Portuguese egg tart, the predecessor of the Cantonese 蛋撻?
By Jennifer 8. Lee | August 26, 2010
I was in Penang, Malaysia when I saw the Portugese egg tart, also known as pastel de nata, at a local dessert chain called Maxim’s. These are theorized to be an inspiration for the Cantonese egg tart, called dan ta (蛋撻), as they got to Hong Kong via Macau, a Portugese colony when the Portugese egg tarts are still served.  So I was excited to try them finally — as you don’t come across a lot of Portugese egg tarts in New York City.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
A Peek at the Menu at the New Majestic Restaurant in Singapore
By Jennifer 8. Lee | August 20, 2010
I paid another visit to The New Majestic, one of the restaurants I visited in my quest for the greatest Chinese restaurant in the world. We went there with Don and Laura, freshly married folks. When I visited in 2006, it had just opened. It continues. Lots of high-end ingredients (shark fin, abalone etc.) and modern twists — wasabi, foie gras, etc.
Very pricey. But very good. Though is it 50x as good as your local hawker meal? Probably not. But different.
Soft shelled crab with a creamy wasabi lime sauce + mango.
Combination of crispy wasabi prawn, peking duck and
pan-seared foie gras.
Topics: Best Chinese Restaurants Around the World, Chinese Food, Chinese Restaurants | No Comments »
Chinese Restaurants circa 1100 AD in the Khmer empire?
By Jennifer 8. Lee | August 16, 2010
Chinese restaurants have a long history. And perhaps one of the earliest recorded instances are found on the walls of the Bayon Temple within the Angor Thom complex in Cambodia (It’s one of the complexes within the Angor Wat area). Bayon was built in the late 1100s or early 1200s century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII. The carvings capture many elements of daily life of the Khmer empire around that era — including marketings, cock fighting, wrestling, and Chinese restaurants. Below is a market scene with a merchant who is selling fish.
The Chinese had a long history of being in Cambodia dating back to the 900s AD (the most famous account of Cambodian life is from Zhou Daguan, a Chinese emissary that went to Cambodia around 1296 and recorded his tale). The Chinese presence is captured in the carvings at Bayon.
The Chinese look distinctive from the Khmer in that they  beards, short earlobes and thin lips. In contrast, the native Khmer are depicted with long earlobes, thick lips and no beards. Several scenes show Chinese warriors fighting alongside the Khmer against their mortal enemies, the Cham. (Tour guide said Chinese people always get excited when they see that). Below is a cockfighting scene, note the differences between the Khmer on the left and the Chinese on the right.
There are a number of places along the wall where the Chinese appear. Here is an example where they appear to be in battle.
But one of the scenes distinctly shows Chinese people cooking under a roof — a Chinese restaurant. You can see the Chinese faces cooking in pots and then other Chinese, customers presumably.
I had heard about these carvings in my research for the book, but had not seen them until now.
It’s funny listening to the tour guides go by talking about that scene in all different languages. “Restaurante Chino,” “Restaurant Chinois,” etc. and all the tourists nod in understanding because Chinese restaurants are everywhere.
Topics: Chinese Food, Chinese Restaurants | No Comments »
Is there a connection between the Dutch and the Japanese fortune cookies?
By Jennifer 8. Lee | August 15, 2010
I went to the National Museum of Singapore, and spotted these Dutch “pancake grills” that carry an incredibly strong resemblance to the Japanese kata that were used to make the original fortune cookies. It made me wonder if there was a Dutch influence to the original fortune cookies.
The cookies made here seemed to be flat (not curved into fortune cookie shape), though very ornate.
It was part of a larger display about all the cakes, cookies and confectionaries that were available in Singapore once upon a time in an ongoing food exhibit.
