What Is the Difference Between Lo Mein in China and in Chinatown?

Noodles are an especially popular dish in China. Dating way back to the Han Dynasty, noodles symbolize a long and prosperous life.

And, while many Chinese-American dishes, like General Tso’s chicken, are nowhere to be found in China, lo mein is actually an authentically Chinese dish, popular and inexpensive throughout many regions in China.

And, of course, lo mein is also a wildly popular and cheap meal in the States, especially for take-out. It’s also the ultimate comfort food, like a bowl of mac ‘n cheese, right?

Simply put, “lo” means stirred or tossed and “mein” means noodles. And lo and behold, there are differences between the lo mein you’d find in China and the Chinese-American lo mein you’d order at a restaurant in a Chinatown restaurant in New York, Boston or San Francisco (although that’s not to say you can’t find authentic lo mein here.)

There are some similarities, too. For instance, the noodles used to make the dish in China and in the States are the same—typically Chinese egg noodles made from fresh wheat flour noodles with added egg and about a ¼ inch thick.

The noodles are cooked al dente, drained and, in the states, then added to a sizzling hot wok where they are quickly tossed with the sauce and meats like pork, beef and chicken, or seafood is also sometimes used like lobster and shrimp. The soft noodles soak up the sauce, making lo mein a saucy standout dish. And the noodles are tossed, not stir-fried, the technique used when making chow mein.

In China, the noodles are typically tossed in that sizzling wok with a thin sauce for a soupy consistency and you might find wonton or beef brisket crowning the dish. Often, too, the noodles, veggies and meat are served alongside the sauce or soup in authentic Chinese lo mein. And in China, vegetables typically include bok choy, mushrooms and cabbage.

Sauce is also key. In the states, the sauce is typically a brown sauce typically made from sesame oil, rice wine, chicken broth, soy sauce, hoisin, ginger, oyster sauce and a thickener like cornstarch. Whereas in China, the sauce is much lighter and soupier and with fewer ingredients—soy, rice vinegar, and just a pinch of cornstarch to thicken.

And yes, it’s true, that lo mein can be salty and greasy—but if a reduced or low sodium soy sauce is used, as well as less sesame or other oil, you’ll get a healthier, but just as tasty dish.

Note: When making the dish at home, you can find classic lo mein egg noodles in an Asian grocery market. But you can also easily swap in fettuccini noodles, linguini, even spaghetti as long as you cook them al dente. And keep in mind, the thicker the noodle the more authentic the dish.

Lo mein is a cheap take-out meal, and a budget-friendly and easy dish to make at home for a snack or meal. Here are a few recipes.

Try this quick, under-thirty-minutes lo mein from Chef Savvy. The recipe features chicken thighs and vegetables—along with those noodles. Get the recipe. 

And this lo mein recipe from Dam Delicious is perfect for a last-minute craving—it’s a 15-minute dish with a healthy bent, thanks to loads of veggies. Get the recipe.

And here’s another solid recipe for vegetable lo mein from The Woks of Life. Get the recipe.

When you can’t get to an Asian market for those Chinese egg noodles, here’s an easy recipe for homemade Chinese egg noodles from China Sichuan Food.  Get the recipe.

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M&M’s Is Launching 3 New Flavors But Only One Will Remain on Shelves

Exciting news for candy lovers – M&M’s have just released three new flavors nationwide. However only one will be around for the long run. They’re letting consumers choose the winner by voting for their favorite. It’s the second ever “Flavor Vote” and it’s open until May 25, so get your online ballot in before then.

The three new varieties include Crunchy Raspberry, Crunchy Mint, and Crunchy Espresso. So regardless of who comes out on top, you can bet it will be crunchy! Beyond their specified flavors, these candies differ from standard M&M’s in several ways. First of all, they’re made with dark chocolate, which is definitely an upgrade. And secondly, they feature a crispy, rice center. (The mint one has a plain rice crisp, while the raspberry and espresso ones are mixed with cocoa.) Hence the crunchy texture.

The winner will be announced in August, at which point the remaining two flavors will disappear from stores, while the victor will stick around for another 18 months. Personally, we’re rooting for espresso, because they pack a serious coffee punch! Plus it has historical precedent. When M&M’s previously ran a similar competition in 2016, Coffee Nut beat out Honey Nut and Chili Nut. While a fairly obvious outcome, none of the candies were never marketed as “limited-edition.” While they’re likely being phased out for good, (they’re no longer listed on the official M&M website) you can still find them for sale on the internet (because pretty much everything is for sale on the internet).

