在Norwegian Wood（《挪威的森林》英文版）中，我讀到綠子（Midori）說自己看書自學烹飪：
“...I decided I was going to cook for the family and do it right. I went to the big Kinokuniya in Shinjuku and bought the biggest，handsomest cookbook I could find，and I mastered it from cover to cover：how to choose a cutting board，how to sharpen knives，how to bone a fish，how to shave fresh bonito flakes，everything. It turned out the author of the book was from the Kansai，so all my cooking is Kansai style.”（……我下決心要自己動手做出像樣的吃的。就去新宿的紀伊國屋大型書店買回一本看上去最大、最好的食譜。按照書上寫的，我一樣不少地熟記在心。包括切菜板的選法、菜刀的磨法、魚骨的去法、新鮮鬆魚的刮法等所有內容。由於寫這本書的人是關西人，我做的菜也就跟著成了關西風味。）
我深受啟發，進行“信道”切換，專門在網上找英文版的cookbook，也自學起烹飪來。至今我已學會做17道中式美食，例如我根據下麵這一則菜譜做成了我最拿手的菜品之一。
Cashew Chicken（腰果雞丁）
3 chicken breasts，boned and skinned（3塊去骨去皮的雞胸肉）1/2 lb Chinese pea pods（1/2磅荷蘭豆）
1/2 lb mushrooms（1/2磅蘑菇）
4 green onions（4根蔥）
2 cups bamboo shoots，drained（2杯幹竹筍）
1 cup chicken broth（1杯雞高湯）
1/4 cup soy sauce（1/4杯醬油）
2 tbs corn starch（2湯匙玉米糊）
1/2 tsp sugar（1/2茶匙糖）
1/2 tsp salt（1/2茶匙鹽）
4 tbs salad oil（4湯匙沙拉油）
1 pack cashew nuts（about 4oz）（1包腰果，約4盎司）
Slice breasts horizontally into very thin slices and cut into inch squares. Place on tray. Prepare vegetables，removing ends and strings from pea pods，slicing mushrooms，green part of onions，and the bamboo shoots. Add to tray. Mix soy sauce，cornstarch，sugar，and salt. Heat 1 tbs of oil in skillet over moderate heat，add all the nuts，and cook 1 min shaking the pan，toasting the nuts lightly.Remove and reserve. Pour remaining oil in pan，fry chicken quickly，turning often until it looks opaque. Lower heat to low. Add pea pods，mushrooms，and broth. Cover and cook slowly for 2 mins. Remove cover，add soy sauce mixture，bamboo shoots，and cook until thickened，stirring constantly. Simmer uncovered a bit more and add green onions and nuts and serve immediately.(2)