It won’t surprise you to learn that I love Asian food. A few egg rolls and some vegetable fried rice will send me into food ecstasy! When I read some very positive reviews of Hetty McKinnon’s new cookbook, To Asia, With Love, I was immediately interested. When To Asia, With Love arrived, I carefully went through the recipes looking for ones that would fit into my diabetic diet.
I found plenty recipes that looked appealing–the photos of the food will make you hungry!–but I was frustrated by the lack of nutritional information. Many of my favorite cookbooks supply nutritional information which helps me and others with dietary issues to make wise food choices.
So all I can say about To Asia, With Love is that the recipes look delicious, but I’m concerned they may come with a heavy carbohydrate load. GRADE: Inconclusive, but trend towards an A.
It’s a real pain, but one Could check all the contents online and get at least a rough idea thus. But cookbook editors should be on the ball thus.
Todd, trying to find the TABLE OF CONTENTS for the books I’m reviewing is a constant challenge. Occasionally, I can find the TABLE OF CONTENTS on the Barnes & Noble web site. Sometimes on WORLDCAT. But, much of the time, I’m typing the TABLE OF CONTENTS myself.
What? No playoff picks and predictions? What is going on here?
Yes, I love egg rolls too, though we avoid (yum) fried rice these days. We have a very good Chinese food takeout place near us that makes excellent eggrols. The two dine-in places we went to regularly have both closed, sadly, though a new one opened recently and we ate there once. We also have a Japanese place we’ve been going to for years, as well as a Thai restaurant and an Indian. Down here, they have something missing in New York – Japanese buffets. Yum.
Jeff, no NFL Playoff picks because today’s games aren’t attractive. The Chargers are 3-point favorites over the struggling Texans. The Ravens are 9-point favorites over the fading Steelers. I’m not sure I’ll be watching either of these games. The Big Game is Broncos vs. Bill tomorrow!
Go, Bills!
Jeff, many Bills fans are worried about Denver Bronco’s rookie QB Bo Nix getting hot and upsetting the Bills tomorrow.
George, purely in the interest of saving you from health consequences, I think you should prepare each recipe in this book for me. Then, if I happen to die in a diabetic coma or from clogged arteries after eating one of these dishes, you will be able to say, “Okay, not this one.”
Jerry, were you a Food Taster for some King in a previous Life? I might try to get Katie and Patrick to prepare some of these good-looking dishes next time they visit home.
Imho, a cookbook without nutritional information is simply a book with pretty pictures of food. I love all varieties of Asian cuisine, but I just assume that if ann item involves rice, noodles, or wonton, my A1-C isn’t going to thank me. I make something that I’ve seen variously referred to as “crack slaw” or “egg roll in a bowl” where you prepare the ingredients for a standard egg roll, but don’t include the egg roll wrapping. I generally use Bibb lettuce leaves in place of the wrap—and it’s really good.
We didn’t get to try it when we were in Arizona, but my sister said my nephew makes great egg rolls in the air fryer. Maybe next time.
Jeff, my sister in Merritt Island, Florida makes wonderful egg rolls in her air fryer, too. We don’t have an air fryer. I’m tempted…
Deb, like you I’m cautious about Asian cuisine. My A1C would get a jolt from some of these recipes just based on past experience with rice and noodles. But the photos are pretty and the food looks great!
A repeat? I was surprised to have forgotten my reply…till I saw I replied 2 years ago. Have you tried any so far?
Todd, yes, I’ve tried a few recipes…but I worry about the carbohydrate load of this kind of food.
What’s the mystery!? If it has rice or noodles, it’s taboo for diabetics! Not that I let that stop me! Go ahead and buy an air fryer! It’ll give you another day’s material for your blog!
Bob, I like the way you think! I’m always searching for blog content!
In Germny you often find spring rolls in the Chinese restaurants, ok.
When I was younger we ised to have them, sometimes at home even but now?
I have a general problem with Asian food:
Can’t eat fish or sea fruit …
That was a bit of a problem on my work trips to China and Japan 40 years ago, but they always found solutions for me, “the odd man out”.
Btw we seldom had rice or noodles – that was food for poor people.
My favourites were Mongolian hot pots where you could choose the meat you wanted and the vegetables.
And of course the Bejing Duck, prepred at our table – accompanied by abottöe of red wine from the Great Wall.
My favourite memory:
We were invited to a restaurant in a Japanese garden in Tokyo, just a small room and four people at each table wih a boiling pot in the center, being served by one lady, really nice and good food too.
And when we left in the dark we saw thousands (or millions?) of glow worms …
Wolf, thanks for sharing those glowing memories!