Speaking of retired M&M’s, anyone remember the tan-colored ones (RIP)? It’s hard to believe an entire generation has come of age in world without them.  Those retired over twenty years ago in 1995, when in yet another voter-driven marketing stunt, blue M&M’s beat out pink and purple ones and remained in packages ever since.

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Harissa and Beer Broiled Shrimp

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How to Make Creamy Egg Salad Without Mayonnaise

A simple and decidedly humble dish, egg salad is nonetheless pretty easy to screw up. Proportions are key, and that mostly means a judicious hand with the mayonnaise. No one wants sloppy, gloppy, gloopy egg salad that squishes completely off the bread. Some people, self-professed picky eaters or not, don’t want any mayo at all.

I can respect that, even if I can’t understand it. I love mayo to a borderline embarrassing degree, but sometimes even I find egg salad too much (probably because I adore mayo so, and always tell myself a little more can’t hurt—patently false). Sometimes it even seems a bit odd, mixing chopped eggs with more eggs; that’s mostly what mayonnaise is, after all. Still, I habitually reach for the Hellman’s/Best Foods jar, and can’t see changing it up except as an occasional experiment.

If you’re a mayo hater, though, you don’t have to write off egg salad entirely. There are lots of interesting options beyond simply stirring in some H20 to up the natural creaminess of the yolks (seriously, this is a thing people apparently do, but yet another case where “Just add water” does not sound remotely appealing). Most people will probably want to substitute something creamy and flavorful for the mayonnaise, whether that’s yogurt, ricotta, avocado, or hummus.

Many of the mayo-free egg salads still have the benefit of being healthier if that’s a concern of yours, and they also happen to be great for packing in a picnic basket. But you can still take the dairy-heavy versions to go too, as long as you have a good cooler and enough ice packs.

No matter what you choose to bind your salad with, you’ll want to hard-boil the eggs to perfection, and then choose your preferred method of slicing, dicing, chopping, or mashing them. The blade of a knife or tines of a fork are both fine, but I usually use one of those wire-string egg slicers (my particular model is a relic from the 1980s, purchased by my mom, and while not an indispensable kitchen gadget by any means, it is really satisfying to wield once or twice a year). I’m so used to the tool I never really thought about the alternatives, but recently came across the prospect of chopping the eggs with a potato masher, which is intriguing. You could use a balloon whisk to the same end. If you’ve got some aggression to work out, or just really enjoy the tactile aspects of making food, go ahead and crush the eggs with your bare hands. Or grate them for a fluffier, shredded effect.

Then mix them with whatever you like—and if that’s definitely not mayonnaise, consider one of these alternatives:

Egg Salad Without Mayo

Evan Sung/Leite’s Culinaria

For starters, this refined rendition doesn’t rely on any of the usual suspects for replacing the mayo, but simply mashes the eggs with rich, soft, sweet caramelized onions and garlic instead. Get the recipe.

Avocado Egg Salad

Pinch of Yum

Avocado already stars in a lot of unlikely dishes, from cocktails to chocolate tarts, so it can definitely do egg salad too. Simply mash it smooth, mix with fresh herbs, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil if need be, then fold in the eggs. No mayo or mayo-adjacent ingredients to speak of. Get the recipe.

Crème Fraîche Egg Salad with Tarragon and Scallions

Strawberry Plum

If it’s the specific taste of mayo that you can’t do, try tangy crème fraîche in its place, boosted with Dijon, lemon juice, fresh tarragon, and scallions. This is a sophisticated take that’s perfect for spring. Get the recipe.

Hummus and Tahini Egg Salad

Kitchen Confidante

Here, hummus and tahini lend a lighter kind of creaminess and extra protein to the eggs, while red onions and chives add crunch. Get the recipe.

Greek Yogurt Egg Salad

Well Plated

Another healthier take that tastes closer to the classic mayo-laden version than not, this egg salad uses Greek yogurt for the creamy element. You can play around with the other mix-ins if dill and celery don’t do it for you. Get the recipe.

Pesto Egg Salad

The Healthy Maven

This easy green egg salad also contains a dollop of Greek yogurt, but there’s no reason you couldn’t skip it and just stir in pesto by itself, perhaps with a little extra oil if you think it could be a bit more luscious. Get the recipe.

Georgian Walnut and Egg Salad (Azelila)

Nami Nami

Softened butter and finely chopped or ground walnuts bring body to this mayo-free egg salad from the country of Georgia. Get the recipe.

Ricotta Egg Salad

Shutterbean

Greek yogurt strikes again, this time mixed with an equal amount of fluffy ricotta, plus Dijon for zing and a bit of red bell pepper for sweetness and crunch. Get the recipe.

