Dejah

Looks like Tae's meal was the only one comparable to tasting menus as described in various blogs. I wouldn't consider banquets where the server dishes up the food to individual guests as a tasting menu. With our culture, food is served communal style, so I wonder if the style of service in tasting menus would ever "make it". Older generation probably say " Gum daw woon deep! Si doh ga see ah!" - too many dishes to wash!

Not really...

I'm not sure if I can phrase this question clearly: In reading all the foodblogs, I find tasting menus, where small portions of multi-courses are served over a period of time, fascinating. The menu showcases the chef's innovative use of local food products and clever presentation. Does this style of dining appear in upscale Chinese restaurants, or only in Asian/fusion restaurants? Would the traditional Chinese banquet fit "tasting menu", except the food is served communal style rather than individual plates? The Asian chefs can be creative with subtle changes to tradtional methods of preparation and presentation, but can we put this into the "tasting menu" catagory?

Tsk! Tsk! Irwin. You didn't take pictures?! You MUST get with the digital technology!

In reference to making crab cakes - It would be great to show a complete contrast to the way crab is served in China. I have bought 1 lb cans of dungenese crab meat - excellent quality, in one of our supermarkets. This is what I used for crab cakes. If they are available in your area, you might consider the option. I am assuming that canned goods would be allowed through customs into China? Using bacon to wrap seafood such as shrimp would be an elegant appetizer or main course. Are scallops readily available? Frittata made with colourful ingredients and cut into different shapes would make a nice presentation. Too bad you don't have an oven. It would be so easy to do a Thanksgiving turkey (extra large chicken?) with traditional stuffing...or even individual Cornish hens with stuffing. What about deep fried Cornish hens, then brushed with a marmalade glaze, and stuffing on the side? Damn! I'm getting hungry! We DEMAND PHOTO DIARY EVERY STEP OF THE BANQUET!

I've only been to Kum Koon, Grand Garden, Dim Sum Garden, and a little congee/noodle place on McDermot called "Double Happiness?" Have heard many good reviews on Victoria Seafood, so that's our destination next leisurely trip into the city. Unfortunately, most of my trips have been for teacher's conferences over at St Boniface College or Mennonite College with collegues. I'll have to change that! What is the addrsss for Victoria Seafood? Do they serve xiao lung bao? Kum Koon is so crazy busy. We were there acouple Sundays ago and had to wait for 30 minutes. When we came out, the foyer and waiting room was so packed I struggled to get to the cashier. The times that I have been there, the food was hot and good. I especially like the hot tofu fah and the taro battered stuffed shrimp. I don't care for Grand Garden - the staff is definitely NOT friendly...and scowl when you order something from the kitchen. I just want a plate of gai lan with brunch! Dim Sum Garden on Rupert is pretty good. You order each item and it's always hot. My son likes to go there from 2 pm to 5? when it is half price dim sum. He eats alot! But, it's Victoria Seafood next trip. Any items you would recommend that are a "must have" there? What's a good time to go?

Sorry Irwin. This is the first time I've heard of this term (both in Chinese and English). What is it like? ← I'm not sure about the Chinese name but on menus in the English section in Hong Kong, Seattle and Hawaii it called "Capitol Pork Chops". They are quick fried with a light coating, seared, served together with slightly spicy, dash of vinegar, wine, sliced onions, superior both, corn starch thickened sauce on a platter with several dried chili's. In Seattle my favorite place for this dish is "Hing Loong" in the International District. ← This sounds like a mixture of our Canton Pork Chop and Toisan Pork Chop. The Canton version is much as you described, Irwin, but without the chilis. Our Toisan version was concocted by our chef using worchestershire sauce, broth, etc. Again there were no chilis nor sliced onions, but the sauce had a bit of a kick. But "pi quat" actually means sparerib...so I wonder why they call it pork chop?

Chinese do eat tomatoes, but most Chinese I know don't like Italian style tomato sauces. ← I agree with Sheetz on the Italian tomato sauce. My Mom (97) loves tomato beef stir-fry, but her stomach does not tolerate tomato sauce. Clam can be rubbery in chowder, so it may be difficult for Grandma's. Fish chowder would be a better choice. Again, I would make Boston and not Manhattan style. Someone upthread mentioned creme brulee. That would be a good dessert- much like egg tarts. My Mom loves it.

That's why it's generally sold in small packages or by bulk, and not like white rice, in bags of 25kg, 50 kg, etc. I tried eating brown rice for its nutritional value, but it just doesn't sit well with my palate. My twenty and thirty-something nieces "try" to eat brown rice, but they still eat white rice more often than brown.

