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THE CHINESE COOK BOOK

food, one realizes how delicious it is. It has been said that if the Chinese were as great in other ways as in cooking ability they would notably influence other nations.

The story is told of a young Chinese couple newly married. The bridegroom was boasting to a friend of his bride's ability in cooking. The friend was invited to visit the groom's home. The friend had a keen sense of humor and so he asked the groom if his bride would cook anything he brought. The groom, feel- ing confident of his wife's ability, told his friend that he might bring anything he wished and the bride would cook it.

The friend came, bringing with him a stalk of sugar-cane and a pound of pork. He gave it to the bride. Now, the friend of course thought it would be impossible for the bride to do anything with these things. But he had not taken into consideration her cleverness.

The bride took the cane and, with a scraper, removed the outside rind. Then she put the pound of pork, cut into pieces, and the remain- ing cane through a grinder. To this chopped cane she added the white of an egg, and, using a little cornstarch, mixed all well together.

THE CHINESE COOK BOOK

Then she made balls. She fried these balls in oil and proudly set them before their guest, who was astonished at their delicious flavor and tastiness.

This story simply shows the magic of Chi- nese cooking. Often very tasty and wonderful dishes are made out of unexpected and unusual things. The result is not only savory and ap- petizing; it creates a desire for more.

Even the inexperienced housewife can pre- pare Chinese dishes of great flavor and deli- cacy.