitchen.
Being in the kitchen and experimenting — even into the late hours of the night — have always given me a flow state hard to explain. I’ve had a passion for food from a young age — baking American classics with my grandma and learning to cook lots of dinners with traditional Cantonese ingredients from my mom in her kitchen. I spent my high school years getting a degree in culinary arts and worked at a local cake shop, creating my foundation and influenced my ease in the kitchen. I became a food scientist to better understand flavor, ingredient functionality, and how to strategically develop products, culminating in a world that is driven by passion, experience, & expertise.
In this section, you’ll find a mixture of Chinese and Cantonese traditions, stories, and recipes from home as well as lots of baking content (my first true love!), and influences from places like Italy where I studied abroad. It’s a mix of stories, finished recipes, kitchen notes that are a bit less refined (and likely unfinished), and a deeper dive into some of my favorite ingredients to use in the kitchen.
Kitchen Experiment — Hoshigaki: The Japanese Art of Preserving Persimmons
A kitchen experiment exploring the journey of making hoshigaki, the Japanese art form of preserving persimmons.
Chai Spiced Pear Crostata Recipe
This chai spiced crostata recipe showcases the natural beauty of baked pears and the flavor of autumn and winter. It’s a simple recipe that brings together a crisp and tender dough, a crust sprinkled with raw sugar, and pears laced with warming chai spices.
Summer Peach Crostata Recipe
This peach crostata recipe showcases the sweet and jammy nature of baked peaches and the flavor of late summer. It’s a simple recipe that brings together a crisp and tender dough, a crust sprinkled with toasted almonds and brown sugar, and peaches laced with fresh orange juice.
Black Sesame Tong Yuen Recipe
A recipe for Black Sesame Tong Yuen, a traditional Chinese dessert that is typically enjoyed during the Lunar New Year, symbolizing family reunion and togetherness. These are chewy mochi-like balls filled with a smooth black sesame filling and are best served with a sweet ginger soup.
Linguine with Clams Recipe
Linguine with clams highlights the freshness of Manila clams from my local seafood market. The combination of these mild yet briny clams with fresh garlic, sweet tomatoes, juicy lemon, and a touch of butter, makes for a deliciously balanced meal fit to satiate your seafood cravings.
Savory Turnip Cake Recipe
My grandma’s recipe for Chinese turnip cake, called ‘lo bak go’. The steamed turnip cake is filled with umami-packed ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, Chinese sausage, and oyster sauce. It’s topped with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds, then seared to golden brown perfection.
Brown Sugar Rice Cake Recipe
My grandma’s recipe for Chinese brown sugar rice cake, called ‘nin go’. The 3-ingredient steamed rice cake is topped with red jujube plums and toasted sesame seeds. It’s seared to golden brown perfection, resulting in a sweet yet salty dessert that’s crisp yet chewy, like mochi.
New Year, Same Traditions
Learn more about Lunar New Year traditions through the lens of my Chinese American family. Featuring a blend of nostalgic foods from my Chinese heritage, celebration steeped in tradition, and the story two favorite recipes from my grandma.
Ma’s Touch
A story that pays homage to the life of Chrissy's grandma, Helen Eng, a fashion designer and home-baker who inspired Chrissy's creative interest. The story details her life from Canada to New York in the early to mid 1900s, highlighting the story of her famous apple pie through the lens of her Uncle Carlton.
A Multicultural Feast
Learn more about Thanksgiving traditions through the lens of my Chinese American family, featuring a blend of nostalgic foods from my Chinese heritage and American roots.