Saturday, January 25, 2020

Dim Sum: A Culinary Odyssey

Dim sum translates to “To touch the heart, gently; refresh the heart” and that it does.

More than just a Chinese cuisine, dim sum is a complete sensory experience and a journey back home.

The second upon entering a dim sum restaurant, you are baptized by a diffusion of savory aromas. The smell of soy sauce, pork, shrimp, and fry oil infuses each droplet of steam rising up in clouds from rolling metal carts. From one white linen clothed dining table to the next, the carts whoosh this way and that, like compact steam engines pushed about by stern, on-a-mission conductors. If you make eye contact with one of these apron-wearing Chinese aunties quickly enough, she will stop at your table and swiftly lift the lids of the steamer baskets, revealing their inner contents to you. With your quick nod of approval, she will swiftly plunk your chosen steamer baskets of dim sum on your table’s lazy Susan, rubber stamp your meal ticket, and roll on by.

The meal will be family style in all regards. You will be inundated by a cacophony of conversations spoken in loud, clattering Cantonese by aunties, uncles, sisters, brothers, cousins, and friends all talking at once, all trying to speak louder than each other—not rudely so, but somewhat like a jazz improv band riffing off each other and blending notes. So many mouths talking and laughing, so many mouths eating little, or not-so-little bites of siu mai (steamed pork and shrimp dumpling), zongzi (steamed sticky rice wrapped in lotus or banana leaves), and char siu bao (barbeque pork filled buns) and sipping cups of hot cha (tea).

Chinese dim sum steamer baskets

Pixabay

Even if you parked at a barely Chinatown-esque strip mall in the middle of an American suburb, when you walk through those doors, you take on a Hong Kong state of mind. The food may not be as good as it is in Hong Kong, but the zippy, loud, chaotic Hong Kong vibe of a dim sum restaurant is truly distinct from your typical Chinese-American lounge-style restaurant. And, if you grew up literally cutting your teeth on dim sum, as in your mother chewed up your food before feeding you the bolus aboard the pointed tip of her chopsticks, you are abruptly reminded of your heritage.

Even if the food is so-so or the dining room is packed to the gills, you know this place, you have been here before, even if it is actually your first time visiting that particular dim sum restaurant. You will know your experience there is especially authentic if the wait staff is harried and uncouth, all the surfaces have a thin oil slick, and the restroom smells like a wet mop, but ironically does not look like it has seen a mop in months. It is all part of the charm.

More Delicious Dishes

8 Regional Chinese Recipes to Try in Your Own Kitchen
Dumpling vs Wonton: What Is the Difference?
The Labor of Love It Takes to Produce Perfect Peking Duck

While I was one of those babies fed pre-masticated dim sum on chopsticks by my mother, but thankfully refined the ability to wield my own chopsticks and chew up my own lo bak go (turnip cake) and har gow (pork and shrimp dumpling), outside those restaurant doors, I lived in southern Florida, devoid virtually of any Chinese community or culture. Looking back on my childhood, dim sum restaurants most certainly were oasis-like for my parents and relatives, who came to the U.S. to work hard, but found themselves isolated from American society. At the dim sum restaurants to which we would drive two hours and from which we would drive two hours to get back home, I saw my parents, aunts, and uncles unwind and spin up all at once. They could be their truest selves and show a range of emotions and vocal expressions I hardly ever saw or heard from them, on a day-to-day basis. In fact, now that I think of it, they must have all felt more at home at our appointed dim sum reunions with each other than at their idyllic, three-bedroom, ranch homes, where they essentially lived in social seclusion.

At the dim sum table, my relatives would nestle up to each other, elbow to elbow; drink chrysanthemum, oolong, or jasmine cha (tea), poured from metal pots into each other’s white ceramic tea cups; and leap into boisterous conversation, while popping bite after bite of fung zao (chicken feet), ngau paak yip (steamed tripe), and chee cheong (pig intestine), along with pickled vegetables and oh so much more food. Mountains of food would arrive at our table, sometimes to the point of embarrassment for us kids. My parents’ plan was to order a lot of food to take home half of it. None of the above ever happened at Red Lobster or Olive Garden, where my parents, my brother, and I would normally sit quietly, listening only to the sound of elevator music playing overhead or to one of us translate my father’s order of gumbo or minestrone soup to a perfectly polite waiter.

