Homesick by Yu-Ying Chuang is a wonderful collection of musings about the meaning of home interspersed with recipes and photographs. Chuang shares candidly the stories of his childhood and how his Taiwanese hometown of Chiayi taught him and his family how to show love through the act of cooking for each other. When feeling nostalgic, or in need of comfort, Chuang recreates the signature dishes he learnt from his parents, beginning with Ba Bao Jhou, a dessert synonymous with the sticky summer nights of his youth.
Homesick is a window into Chuang’s world, capturing beautifully the tug-of-war of the immigrant experience. As he aptly puts it: ‘I only ever realise I was at home once I am moving away from home.’ This collection is a reminder of what home might mean to us – a purpose, a blessing, a place of refuge, or as simple as a can of sweet Ba Bao Jhou.