Lest you think the connection is a bit nutty, you should remember that tempura came to Japan via Portugal, the missionaries, in the 1500s or so.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
Fried Rice Paradise, Coming to a Theatre Near You
By Jennifer 8. Lee | August 14, 2010
Was in Singapore subway station when saw a poster for “Fried Rice Paradise,” a musical. Really. As the website blurbs itself:
Fried Rice Paradise is set invibrant Jalan Calamansi inhabited by colourful characters. There is Bee Lean whose father owns a coffeeshop selling fishball noodles. Together with her friends Girly Danker and Johan, she has great plans to transform her shop and attract more customers with her mother’s famous fried rice recipe. Unfortunately their plans are foiled by an evil father and son tag-team that have even greater plans to transform Jalan Calamansi into a thriving entertainment hub.
Filled with intense drama and humour, you will definitely be enthralled by this musical!
Topics: Chinese Food, Quirky | No Comments »
Egg Foo Young Really Does Exist. As Egg Fu Rong
By Jennifer 8. Lee | August 11, 2010
I found this in Singapore. Unlike chop suey, egg foo young is based on a recognizable Chinese dish.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
Oops. Wrong Cookie?
By Jennifer 8. Lee | August 10, 2010
This fortune, which the host got during a taping of a PBS interview about my book, is one of the funnier fortunes I have gotten. It’s from Wonton Foods. Some fortune cookie writer had a sense of humor or was incredibly bored.
Topics: Chinese Food, Fortune Cookies, Funny Fortunes | No Comments »
General Tso’s Potato Chips, Now Available at Target
By Jennifer 8. Lee | August 8, 2010
My friend Ross Baird sent in a photo of General Tso’s Thick Cut Potato Chips from a Target in Atlanta. The general continues his product expansion.
Topics: General Tso | No Comments »
Historic Fortune Cookie Grills Donated to the Smithsonian
By Jennifer 8. Lee | July 9, 2010
Breaking news! Gary Ono, who is descended from one of the earliest fortune cookie manufacturers, is donating historic fortune cookie grills, known as kata, to the Smithsonian — thanks to a connection I made.
Armed with the contact information I gave the museum, research specialist Noriko Sanefuji went out to investigate and met Gary, who is one of two people I have met that is as obsessed with fortune cookies as I am. (The other is Yasuko Nakamachi, the scholar who found the proof of fortune cookies existing in Japan)
I’m super excited that this history is getting preserved. Gary’s grandfather, Suyeichi Okamura, an immigrant from Japan, is one of the claimants to the original fortune cookie in the U.S. He was a supplier of fortune cookies to Makoto Hagiwara, who ran the Japanese Tea Garden at the Golden Gate Park, and one of the legendary figures tied up with fortune cookie lore.
As I cover in my book, Gary discovered the kata while digging through family history in the garage. Although some of the katas were plain, others had engraved initials (M.H. for Makoto Hagiwara) or had logos for the Tea Garden (Mount Fuji with “Japan Teaâ€).
Gary is donating three katas to the Smithsonian. I know in a way, it’s a dream for him. His family history is being preserved as an official part of American history.
Topics: Fortune Cookies | No Comments »
Elena Kagan, the Supreme Court, Jews, Chinese Restaurants, and Christmas
By Jennifer 8. Lee | June 29, 2010
There was an fun exchange about Chinese restaurants in today’s Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Elena Kagan, whose mom was my fifth grade teacher and whose brother taught in my high school.
SEN. GRAHAM: And I think you would tell me if you thought he was wrong. So I’m going to assume you thought he was right, because that’s the kind of person you are. And I, quite frankly, think he’s right.
Now, as we move forward and deal with law-of-war issues, the Christmas Day bomber — where are you at on Christmas Day?
MS. KAGAN: Senator Graham, that is an undecided legal issue, which — well, I suppose I should ask exactly what you mean by that. I’m assuming that the question you mean is whether a person who is apprehended in the United States is —
SEN. GRAHAM: No, I just asked you where you were at on Christmas? (Laughter.)
MS. KAGAN: (Laughs.) You know, like all Jews, I was probably at a Chinese restaurant. (Laughter, applause.)
SEN. GRAHAM: Great answer. Great answer.
SEN. LEAHY: You know, I could almost — I could almost see that was coming. (Laughter.)
SEN. GRAHAM: Me too. So you were celebrating —
SEN. LEAHY: Senator Schumer explained this to me earlier.
SEN. GRAHAM: Yeah, he did.
