Jewish Chinese Takeout Traditions, 'Damn Good Chinese Food,' Best Reads 2021, Mother And Son Nnenna & Pierce Freelon Receive Grammy Nominations

In the US, Jews have eaten Chinese takeout on Christmas for over 100 years. This tradition became popular especially among Jewish New Yorkers in the 20th century. Chop Suey author Andrew Coe joins us to talk about Jewish American Chinese restaurant patronage. We take calls from listeners about their favorite Chinese restaurant. 

Chris Cheung's new cookbook, Damn Good Chinese Food: Dumplings, Egg Rolls, Bao Buns, Sesame Noodles, Roast Duck, Fried Rice, and More, takes inspiration from the place Cheung grew up living, eating, and working in: New York City's Chinatown. Cheung, chef and owner of East Wind Snack Shop, explores the food of Chinatown, which is often overlooked or under appreciated in the renaissance of Chinese cooking, and takes readers through his favorite dishes. He joins us to discuss the new cookbook.

2021 was a great year for books! Arianna Rebolini, author of the newsletter "Reading Habits" joins us to talk about some of her favorite books of the year. Plus, we'll take calls from listeners about their best read of the year.

Recently, both Nnenna Freelon and her son, Pierce Freelon, were nominated for a Grammy for their respective projects. Nnenna's project, Time Traveler, is a love letter to her late husband, Philip Freelon, who passed away in 2019. Pierce's project, Black to the Future, is a children's album featuring the voices of over four generations of his family. They both speak with us about the music, their careers, and their relationship.