No need to apologize! It made for good discussion and sharing of experiences. So, it seems that if you immigrated to North America at an early age, like I was at age 10, your first cheese experience was the Kraft slices - that some of us may still harbor a fondness for in grilled cheese sandwiches.

Why would brown rice be more perishable? It's the same grain except it still has the outer layer of bran intact.

Pardon my ignorance, but why would you import rice from Texas, Carolina or Arkansas to Shanghai? Is it cheaper? Was all the rice in China marked for export? Is American rice of better quality? There IS a niche for Uncle Ben's - the converted rice- They serve it in our university cafeteria. It's awful, and I feel sorry for the Chinese students. No wonder they move out of residence as soon as they can.

Had my first taste of cheese when I was about 8 living in Hong Kong. I vaguely remember it was hard, strong cheese from England, offered by the English lady living in the next apartment. I didn't like it as my brother told me it was "jee see -pig poop" in Toisanese! I probably would've liked it as I love stinky tofu. I came to Canada when I was 10 and ate Velveeta slices in our restaurant - grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese burgers. I loved the little round slices served as part of dainty trays at bridal showers. Then I found the squeeze tubes of cheese whiz. Didn't REALLY taste cheese until I got married and mingled in the adult Caucasian world. Our musician friends from England introduced us to wine and cheese parties in the 70s. I loved caephilly(sp?), esrom, brie - whatever they had to offer. My Dad, Mom and siblings will eat cheese, mild cheese, especially on apple pie. I think they all pretend to like cheese at parties, but they don't keep anything except slices in their fridge. Older Chinese may not like cheese because dairy products were not part of their growing up. The texture and taste may be difficult to get used to. We keep 2 or 3 kinds in our fridge, mostly for snacking, but I'd trade it all today (just today) for some stinky tofu! (to keep this in line with China and Chinese cuisine! )

Errrr....looks like there are a few things accumulating on this thread that THIS CHINESE won't eat. Unless I don't know what it is!

Using the tip of your knife, remove the stem, some of the ribs and seeds. Cut pieces of cheese, jack, mozza, any mild cheese to fit the cavity. Stuff the peppers, dip into a batter, and deep fry them babies! Packs more of a wallop then jalepeno poppers. I also heat up canola oil, add some chopped scallions, garlic and whole habaneros to make ma-la oil. Great for stir-fires!

Must have lots of wilted lettuce under Chinese mushrooms braised in oyster sauce. Romaine lettuce is a must when I make ramen noodles. I add whole leaves a minute or so before I eat it.

Must be showing our age, Ben Sook. I'm with you on the "basic jook". I made jook on Monday as I bought some cooked pig stomach at the Chinese BBQ shop in Winnipeg on Sunday. It was soooo good and tender. Worked beautifully thinly sliced and laid on top of the jook. One piece per spoonful along with some scallion and cilantro.

Warning! Warning! Off topic! Use sesame oil instead, then you are saved.

I have never seen it before but it sure looks very pretty. ← I've seen these in my recipe books, but not in a restaurant. The flower effect is produced by cutting "segments" at the top of the bun. When baked, it opens into petals.

What all did your Mom use to panfry the noodles? Always interested in new ways for these chewy noodles.

JH, this is brilliant. I used a very good abalone-scallop sauce. Highly recommended to the sceptical. ← Muichoi, Did you use the 1 cup or so of wine? I am just curious if anyone used the wine for the first time and what their comments are.

The salt is to kill any bugs still alive on the plants.

When cooking in this style, I pour the dark soy sauce onto the flaming wok/pan before I add the noodles, not pour the dark soy sauce onto the noodles. That's how they make it in restaurants. ← Really? Only in Sacramento, you say...

Kathy, Your chicken/Chinese sausage/rice bowls look delicious. Next time, try layering the marinated chicken and sliced sausages on top of uncooked rice for a one pot meal: gai/lapcheung fan. The juices and flavours will cook into the rice. I do this often in a pot on the stove. It should also work with your super national rice cooker. I'll be making your chocolate chip cookies this weekend when my grandson comes to visit. he loves chocolate chips.

Is it possible that the smokey flavor could have been from the "wok hay" (sp?)? ← Yes to the wok hay, and yes to the sesame oil for smoky flavour. I use egg noodles, either the steamed fresh noodles, or the dried ones blanched in hot water. Make sure the noodles are al dente to maintain the chewy texture.