SEN. SCHUMER: No other restaurants are open.
SEN. GRAHAM: Right. You were with your family on Christmas day at a Chinese restaurant — okay.
MS. KAGAN: Yes, sir.
SEN. GRAHAM: That’s great. That’s what Chanukah and Christmas is all about. (Laughter.)
Love that the Jews’ love affair with Chinese food is now part of the Congressional record. My chapter, Why is Chow Mein the Chosen Food of the Chosen People has been excerpted for a project about Jews and mahjongg.
It’s an endlessly fascinating topic, and the topic of a Night Before Christmas parody as well as academic papers, including this one called “Safe Treyf” [pdf] and another by Hannah Miller. This is why I went on the Jewish book circuit.
This exchange has been noted by The New York Times, The Atlantic, Politico, Bloomberg, The Huffington Post, among others. Arguably, this will go down in the canon of famous lines from Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
As to why Jews love Chinese food? My post on pastrami egg rolls highlights some of the reasons.
- Chinese and Jews are among the two largest (if not the two largest) non-Christian immigrant groups, so they followed similar calendars. This is where Chinese food on Christmas may stem from, since Chinese restaurants were open.
- Chinese food does not use dairy (unlike the other two main longtime ethnic cuisines in America, Italian and Mexican), so when many more Jews kept kosher, Chinese food was easier to eat.
- The Chinese use of garlic, rice and chicken were familiar to an Eastern European palate.
- Chinese food was not too expensive and involved family-style sharing.
- Chinese food represented a way to become cosmopolitan.
- Chinatown and the Lower East Side, where a significant number of the Jewish immigrants from around the turn of the century lived, bordered each other. Indeed, the Eldridge Street Synagogue, the first significant Jewish house of worship in the United States, is now squarely in Chinatown these days. (It even has an egg roll festival.)
- For the Jewish immigrants, who were insecure about their rural status way back when, Chinese restaurants allowed them to feel more cosmopolitan.
- The Chinese restaurants didn’t make the Jews feel self-conscious about their immigrant status, as the Chinese owners looked more overtly immigrant than they did!
- Chinese restaurants became a place where they quietly broke kosher rules, for a variety of reasons. The exoticness of the food made it a safe place to have an exception.
Key to remember it’s largely an American Jewish phenomenon. Chinese restaurants are not noticeably popular in Israel for example.
Thanks to Charlie Savage for sending me the transcript.
Topics: Jews & Chinese Food | No Comments »
American Chop Suey, Available at Whole Foods
By Jennifer 8. Lee | June 27, 2010
Photo of American Chop Suey at Whole Foods sent to me by Elisa Mala. I’ve long been perplexed by this dish, which is essentially macaroni, ground beef and tomato paste (plus some other stuff thrown in). It’s a fairly popular dish, based on how many people cook it. How did this become American chop suey?
The funny thing is that in India they have normal chop suey, often made with ketchup, that is one of their most popular dishes. And they call it — wait for it — American Chop Suey.
Topics: Chop Suey | No Comments »
Las Vegas “Chinatown,” Giant Mall Developments For Miles on End
By Jennifer 8. Lee | June 13, 2010
I finally witnessed the famed Las Vegas “Chinatown” for the first time — which is a series of very large strip malls with Chinese and assorted other Asian businesses on Spring Mountain Road.
The original called Chinatown Plaza (pictured above), which is anchored by a Ranch 99. The strip mall was conceived by Taiwanese American developer James Chih-Cheng Chen, and opened in 1995. It was profiled in a 2004 Wall Street Journal article which doesn’t seem to be publicly available on the Internet. 🙁
Wikipedia offers an excellent write-up and Bonnie Tsui chooses it as one of five Chinatowns to focus on in her book, American Chinatown.
The food is good, and a good value. We had all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ for $18.99 + tax/tip at Motehr’s Korean Grill, and we pigged out at a Vietnamese-Chinese restaurant for $15 each for a group of 8. The meal included banh mi sandwiches, beef pho, shrimp summer rolls, shrimp paste on sugar cane, bo lac lac, among others.