Chinese dim sum dumplings in bamboo steamer basket

Pixabay

Dim sum translates to “To touch the heart, gently; refresh the heart” and that it does. Whether you are Chinese or American, or Chinese-American as I am, you are home or, at least, at a home, where you will yum cha (drink tea); eat until you are stuffed; gab or, at least, listen to the gab; and fight over the check with your relatives or friends or, at least, watch said dramedy ensue.

Then, if your family is anything like mine growing up, you will immediately find the nearest oriental grocery store to stock up on tofu, bok choy (Chinese cabbage), and loose leaf cha (tea) along with a box of Pocky sticks (chocolate coated bread sticks) for the kids; pick up sponge cake and daan taat (egg tarts) at an Asian bakery; and stop by a Chinese restaurant that specializes in barbecue pork and Peking duck and order a few boxes of those meats to go, because you may be so full now, but you will want to eat dinner once you get back home. That, or my family is just plain crazy in the best, food-obsessed way.

This was dim sum day for me growing up. A culinary odyssey imprinted on my heart. A journey back home.



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Week 4 Healthy Meal Plan

Living a healthy lifestyle doesn't happen overnight. Making one simple dietary change at a time can translate to big changes over the long haul. Use this week's dinner ideas to set yourself (and your family) up for success!

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Winter Chicken Salad with Tangy Miso Dressing

This Chopped Chicken Salad is easy to put together and filling enough to eat for dinner! Made with fennel, mandarin oranges, avocado, and a flavorful miso dressing, it's perfect for winter but also endlessly adaptable to the seasons.

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ALDI’s Top 20 February Finds Are Perfect for Home Cooks

It’s that time of month again: Time to find out what great deals the beloved grocery store chain ALDI has in store for the month of February. For the second month of the year, the German retailer is flaunting a host of deals on easy weeknight dinners, salty snacks, and kitchenware designed to make the winter pass as quickly as possible. Ahead, the best items to snag from ALDI during February. 

Related Reading: 12 Healthy Cooking & Pantry Essentials to Keep on Hand

ALDI Finds: February 5

Fusia Teriyaki or Ginger Chicken Skillet

ALDI

Make weeknight cooking a breeze with these chicken dinners, coated in teriyaki or ginger sauces and replete with plenty of vegetables. 

Millville Peanut Butter & Jelly Puffs

ALDI

Breakfast certainly doesn’t have too boring or tasteless anymore. Upgrade mornings with a box of Millville’s Peanut Butter & Jelly Puffs, a winning combo of airy rounds that taste just like a PB&J. 

Southern Grove California Mission Figs

ALDI

A sweet treat, figs are a great source of calcium and potassium—and an excellent fruit to eat in the winter months. 

Ambiano Convection Countertop Oven

ALDI

This multifaceted convection oven does it all, from toasting bread to baking a batch of cookies. 

Crofton Dutch Oven

ALDI

The cold winter months means plenty of time to spend making stews, chilis, and casseroles, and what better place to do it than in a cast iron Dutch oven?

ALDI Finds: February 12

Carlini Ghee with Himalayan Sea Salt or Garlic

ALDI

An alternative to cooking with butter, ghee is an Indian clarified butter than can be used as a replacement to using butter or olive oil. 

Park Street Deli Simmer Sauces

ALDI

Add just about anything to these simmer sauces—from tofu and vegetables to chicken and pasta—and dinner’s on the table in record time. Choose from flavors like white poblano chile, mushroom medley, and tomato artichoke caper. 

Mama Cozzi’s Pizza Kitchen Mexican Style Chicken Fajita or Taco Seasoned Pizza

ALDI

Tired of the regular cheese slice? Try Mama Cozzi’s pizzas, which come with plenty of spices and flavors. 

ALDI Finds: February 19

Earthly Grains Ready to Eat Cauliflower Rice

ALDI

For those days when you can’t make your own cauliflower rice, try this version from Earthly Grains, which will be warm and ready in 90 seconds.  

Prisano Gnocchi Assorted Varieties

ALDI

Pick up a package of gnocchi—in spinach, whole wheat, or potato form—to boil or sear, then top with your favorite pesto or tomato sauce.

