MOCATalks with author Diana Zheng – Jia! The Food of Swatow and the Teochew Diaspora

• Books & Literature

Cookbook author Diana Zheng joins us to talk about her book Jia! The Food of Swatow and the Teochew Diaspora, an exploration of her roots and the global Teoswa community. Zheng collected recipes while cooking alongside her aunts and uncles in Swatow, a small city on the coast of southern China, and throughout a research trip to Southeast Asia, where many people of Teoswa descent now reside. Along the way, she learned about how Teoswa cuisine has evolved over time and across borders — and how it often hides in plain sight in America. When she became frustrated by a lack of modern chinoiserie to use in Jia! photos, she started a company, Gwan-im, to design and produce home goods that reflect her Asian-American identity.

Tickets are $15 and include wine, book signing, and Museum admission.