The cab from the strip is not cheap: $14-$18, depending on where you are. But with a group, I think you stil come out ahead, and you have eaten better food.
Topics: Chinese, Immigration | No Comments »
Jon Karp Leaves Twelve to Head Simon and Schuster
By Jennifer 8. Lee | June 4, 2010
My editor Jonathan Karp is leaving Twelve to head Simon and Schuster — which is startling for everyone because Karp is, in many eyes, synonymous Twelve. I remember when my book was being sold, I asked my agent, Well what if he leaves Twelve? (knowing that editors often leave books when they leave houses). But back then, the belief was that he couldn’t leave, because he was the imprint. This is was before it launched.
Twelve focuses on one book per month, twelve max per year. It only has four full-time employees (plus all the resources at Hachette). Cary Goldstein, the publicist extraordinaire, is staying on. And they are replacing Jon with another editor.
The news was widely covered in The New York Times (print and blog), The New York Post, Los Angeles Times, The Huffington Post, among others.
Topics: Twelve | No Comments »
Crak Bam Dot Mah Johngg
By Jennifer 8. Lee | May 19, 2010
The book party was at Shun Lee, of course.
more »
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
Homemade Fortune Cookies at the Smithsonian
By Jennifer 8. Lee | May 16, 2010
Noriko Sanefuji of the Smithsonian made homemade fortune cookies for my visit to the Smithsonian using a recipe she had found. They were really fragile though, so only three survived, which she gave me.
Topics: Fortune Cookies | No Comments »
Poulet du Général Tso, Fortune Cookie Chronicles Reviewed in French
By Jennifer 8. Lee | May 11, 2010
The Fortune Cookie Chronicles has now been reviewed in French on Rue89, a cross between HuffPo and Politico in France, by Guillemette Faure, who was a reporter in New York. Guillemette Faure noted it got 2,000 views in 40 minutes, which is remarkable for a foreign book review.
The Google Translate from French to English is remarkable. She quotes my book in French and Google translate it back as elegantly as I first wrote it. It is much better than from Chinese to English.
I did travel to France for my book to visit the David restaurant, and wandered around the French Chinatown (or Quartier Chinois), so it’s interesting to see the commenters mention Tang Frères. Most of the French Chinese are from Wenzhou.
Topics: Reviews | No Comments »
Speaking at the Smithsonian Tomorrow
By Jennifer 8. Lee | May 7, 2010
Tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. I’m giving a talk at the Smithsonian which is free and open to the public! Today I’m going down to talk to historians, as they are interested in doing a Chinese food exhibit. I’m amused in the description below that they say “As stated by Ms. Lee,” when citing the number of Chinese restaurants. It’s very scholarly.
Jennifer 8. Lee (in China, the number ’8′ connotes good luck as it sounds like the word for ‘prosperity’) talks about her obsession with Chinese food, and explains how Chinese food became all-American. She is the author of the book The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food. The program will begin with an entertaining presentation by Ms. Lee, followed by an opportunity for visitors to ask questions. At the end of the afternoon, she will be on hand to sign books.
Saturday, May 8, 2010, 2 p.m.
Carmichael Auditorium
National Museum of American History
14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NWAs stated by Ms. Lee, there are more Chinese restaurants in America than McDonald’s, Burger King, and Kentucky Fried Chicken combined. During the program, she will discuss how her obsession with Chinese food led to a remarkable journey, penetrating this subculture by traveling the world in her quest to understand Chinese food and the people who make it. She explains the origins of General Tso, his popular chicken dish, and the story behind the fortune cookie. Ms. Lee’s presentation will educate, entertain, and inspire the desire to eat Chinese food!
Jennifer 8. Lee was a reporter at The New York Times for nine years, where she wrote about poverty, crime, politics, and technology.
Free and open to the public, this program is jointly sponsored by the National Museum of American History’s Asian Pacific American Initiative Committee, Food and Wine: The Food and Wine History Project, and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program.
Topics: Appearances | No Comments »
The Youngest Fortune Cookie Chronicles Fan?
