Anna May Wong's niece graciously agreed to be our guest for this very special episode.
Anna May Wong was the first Chinese American star in Hollywood history. Her career encompassed silent film, sound, theatre and television. It was recently announced that she will be on the United States quarter in 2022 in a series honoring trailblazing women. This coming November 2021, the new Academy Museum will host the film series "Beyond the Icon: Anna May Wong". Naturally we had much to discuss. This episode was also done in partnership with the Elysian Valley Arts Collective.
The Recipe
The recipe is from "Milady's Style Parade and Recipe Book from 1935".
Tea Cakes
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cream butter and sugar and add egg beaten very lightly. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together. Add alternatively with milk to mixture. Add vanilla last and beat all until smooth. Bake in oven at about 375 degrees. Ice when cool, if desired.
*The recipe didn't list a cook time. We suggest cooking at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Check it at 12 minutes to see progress.
Special Guests
Anna Wong grew up mere miles from Hollywood where her Aunt, iconic Asian American film star Anna Mae Wong, left an indelible mark on cinematic history. While Anna never had any desire to pursue a career in front of the camera, she has always been drawn to the cultural impact and inclusiveness that her namesake strove to achieve. Whether she’s repping artists, planning events, producing and developing film and tv projects or engaging in philanthropic endeavors Anna’s mission is to increase awareness of Asian American issues and further the effort for equality.
Danny Miller is a journalist, editor and film history expert. He also co-authored the book "About Face: The Life and Times of Dottie Ponedel: Make-up Artist to the Stars" with Meredith Ponedel.
The Elysian Valley Arts Collective is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit corporation that operates in the Elysian Valley (aka Frogtown) neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.The EVAC was created to cultivate a sense of place and support a local, creative community along the rapidly, revitalizing Los Angeles River.
The Final Product
The Tea Cakes were easy to make, delicious and can be easily decorated for a party. You can pop them right in your mouth and they pair well with fruit.
Learn More
While there are multiple books out there on Anna May Wong, none of them have been authorized by her family. We all recommend the book "Hollywood Chinese" by Arthur Dong.
Please contact our friends at Larry Edmunds Bookshop in Hollywood to order your copy.
Several Anna May Wong films are available on DVD, BluRay and various streaming platforms. You can also find her films on Amazon, Kino Lorber and Turner Classic Movies.
If you live in Los Angeles or will be in town in late November, please don't miss the film series "Beyond the Icon: Anna May Wong" on November 13th - 27th at the Academy Museum.
