Southern foodways intersect with various Asian-American tastes in this fusion cookbook of 100 recipes celebrating inclusivity and diversity at the dinner table with the best from various cultures, cooking styles, and comforting foods.
“’Can food be the catalyst for accepting diversity?’ asks Sauce Maven founder Keng…in the introduction… Keng gleefully mixes cuisines and high and low culture: an elegant recipe for a whole fish fit for a banquet is followed by instructions for frozen fish sticks atop congee. The fusion is clever…This playful collection answers its opening query in the affirmative, and has fun along the way.”—Publishers Weekly
Ni hao, y’all! Welcome to the dining table, a special, sacred place. Egg Rolls & Sweet Tea: Asian Inspired, Southern Style is in part a memoir of Natalie Keng’s personal food journey growing up in the deep South, but make no mistake: This is a cookbook full of tasty Asian-American and Southern fusion dishes, sauces, and drinks that home cooks will enjoy preparing and sharing.
With recipes like Fried Chicken Spring Rolls With Honey, Rainbow Black-Rice Salad, Okra and Tomato Stir-Fry, Black-Eyed Pea Hummus, Georgia Bourbon Coca-Cola Meatloaf, Golden Milk and Sorghum Hot Toddy, and of course, several recipes for egg rolls and sweet teas.
Natalie Keng is a pioneer in the area of innovative leadership development and is the Founder and CEO (“Chief Eating Officer”) of Global Hearth, a multi-faceted business that leverages the power of food and culture to promote team-building and employee engagement in support of corporate initiatives through its Cooking Up a Better World™ platform of inspiring, interactive, and impactful presentations, tours and events. Keng is the creator of an award-winning line of Georgia-grown, Asian-inspired sauces (launched at Whole Foods Market) that feature natural ingredients and harken heritage recipes, earning her the title The Sauce Maven™. Before starting her own business, Keng was a strategic marketing executive in a Fortune 100 corporation. She has also headed leadership development initiatives at national non-profit organizations and served in public office. Keng is a recipient of the Greater Women's Business Council's Trailblazer Award and was appointed to serve on the Governor's Health Task Force. A graduate of Vassar College, Keng holds a Master of Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She lives in her hometown of Smyrna, Georgia.