By Jennifer 8. Lee | May 3, 2010
Sent to me by her parents, who are foodies! Supercute.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
Beijing Fortune Cookie Exporters
By Jennifer 8. Lee | April 29, 2010
I just got this e-mail sent to me on the contact form on my site. I find it amusing that they have been exporting for “many years” and that their cookies have “enjoyed popularity in both China and abroad”
Dear Sir / Madam
We wish to inform you that We have been exporters of cookies for many years.We offers you quality products at the lowest prices. The Quality of our Products and Superior Customer Service far out way all those fancy gimmicks. We serving customers for many years with honesty, integrity, reliability and a Brand name that honors your trust.
We would like to state that we accept customization of products to suit your requirements.Our products have enjoyed popularity in both China and abroad. Because of the competitive quality and price, we are sure that you can secure a market of considerable size in your area.
We are interested in gaining foothold in your country and offering our entire line of fortune cookies on the market.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for any further clarifications.
We look forward to doing business with you.
Sincerely Yours
Selva
Beijing Fortune Cookie Co.Ltd,
Address:Room2109, Wanfengjiye Building,
NO.118 Sanluju, Fengtai District, Beijing
Topics: Fortune Cookies | No Comments »
Speaking at the Smithsonian on May 8, 2010
By Jennifer 8. Lee | April 11, 2010
Very exciting. I am speaking at the Smithsonian Institute on May 8, 2010. Details are below.
Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 2 p.m.
Carmichael Auditorium
National Museum of American History
14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NWFree and open to the public, this program is jointly sponsored by the National Museum of American History’s Asian Pacific American Initiative Committee, Food and Wine: The Food and Wine History Project, and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program.
They might also be doing an exhibit on Chinese food and America. Maybe.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
New Paperback Covers. Choose one.
By Jennifer 8. Lee | April 3, 2010
Twelve is going to reissue my paperback with a new cover with my photo by Nina Subin. Which one is better?
Topics: Book Musings, Twelve | No Comments »
Why I Relate to Ming Tsai
By Jennifer 8. Lee | March 18, 2010
Did a fundraiser with Ming Tsai at Blue Ginger for the AAJA New England chapter on March 11. We even got a little write-up in the Names section of the Boston Globe (scroll all the way down. Last item.) Above: Ming preparing his special soba sushi recipe.
I spent a lot of time with Ming in my book research, and as I write in my book, he’s the one I met along my journeys that I most related to.
As I write in my book:
In one of our conversations, Ming told me, “If I can give my kids at least what my parents gave me, then that is definition of a true success.â€
I reflected on his words, concluding what his parents gave him was what set him apart from so many of the Chinese people in the restaurant industry I had met. Many Chinese cooks had told me, “We cook so our children won’t have to.†Ming cooked because he wanted to, not because he had to.
Likewise, I write because I want to.
This is why I dedicated the book to my parents and all the other parents out there who traveled across oceans so their children could follow their dreams.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
Fold-Pak Disguises Itself as Bio-Pak
By Jennifer 8. Lee | March 7, 2010
Inspired by my book, Melissa Janoski did a piece on Fold-Pak‘s white food pails for The Citizen Voice in Wilkes-Barre, Penn. She interviewed me for the piece.
One thing the piece notes. White takeout boxes don’t fly with non-Chinese restaurants, because of the image. So the company also makes flatter, wider containers that don’t look like Chinese boxes, though are structurally the same. Many sold under the Bio-Plus Earth brand.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
Tears for My Dedication
By Jennifer 8. Lee | March 5, 2010
My mom forwarded this note she got, typos and all, to me. It’s from another Chinese-American immigrant.
I read the prefcace of the book that Jennifer wrote,I was pretty touched by what she wrote at the first page, I dont rememebr the exact words she used but the gist was: To Mom and Dad, who struggled their life so that we can chase our own passion….
..I was almost crying, when I read that….
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
“Fortune Cookie Chronicles” Coming to a Syllabus Near You
By Jennifer 8. Lee | March 2, 2010
Meryl Gordon, director of magazine writing at NYU’s Arthur Carter Journalism Institute, assigned my book to her undergraduate class. I’ve never seen this many copies of my book outside a bookstore!
Topics: Book Musings | No Comments »