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This Miami Ice Cream Shop’s Got Flavors and Cleverness Aplenty

When one thinks of Miami, Cuban food springs to mind, but what about Cuban ice cream? Head to Calle Ocho, the main thoroughfare of the Cuban neighborhood, Little Havana, and you’ll find Azucar Ice Cream Company, likely with a deep line of people waiting to get their sugar fix. You can’t miss the larger-than-life ice cream cone hanging above the doorway on the blue exterior. Founded by Suzy Batlle, a daughter of Cuban immigrants, Azucar lures people in with creative flavors. While Batlle and her ice cream shop seem like natural fixtures now, her path to ice cream queendom was an unusual one.

A whip-smart, no-nonsense woman, Batlle found herself out of work as a banker in 2008. She didn’t have a culinary background, but her kids, school-aged at the time, suggested she open an ice cream shop. Batlle’s grandfather had been a sugar mill engineer and her grandmother an ice cream making whiz, so it didn’t seem like such a leap. Batlle studied up on it and attended a two-week program at Penn State where she learned about the chemistry and physics of ice cream and then learned how to make ice cream at the Frozen Dessert Institute in St. Louis. She knew that she couldn’t open your regular vanilla and chocolate ice cream shop; it had to be Cuban. “It’s a Cuban ice cream shop. I’m Cuban, my whole family is Cuban. So we made the flavors as Cuban as possible,” she explains.

Suzy Batlle, Azucar Ice Cream Company

Cubans migrated to Miami in the 1960s in the wake of the Cuban Revolution. There are Cuban and Latin American influences throughout the metro area, but Little Havana was the hub of Cuban exiles, and Calle Ocho its main artery. West of downtown Miami, Calle Ocho is colorful with vibrant street art, restaurants with window coffee shops, a domino park where senior citizens play all day and night, and cultural landmarks like the Tower Theater. “That’s really where the Cuban life began, especially for us. I was born here, but my brothers were born in Cuba and my mom came from Cuba. We were all little kids, my mom had to work three jobs, but [Calle Ocho] was the Cuban Mecca for everybody.” It’s not gimmicky like Disney World, but authentically Cuban. That’s how Batlle knew she had to open her shop there.

More Sabor Cubano

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Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)

Even the shop’s design is inspired by Cuba. First are the guayaberas (men’s linen shirts) stolen from her family members to make cushions, the portrait of Celia Cruz, and the Spanish mosaic tile. Then there are the plastic-covered chairs. “There was this phenomena when my grandmother came from Cuba. For some reason all these older people had plastic all over their furniture so I added the plastic, too, because I thought it was funny that my grandmother had it and every time you got up from the seats, especially if you were sweaty, you took the couch with you,” she says with a laugh.

Abuela Maria, Azucar Ice Cream Company

Why is Azucar’s ice cream quintessentially Cuban? Their flagship (and trademarked) flavor is the Abuela Maria, named after her grandmother and a tribute to an afternoon Cuban treat. “Cubans love to have with their 4:00 coffee and Maria cracker topped with guava and cream cheese. So we took that variation of something very Cuban and made it into an ice cream.” It’s a nicely layered flavor with crunch and just the right amount of sweetness. There are more straightforward flavors, too, like guava, plantain, and flan. According to Batlle, the most Cuban flavor Azucar has is the mantecado, an egg-based vanilla ice cream subtly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. She didn’t even know it existed when the shop first opened. “I didn’t know what it was,” she explains. “The guys from domino park kept coming over and asking me, ‘where is the mantecado?’ and I didn’t have any idea.” After digging up her grandmother’s recipe and tweaking it with the guys, she finally mastered the mantecado and it’s been a mainstay ever since.

Red Velvet ice cream, Azucar Ice Cream Company/Facebook

These flavors, and her ability to create and workshop new ones on a whim, are what Batlle thinks sets Azucar apart from other ice cream shops. Take, for example, a not-so-traditional flavor called Burn in Hell Fidel. When Fidel Castro died in 2016, it was cause for celebration in Miami, and Batlle joined in the fun by creating the special flavor. First, they soak ancho chilies in milk for 48 hours before straining it and making a chocolate ice cream with locally made Exquisito Chocolates. Because that’s not hot enough, they also add cayenne pepper. She says, “When you first taste it you think, oh this is great, it’s just chocolate. And then all of the sudden there’s a burn in your throat. That’s the same burn in the throat we like to say we kicked Fidel Castro with.” The flavor was an instant hit, and has remained on the menu ever since its creation.

In the near decade that Azucar’s been open, Batlle hasn’t once thought about going back to her old career. Instead, she has her sights set on making Azucar the Cuban Haagen-Dazs with a location in every state. Next stop? Dallas this June.

Have Another Scoop

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