Priano Gourmet Italian Egg Pasta Assorted Varieties

ALDI

These bags of dried pasta come in a slew of fun shapes.

Sundae Shoppe Keto Ice Cream Pints

ALDI

Have you jumped on the keto wagon? These pints of ice cream are keto-approved and come in fun flavors like cookie dough, peanut butter fudge, and mint chip. 

Crofton Decorated Glass Baking Dishes

ALDI

Roast vegetables, build a lasagna, or even make a cake in this glass baking dish, which comes in two sizes. 

ALDI Finds: February 26

Cinnamon Whole Wheat French Toast Sticks

ALDI

All you have to do is stick these in the toaster oven or microwave until hot, then dunk in plenty of maple syrup. 

Simply Nature Cauliflower or Beet Tortilla Chips

ALDI

These corn-based tortilla chips are spiked with cauliflower and beet and a perfect dipper for all your favorite spreads and cheeses. 

Benton’s PB Deluxe Cookies

ALDI

Snack on these peanut butter cookies that are draped in a coating of dark or milk chocolate. 

Ambiano Ceramic Copper Titanium Griddle

ALDI

This griddle doesn’t need to be placed on the stove; just plug it in to get it hot, then cook everything from burgers to pancakes and fried eggs. 

Crofton Color Dipped Wood Boards

ALDI

Need to replace some old cutting boards? These wooden boards are a great replacement and arrive in a slew of shapes and sizes. 

Ambiano Single Serve Coffee Maker

ALDI

Just making coffee for one? Snag this Ambiano coffee maker to brew your morning blend. 

Crofton Mini Pans

ALDI

Sometimes, all you really need to cook with is one small pan. Well, Crofton’s got you covered with a collection of mini fry pans, griddles, and sauce pans.  



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A Bite-Size Stop in the Florida Keys

Planning a stop in the Florida Keys? Here’s where to eat, drink, and stay, and what to see and do.

I remember my first visit to the Florida Keys like it was yesterday. I was a young journalist on an environmental fellowship, and I recall watching as a sea turtle mama laid her eggs on a deserted beach, snorkeling in the crystal clear ocean, and chowing down on lots of freshly caught seafood.

Fast forward a dozen years and I’m now a married mom of a toddler, so when we booked a trip to the Keys, I was happy to learn that not much has changed. The Florida Keys still boasts swoon-worthy access to wildlife, a robust local food scene, and lots of activities on the water—a welcome retreat for a young family.

Related Reading: A Bite-Size Stop in Seoul, South Korea

Positioned in between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, the Florida Keys comprise roughly 1,700 islands, located off of the tip of South Florida. The Upper Keys, which includes Key Largo, is about an hour’s drive from Miami.

Here are some top tips for spending a “Keys approved” few days in the South Florida archipelago:

Where to Eat and Drink

The Fish House


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This Key Largo staple has been serving plates piled with fish straight from the dock since 1982 and is known for creating the tasty broiled fish “Matecumbe”—loaded with sautéed tomatoes, shallots, capers, and basil, along with mainstay dishes like a whole roasted lobster stuffed with crabmeat.

Related Reading: How to Make Perfect Fish Tacos

Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen


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This local favorite is covered in kitschy license plates from all over the country and its no-fuss breakfast of lobster and grits—lobster served blackened on top of a mound of grits, cheddar cheese, and salsa—is a tasty start to a day on the water.

The Lighthouse Grill


This Gulf-side restaurant at the base of the historic Faro Blanco lighthouse in Marathon is a tasty spot for lunch with a side of people watching. Customers can while away the afternoon sipping cocktails and checking out the boats as they come and go past the lighthouse and marina. Try the conch fritters, fried until golden brown and served piping hot with a spicy scallion remoulade.

Morada Bay Beach Cafe


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ISLAMORADA#Nostalgia#di#key#west#💕

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Let the tiki torches light the way to an alfresco dinner at the Morada Bay Beach Cafe, a waterfront spot in Islamorada that’s part eatery, part performance space and was featured in the Netflix series, “Bloodline.” Taking inspiration from the Caribbean and the day’s catch, the cafe uses sustainable seafood and local ingredients for dishes like the bright and zippy fish ceviche, topped with avocado chunks and served with boniato chips.  Be sure to get there just before dusk for the spectacular sunset over Florida Bay.

