Shrimp is easily America’s favorite seafood, but its very popularity is the wellspring of problems that threaten the shrimp industry’s existence. Asian-Cajun Fusion: Shrimp from the Bay to the Bayou provides insightful analysis of this paradox and a detailed, thorough history of the industry in Louisiana. Dried shrimp technology was part of the cultural heritage Pearl River Chinese immigrants introduced into the Americas in the mid-nineteenth century. As early as 1870, Chinese natives built shrimp-drying operations in Louisiana’s wetlands and exported the product to Asia through the port of San Francisco. This trade internationalized the shrimp industry. About three years before Louisiana’s Chinese community began their export endeavors, manufactured ice became available in New Orleans, and the Dunbar family introduced patented canning technology. The convergence of these ancient and modern technologies shaped the evolution of the northern Gulf Coast’s shrimp industry to the present. Coastal Louisiana’s historic connection to the Pacific Rim endures. Not only does the region continue to export dried shrimp to Asian markets domestically and internationally, but since 2000 the region’s large Vietnamese immigrant population has increasingly dominated Louisiana’s fresh shrimp harvest. Louisiana shrimp constitute the American gold standard of raw seafood excellence. Yet, in the second decade of the twenty-first century, cheap imports are forcing the nation’s domestic shrimp industry to rediscover its economic roots. “Fresh off the boat” signs and real-time internet connections with active trawlers are reestablishing the industry’s ties to local consumers. Direct marketing has opened the industry to middle-class customers who meet the boats at the docks. This “right off the boat” paradigm appears to be leading the way to reestablishment of sustainable aquatic resources. All-one-can-eat shrimp buffets are not going to disappear, but the Louisiana shrimp industry’s fate will ultimately be determined by discerning consumers’ palates.

Get ready to embark on a culinary odyssey of vegan recipes and learn about the fascinating history of Asian cuisine. Asian chef and cooking instructor Chat Mingkwan is an expert at modifying traditional recipes for use in western kitchens. Here he presents meatless versions of signature dishes from all corners of the Asian continent: Japan, India, Laos, Korea, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Sri Lanka. His instructions and enthusiasm encourages readers to experiment with both familiar and exotic herbs, spices and seasonings, and skillfully combine them with legumes, vegetables, and rice, noodles or wrappers. Curry lovers can sample a variety of curries from neighboring countries and enjoy both subtle and radical differences. And use of plant-based ingredients to replace fish allows those who are allergic to seafood and shellfish to enjoy this cuisine. These recipes capture the centuries old natural fusion of local ingredients that had been influenced by China, India, and Europe.

For the estimated three million Americans suffering from Celiac disease, wheat allergies, and severe gluten sensitivities, Asian food is usually off-limits because its signature ingredients—noodles, soy sauce, and oyster sauce—typically contain wheat. In the Gluten-Free Asian Kitchen, food writer Laura B. Russell shows home cooks how to convert the vibrant cuisines of China, Japan, Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam into gluten-free favorites. Authentically flavored dishes such as Crispy Spring Rolls, Gingery Pork Pot Stickers, Korean Green Onion Pancakes, Soba Noodles with Stir-Fried Shiitake Mushrooms, Salt and Pepper Squid, and Pork Tonkatsu will be delicious additions to any gluten-free repertoire. Along with sharing approachable and delicious recipes, Russell demystifies Asian ingredients and helps readers navigate the grocery store. Beautifully photographed and designed for easy weeknight eating, this unique cookbook’s wide range of dishes from a variety of Asian cuisines will appeal to the discriminating tastes of today’s gluten-free cooks.

With eight major national cuisines, and dozens of regional variations, a comprehensive exploration of Asian cuisine might seem too daunting to present in one volume. But with Essentials of Asian Cuisine: Fundamentals and Favorite Recipes, award-winning author Corinne Trang successfully brings the fundamentals of Asian cooking into the home kitchen in a collection that includes both contemporary and time-honored recipes. Trang takes the reader on a journey of Eastern culinary discovery as seen through a practiced Western culinary lens. Explaining how and why Chinese cuisine is at the root of all Asian cooking, she describes in familiar terms the techniques that incorporate the five senses and embody the Chinese yin yang philosophy of balanced opposites. Trang uses Asian ingredients commonly found in supermarkets and through mail-order sources -- such as fish sauce, lemongrass, and rice noodles -- to guide home cooks through the preparation of healthy, sensual meals. She illuminates the mysteries of authentic Asian cooking, explaining the aromatic herbs and spices that make Asian cuisine vibrant, colorful, and distinctive. Trang brings together more than three hundred traditional and cutting-edge recipes for condiments, appetizers, main courses, vegetables, and sweets and drinks from China, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Mouthwatering items include Chinese Scallion Pancakes, Filipino Fried Spring Rolls, Spicy Indonesian Crab Fried Rice, Japanese Miso-Marinated Black Cod, Japanese Spring Water Tofu with Sweet Sake Sauce, Stir-Fried Leafy Greens, Chinese Pork Ribs with Black Bean and Garlic Sauce, Green Tea Ice Cream, and Thai Coffee. In organizing the book by type of food, Trang allows cooks to see both the common elements and the distinctive individualities of Asian national and regional cooking. Trang explains the roots of major recipes and discusses where they appear in various guises in different countries. Vietnam's Canh Ca Chua (Hot and Sour Fish Soup), for example, can also be found in Cambodian, Indonesian, and Thai cuisines; Trang provides the recipes for both the master soup and its variations. Trang includes a comprehensive glossary of Asian ingredients, plus a detailed list of resources for purchasing special ingredients and equipment. She offers sample menus, including a Chinese Dim Sum, a Filipino Dinner, and a Japanese Lunch. A special section on feng shui demonstrates how to organize and beautifully present a meal. In this lavishly designed and illustrated volume, more than eighty-five original black-and-white and color photographs bring to life the ingredients, dishes, and people of Asia. The book is rich with personal anecdotes and intriguing information about Asian culture, and nowhere else will you find such a clear, comprehensive, and accessible treatment of Asian cuisine. More than a cookbook, Essentials of Asian Cuisine is a celebration of exotic culinary delights.

During the months of Lent, many make sacrifices of food, drink, social media and even ways of thinking in order to draw closer to God in prayer and faith. Professional chef Kimmy Tang knows firsthand the sacrifices for Christians during this time, herself a born-again Christian of the Eastern Orthodox Church. She uses her longtime cooking background to craft Asian-fusion recipes for Lent in Kimmy Tang's Asian-Fusion Lenten Cuisine. Within the pages of her cookbook are delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes: ranging from salad recipes to quinoa recipes to tofu recipes and dessert recipes. Kimmy also discusses being a Vietnam War refugee and her early beginnings into cooking, along with including an inspirational story about Saint Euphrosynus and his cooking journey to Paradise. These healthy living recipes are easy recipes to make, while remaining centered in God's truths with prayers during meals and scripture references to recall and embrace.

"Fully of provocation and insight." - Cathy J. Schlund-Vials, author of War, Genocide, and Justice