Thank You Martin Amis

Thank you Martin Amis! You have done what only a Chisese visa officer and a paltry royalties cheque has done to date: made me feel qualified to call myself a writer.

A few days ago Amis was chatting about books on the BBC's new programme 'Faulks on Fiction'. When asked if he'd ever considered writing a children's book, he answered with this pearl: "If I had a serious brain injury I might well write a children's book." A cynic might think it was a set-up for the new programme to get some press, or maybe Amis has a book about to launch.

But I am celebrating. I have just found out that some miserable old britlit snob desperately trying to live up to his daddy's legacy has proclaimed me qualified to write children's books! Finally, a seal of approval. What next? A Caldecott?

What is brain cancer and all its effects, if not serious brain injury? Life threatening, painful, gruelling to recover from...and a prerequisite to being a kidlit star.

Thank you Mr. Amis, renowned author of...of...oh shoot I can't think of a single title. Must be the brain injury.

CHINESE NEW YEAR

This is one of my favourite times of the year: Chinese New Year. On February 3rd the Year of the Rabbit begins.  Chinese New Year is a little different from the western, January 31st New Year's celebration. The focus for Chinese celebrations is on family, and the cohesiveness of family.

Food is crucial to the celebration. At the top of the list is the New Year's Cake Neen Gow. I love this cake, which by western standards doesn't really resemble cake. The brown slab sugar (peen tong) makes it sweet and the colour of toffee. The glutinous rice flour makes it ooey-gooey inside. Once the sugar slabs are melted and mixed with the flour, it's steamed for 45 minutes. After it cools it's sliced (about 1cm thick). The slices are dipped in egg, sprinkled with sugar, then fried to give them the soft gooey center. Think of a peice of McIntosh Toffe and you've got the idea.

The really important thing about Neen Gow is that it's made with glutinous rice flour which represents the cohesiveness of the family and absolutely must be eaten at this time of year.

Last year I made my first ever New Year's Cake and it was a huge success. Even my mother-in-law was impressed! You can get the slab sugar (be careful not to get the 'rock candy sugar') and the glutinous rice flour in any Chinese grocer. If you live near a TNT, just go there...in fact you can buy the cake there (all you have to do is dip it in egg and fry it). BUT for the more adventurous at heart, check out Grace Young's recipe on Epicurious. While we're talking about it check out Grace Young's cookbook / memoir The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen...the source of the recipe.

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Don't Write the Obit For Picture Books Yet

Don't Write the Obit For Picture Books Yet

Dragons and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

I'm so happy to see that Christoph Niemann's new picture book SUBWAY was named one of the best 10 illustrated children's books of 2010 by the New York Times. His first picture book THE PET DRAGON is magnificent...a great story with an elegant illustrative twist.

A little girl is given a baby dragon. They become best friends and then the dragon goes missing. Throughout the friendship and journey ro find the pet dragon, Chinese characters are woven into the illustrations in a way that makes the meaning obvious. After a few times through the story, my daughter was able to identify nearly all of the characters.

It's a great book, still in print, and a wonderful way to introduce Chinese characters.

Ummm, I don't have anything to say about bears. I just like the Wizzard of Oz.