I am indebted to Professor Joseph Needham for pointing me in the right direction in my research into the history of the work, a subject that has been little explored. Thanks are also due to Mrs. Man-tong Yip for sending me research material from Hong Kong. I also wish to thank Chef Woo Kwun of Fung Shing Restaurant in Soho for inspiring several recipes, notably Stir-Fried Scallops, Phoenix Rolls, and Smoked Halibut. Last, but not least, I would like to thank my editor, Gill Cormode, whose sustaining interest not only in tasting my food but also in trying out some of the recipes herself made the writing and cooking of them that much more fun.
