Hi everyone—we wrote a book! And it has a cover!!
We are SO excited to announce that our cookbook is finally available for pre-order.
After almost 9 years of blogging, approximately 6 years of telling readers that no, we don’t have a cookbook, but might write one someday, and 2 years of writing, recipe-testing, food styling, photographing, and editing, SOMEDAY. Is. HERE!
Our book is finally going off to print, which means that you can pre-order it right now, to make sure you receive it on our publication date, November 1, 2022!
PLUS, if you pre-order (digital or print edition from ANY retailer—even your local bookstore), you’ll have access to our exclusive Pre-order Gift: A 25-page Cookbook Bonus Pack of sneak peek recipes, recipes that didn’t make it into the book, essays, photos, and more!
How to PRE-ORDER:
If you’re in the U.S., pre-order from any of the retailers below!
If you want a signed copy, you can order one from these local bookstores and have it shipped to you!
If you live outside of the U.S., check Amazon in your home country!
Having poured much of our family’s collective energy over the past two years into this project, we are so excited to finally share it with you all.
The Woks of Life cookbook includes 100 recipes: some of our all-time best and reader favorites, as well as 80 brand new heavy hitters! 80 new recipes! You’ll also find family photos, personal stories that we’ve never shared on the blog, and lots of tips to guide you along the way.
Why Pre-order?
Ok, so we’ll level with you. November 1st is a ways away, and it might seem pointless to pre-order the book now, but if you know that you’ll want a copy later this year, pre-ordering is a good idea for a few reasons:
- It will help give our book a strong start! A strong start can make or break a cookbook. The more pre-orders we get, the more copies online vendors and bookstores will order, and the more they will promote it to their customers, placing it in more visible locations in stores. Pre-orders also count towards the book’s first week of sales, which typically determine whether a book winds up on Bestseller Lists, which can mean the difference between struggling to get publicity and getting lots of media coverage! There’s a real snowball effect, and it starts with pre-orders.
- Avoiding supply chain issues: The publishing industry, like many industries today, are struggling with supply chain issues—paper shortages, problems sourcing the cartons the books come in, and getting containers to ship the books. If we don’t get those orders in soon, there may be delays in re-stocking the book if demand outpaces supply this fall and during the holiday season. That’s why we’re announcing our pre-orders earlier than normal, so that the publisher can ensure they have enough copies to go around.
- You’ll be guaranteed a copy when it comes out: If you pre-order, you will definitely be one of the first people to get our cookbook. Pre-ordering now makes sense if you want to make 100% sure that you get a copy (or copies, if you’re grabbing them as gifts!) by our publication date.
Long story short, if you know you’re going to want a copy of The Woks of Life cookbook, we’d be so grateful if you’d head over to your local bookstore, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, Bookshop.org, Indiebound, Penguin Random House, Book Depository (for readers outside of the U.S.), or any of the other links we shared above to pre-order it today!
Admittedly, it’s a little scary to work on such a huge project for two years, and then put it out into the world, unsure of how it’s going to be received.
But it has been so rewarding to work on it as a family, and we think it encompasses everything you all love about The Woks of Life. We hope that it’s taken off the shelf often, gets chili oil splattered on it, and that the recipes and stories unlock memories, introduce you to new (or old) flavors, and inspire you to get in the kitchen.
More About the Book
(i.e. our fancy marketing copy!)
The family behind the acclaimed blog The Woks of Life shares 100 of their favorite home-cooked and restaurant-style Chinese recipes.
This is the story of a family as told through food. Judy, the family matriarch, speaks to preserving the traditions she grew up with in China and regional Chinese food ways. Dad Bill worked in his family’s Chinese restaurant during his formative years, and will walk you through how to make a glorious Cantonese Roast Duck. Daughters Sarah and Kaitlin have your vegetable-forward and easy weeknight recipes covered. Put them all together, and you have the first cookbook from the funny and poignant family behind the hugely popular multi-generational blog, The Woks of Life.
You’ll find a compendium of go-to, accessible, and essential Chinese recipes, from Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai and Spicy Beef Biang Biang Noodles to 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 on essential tools (including the all-important wok), and 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 you already dabble in bean paste and chili oil, you’ll find inspiration from this chorus of voices, and trustworthy recipes that will become a part of your family story, too.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
“For years, Bill, Judy, Sarah, and Kaitlin have been my go-to source for recipes and techniques that have roots firmly planted in Chinese tradition, but with a uniquely American experience and voice. Their intergenerational approach makes The Woks of Life unique in its ability to inspire and educate, with an eye towards practicality and usefulness. This is a very special book.”––J. Kenji López-Alt, author of The Food Lab and The Wok
“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, something I never thought I’d be able to do. Beautifully and lovingly created by the Leung family, this fantastic cookbook should be in every home!”––Kevin Kwan, New York Times bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians
“For years I was a fan, cooking many of the Leung family favorites for my loved ones. Then I became a friend when the whole gang generously agreed to come on one of my shows. We cooked all day and shared a meal I will never forget. This book allows everyone to get in the kitchen and effortlessly start cooking well researched and delicious recipes while enjoying the personalities and tastes of Judy, Bill, Sarah, and Kaitlin. The Woks of Life cookbook is a must for any food lover.”––Andrew Zimmern
“Like so many of my friends that cook, The Woks of Life is one of the first places I go when I need a recipe that I know will be as knowledgeable as it is usable. Having a whole printed book of recipes to cook through at last is such a gift — I cannot find a single recipe in this book that doesn’t entice me to cancel all of my plans and spend my evening cooking instead.”––Deb Perelman, author of Smitten Kitchen Keepers
“The Woks of Life became a staple resource for our family when we moved away from home and embarked on recreating the flavorful memories of our childhood. Complete with takeout favorites, quick weeknight dinners, approachable recipes for dim sum specialties, and sweet treats, in their cookbook the Leungs share their expertise at weaving tradition with modern techniques that speak to the Chinese American experience. Even more, they equip you with all you need to outfit your pantry with every sauce, spice, and kitchen tool to create authentic flavors (and wok hei!) that are sure to impress.”––Lina and Mei Lum of Wing on Wo & Co
“The Woks of Life blog has been one of my absolute favorites for years — I am so excited to have their book in my kitchen! These recipes are not only delicious, but they make me excited to try new dishes and bring my family together to experience new flavors. The Leung family goes above and beyond in this book to help home cooks by explaining everything from cooking tools to pantry staples, and even providing QR codes to reference certain techniques you may not be familiar with. I cannot wait to cook through this book with my family!”––Alex Snodgrass, NYT Bestselling Author of The Defined Dish and The Comfortable Kitchen
“The Leung family, creators of The Woks of Life blog, have been my go-to source when I want to make everything from fried rice and scallion pancakes, to spicy chili wontons and sesame-slicked Shanghai Noodles. With clear instructions and step-by-step photos, anyone, anywhere can make authentic and delicious Chinese food at home. I’m thrilled to have all their best recipes in one beautiful book!”––David Lebovitz, Author, My Paris Kitchen & Drinking French
Pre-Order Now!
How to PRE-ORDER:
If you’re in the U.S., pre-order from any of the retailers below!
If you want a signed copy, you can order one from these local bookstores and have it shipped to you! We signed book plates for Omnivore, located in San Francisco, and will be signing books at Yu & Me Books in NYC.
If you live outside of the U.S., pre-order at the Book Depository (link below), which ships FREE internationally, or check Amazon in your home country!
Questions? Comments? As always, leave them below!
-Bill, Judy, Sarah, and Kaitlin
