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Canada - Vancouver - Chowin' Down in Chinatown
Jade Dynasty Crystal Prawn Dumpling is a long name for a two-bite dumpling, but it's somehow befitting such a mouthful of complex flavours. This is the first time I've had my meal ordered for me by a food critic specializing in Chinese cuisine.
Stephanie Yuen is a food writer, editor and all-round gourmand who knows her way around the Asian foodie scene. We are in very good hands. There are eleven of us seated around the circular table at the Jade Dynasty Restaurant in Vancouver's Chinatown. I am particularly partial to the Diced Chicken & Taro Pastries in Portuguese Sauce. I hope no one is noticing my casual spin of the lazy Susan as I keep lining them up in front of my little bowl.
Of course, that's not before I take another chunk of the sweet steamed bun stuffed with to-die-for melting pork chunks and a crispy-crunchy coconut topping.
But I digress... We are concluding a Chinatown tour set up by Edible British Columbia. EBC is a relative newcomer to Vancouver's food scene, but they have created a media buzz that is worth following. Their mandate is Personalized Culinary Adventures. They have regularly scheduled guided tours of Commercial Drive, Granville Island, and now, Chinatown.
Our group, divided between the Stephanie and her brother Tony, has wandered the streets, sampling the smallest of peanuts, the sweet and very diminutive honey orange, rice cakes and tiny dried shrimps. Tony Chung is co-author (along with Stephanie) of the Chinese BC Wine Guide. He is a self-taught chef, a passionate foodie, and like his sister fluent in Chinese.
This is a good thing, especially when it comes to asking for samples and finding out exactly how you cook a dried sea slug or reconstitute dried lizard...or not.
It is at the Tinland Cookware store that I make a purchase that has been on my mind for some time. Tony helps me select a couple of bamboo steamers, shows me how to set them up for my wok at home and gives me tips on easy recipes and clean-up. I feel like I finally have the piece of comforting info that will let me whip up a few at-home Chinese treats. The saleswoman shows me the thin paper liners that I can use to make cleaning up the steamers easy. At $3.99 for over a 100 sheets, I'm feeling like I've got a sweet deal.
Tony pulls me aside, "You can just use a lettuce leaf too."
These are the tips that make me feel like I can pull this off. I've been eyeing the selection of dim sum possibilities at my local grocery store and now I'm ready to take them on. I like this idea of being taken in hand by people who are not only passionate about food, but can help explain the customs that shape it as well.
As I say goodbye to my new dinner mates, it is not just my belly that is satisfied.
I feel like I have a little bit better understanding of this complex culture that is one more reason for Vancouver's dynamic food scene.
Experience your own foodie fun: www.edible-britishcolumbia.com
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