Acknowledgments

There have been hundreds of people who’ve made it possible for me to bring this book to life. My family and friends have put up with my obsession with Asia for years. Tour guides have led the way down back alleys, up lush green hills, and into the kitchens of Southeast Asia. Cooks and chefs took time out of their lives to explain dishes, and soy sauce makers revealed their techniques to me. I’m indebted to the late Barbara Tropp for showing me that you do not need to be Asian to become an expert on the region. Her book, The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking, is the first book I turn to for Chinese cuisine information, even to this very day!