Mandalay Restaurant in downtown Silver Spring will host a free book talk and menu tasting on Saturday, June 29, at 1 p.m., featuring Mei and Kaili Powers, the local authors of “It’s Not That Spicy.”
Kaili, a rising seventh-grade student, loves spicy food. During a conversation with her friends on the bus, she was shocked to learn that many of her peers don’t like spicy food or are afraid to try it. When she came home, she asked Mei, her mother, why people fear spicy food.
“It’s not like it’s a scary monster,” Kaili said.
The mother-daughter duo decided to create a children’s book to counteract the idea that spicy food is something to fear. Their goal was to creatively describe different types of spices and flavors to encourage readers to try them.
“Kaili started coming up with wonderful characters like the pepper fairy and descriptions of food that made us laugh,” Mei said. “Instead of going to bed, we ended up drawing, writing, and laughing on the floor of her bedroom.”
“It’s Not That Spicy” follows Kaili’s journey with spicy food. It includes a variety of Asian cuisines, such as Cambodian lok lak, Korean bibimbap, Vietnamese pho, Japanese sushi, and Chinese kung pao chicken.
“We hope this book will encourage people to be brave, open-minded, and try new things,” Mei said.
Burmese rainbow salad – a combination of noodles, fried tofu, potatoes, cabbage, cilantro, carrots, and more – is a food highlighted in the book and will be available for attendees to try during the event. The Powers love Mandalay, and they both shared that this is one of their favorite dishes.
The Powers encourage people who love spicy foods, books, and learning about other cultures to attend Saturday’s event. Although the book will be available for purchase at the talk, eager readers can now buy it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Bookshop, which are all linked on the Powers’ website.