Related Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Making Killer Ceviche

What to See and Do

Dolphin Diversion


Get up close and personal with a cetacean friend at the Dolphin Research Center on a lagoon in Grassy Key. The nonprofit is a fully operational research institute, medical center, and animal rescue home to two- dozen dolphins and a smattering of sea lions. Guests can get in the water to interact with the animals—shaking fins with a grinning dolphin was unforgettable. Don’t be surprised if you spy an eye watching you from the water. The dolphins are apparently as curious about us as we are about them, and they love to people watch!

On The Water


Cruise the high seas in a relic from old Hollywood. The original tugboat from the Katherine Hepburn classic film “The African Queen” has a new life as a pleasure vessel, rambling through the Keys’ canals and along the shoreline.

Related Reading: Your 2020 Oscar Party Menu Front-Runners

Take A Dive


Explore the world’s third-largest coral reef in the country’s first state park under the sea. The John Pennekamp State Park boasts kayaking, glass-bottom boat tours, swimming, and guided snorkel excursions in the waters off Key Largo. Staff ferry snorkelers offshore past vast mangroves to a dive spot near a submerged statue of Jesus Christ that’s studded with coral and surrounded by colorful schools of fish.

Indulge Your Sweet Tooth


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Aaaand it begins. #omg #sogood #mmmmmm #keylimepie #keylime #keylargo #keylargochocolates @keylargochocolates #roadtrip

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A trip to the Keys isn’t complete without partaking in some Key Lime pie, and Key Largo Chocolates & Ice Cream takes the dessert to another level by taking slices of the pastry—which is made in house—dipping them in chocolate, freezing them, and then serving them up on a stick, cake pop style. The shop also hosts chocolate making classes for both kids and adults.

Related Reading: 9 Desserts That Won’t Ruin Your Diet

Where to Shop

Rain Barrel Artisan Village


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One way of catching the eye of passing motorists…

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A giant spiny lobster named “Betsy” marks the spot along the Overseas Highway for this open-air market, which has been showcasing artwork, sculptures, custom jewelry, and resort wear from local artists for the last 40 years.

Banana Bay Bazaar


Come for the shopping, stay for the party. On the last Sunday of the month, this resort in the Middle Keys hosts an outdoor marketplace with live music, cocktails, and food trucks.

Where to Stay

The Playa Largo Resort


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Happy ☀️Day!

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This Marriott property is one of the newest resorts in Key Largo, and it gives us major Caribbean vibes. It has the conveniences of a world-class resort, but with the charm and service you’d expect at a bed and breakfast. The resort’s oversized rooms are stocked with luxe amenities like Nespresso machines and customized iPads, and have gorgeous vistas of Florida Bay. Their beachfront restaurant, Sol By The Sea, is a can’t miss, with Insta-worthy views and delicious local dishes like whole fried grouper with heaps of Brussels sprouts slaw.

Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club


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Good Morning from our favorite view! #FaroBlancoResort

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You can park your pleasure boat waterside at the Faro Blanco Resort, which has its own on-site yacht club and marina. And its location in the Middle Keys means it’s a convenient base to explore the attractions of both the Upper and Lower Keys.

Little Palm Island Resort & Spa


Travel back to British Colonial times—with modern comforts—at the adults-only Little Palm Island Resort and Spa. Set on a five-acre private cay, this boutique property is only reachable by boat or seaplane and its 15 renovated thatched-roof bungalows come with luxe perks like private decks, outdoor copper soaking tubs, and a full-service spa—and all surrounded by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. To help guests truly get away from it all, there are no TVs, phones, or radios—but there is dedicated WiFi.

Related Reading: Six Places to Travel for Healthy Getaways

Baker’s Cay Resort


Love to fish? Then check out Baker’s Cay Resort’s “Dock To Dish” tour, where guests take a chartered fishing trip—either in the deep sea, nighttime lobster netting, or in the backcountry—and then cook their catch with the resort’s executive chef Andy Papson.

Florida Keys Lodging, Various Prices on Airbnb

Or explore your Airbnb options.
Book Now


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