SOY SAUCE

SOY SAUCE by Laura G. Lee

Wow, is Soy Sauce a super fun read which is why I am adding it to my TOP PICKS list!

With the Chinese New Year right around the corner , Soy Sauce is a great read to incorporate.

Who would have known soy sauce could be such an interesting topic? Author Laura G. Lee takes readers through the process of making soy sauce and tucks into the pages references to the many different variations of soy sauce based on various Asian cultures. She concludes the book with a nod to the fact that no matter where Asian children go or who shares their food with them, they take a piece of their heritage with them when they use soy sauce. While not exactly rhyming, the book is lyrical and flows as smoothly as the soy sauce it talks about. Be sure and check Lee's author's notes at the end of the book. They are well worth it!

I have to praise Lee's artwork in Soy Sauce. The illustrations are delightful. Full of action and life, they are created with watercolors, colored pencils, and soy sauce! How cool is that?!

ALONGSIDE ACTIVITIES- It's been a while since I've added this element to a book here, but Soy Sauce is too prime a candidate to miss!

-Locate China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Indonesia on the map. Spend a little time learning about each of the cultures.

- This would be a bit of an expensive endeavor, but see if you can get your hands on the different variations of soy sauce. Cook up a simple Asian stir fry dish. Divide the dish and use the different soy sauces. Vote on your favorite variation.

-Discuss fermentation. Name other fermented foods and the countries the foods come from.

- Cook up some Asian food. We love Chinese and Thai food at our house! (We're not as familiar with Japanese or Korean, but I'm sure we would love it as well!) I am including one of our family's favorite recipes using soy sauce. https://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/teriyaki-chicken/