Asian food tends to be one of my go to comfort foods. As a Pacific Northwesterner I am lucky to be surrounded by so many Asian restaurants. I try them all! This includes fusion food, which can be hit or miss. I’ve only tried making Asian fusion at home once and it was a failure. I know when it is done right, it is magnificent. I am always looking for new ways of mixing some of my favorite foods!
(Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you)
Trevor Lui has made it his life mission to be surrounded by food. This man has a sincere passion for culinary delights. Finally we will get a glimpse of his personal favorites in this cookbook The Double Happiness Cookbook: 88 Feel-Good Recipes and Food Stories.
In this cookbook, we learn about Lui and how he ditched his corporate job to put on an apron, because of one of the most influential multicultural cities around – Toronto. He is a quick rising star among the chef and restauranteur community. He is celebrated for his vast number of successful restaurants with a massive unique menu. The Double Happiness Cookbook: 88 Feel-Good Recipes and Food Stories is his first cookbook which he happily shares for us who cook at home.
I adore the introduction of this cookbook. Lui’s “How Food Saved My Soul” summarizes his childhood as a first generation Canadian while his immigrant parents started their own Chinese restaurants. From the get-go Lui has been surrounded by the restaurant business and food. It’s a really entertaining and enlightening read which helps you feel closer to Lui and his love for food.
Afterward, we immediately jump right into food. Lui illustrates exactly what he has in his pantry for all of his menu items. Now it will be incredibly easy to see exactly what we need. This is exciting because these ingredients are very easy to find at many grocery stores or online!
The Double Happiness Cookbook: 88 Feel-Good Recipes and Food Stories cookbook is so vibrant and full of life! If you’re a visual learner (like myself) you will fall in love. Not only is the pantry on full display, but many of their recipes are too.
This cookbook contains 88 delicious Asian fusion dishes divided up into interesting chapters:
- Street Snacks
- Vegetarian
- Chicken & Eggs
- Comfort Foods
- Family Style
- Rice and Noodles
- Cooking with Friends
- Cocktails
This is a really unique selection of dishes! I am so curious what the difference between family style and cooking with friends is like.
The “Vegetarian” chapter has a few distinct features that I think are incredibly helpful. I genuinely feel like Lui is understanding about eliminating animal products and sounds understanding in each blurb for each dish. Lui has a plant-based restaurant called “Fat Rabbit” and you can tell he has a passion for ALL foods. Not only that, but he provides a vegetarian protein sources cheat sheet with grams of protein per item. You can apply this knowledge and use it as a way to substitute for meat throughout this cookbook!
Each dish has a personal story behind it. This is something I cherish, because I know these recipes come from a place of love. The foundations for many of these dishes come from family, friends, or people who have influenced Lui in his life. The Double Happiness Cookbook: 88 Feel-Good Recipes and Food Stories cookbook is an adventure through Lui’s life!
Most recipes are very easy, but there are a few elaborate and elegant dishes that may pose a challenge to novice cooks. With Lui’s assistance, every dish is broken down in a way for all of us to understand.
I am thrilled to get my hands on The Double Happiness Cookbook: 88 Feel-Good Recipes and Food Stories cookbook! This was clearly made with lot’s of love, which is truly the most important ingredient for every dish!
~Kaiti
