Features

Todd Wong sent us an email and enclosed a lovely "Year of the Sheep Haggis" Gung Haggis Fat Choy 2003 poster (190K JPEG image).

Deviating slightly from yesterday's theme, here are two articles on that famous and yummy American Chinese dish (I've never had it in Canada only in the USA but I am sure you can get it in both countries), General Tso's Chicken:

I love Chinese food and want to learn as much as I can about it. In fact, I think I am fascinated by it more than most Chinese people (I am a Canadian who was born in the Philippines i.e. a Filipino-Canadian, a term that I don't like but is probably helpful!). After meeting Barb (who is a Canadian of Chinese descent i.e. "Chinese-Canadian" to use the dreaded hyphenated appellation again!), my knowledge of Chinese cuisine has increased greatly.

Barb's family has a very nuanced and sophisticated understanding of Chinese food and I continue to learn much from them.

While we were in Cancun last November (eating a lot of Americanized bad Mexican food with our nieces and nephew hence no mention here!), I finally got around to reading Kitchen Confidential.

I certainly don't condone Bourdain's drug laden past, but I do salute his unabashed lust for life and his unbridled enthusiasm for food. I bet we could get along and have fun because of our mutual love of food.

This has been converted into a story. Please check out our Gung Haggis Fat Choy 2003 details story.

As mentioned yesterday, we asked our guests to bring non-perishable food donations to our open house. We received over 90 items! The food will be given to the Surrey Memorial Hospital Youth Clinic and the Greater Vancouver Food Bank.

Thank you for your generosity. Although we still have a long way until we can eradicate hunger, donations to the Food Bank help to keep individuals and families from being hungry in these difficult times.

At the Winter Market today, we picked up some excellent cream cheese with basil from Mountain Meadows. It's made from sheep's milk, tastes great and has less fat then cream cheese from cow's milk. It's not too late to check this and other great food and non food items at the Winter Market, since it is open tomorrow Sunday December 15th from 10a.m. until 5p.m. An excellent place to pick up Christmas gifts!

I try not to eat fast food. Not just because it is bad for the environment, bad for your health due to unsanitary food handling practises as documented in Fast Food Nation and many other sources, and is a low wage industry but mostly because it doesn't taste or feel like real food.

So when I first encountered The Slow Food movement in Italy, it was a revelation.

This weekend the organizers of the East Van Farmer's Market are hosting the Winter Market on December 14 and 15 at the Heritage Hall at Main and 15th Avenue, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. As in previous years, the market will feature local artisans and food producers.

Hopefully we'll find some of our favourite food producers like Moonstruck Cheese.

In response to our news item about cooking classes, Ryan wrote to tell us about the upcoming holiday serious amateur classes this Saturday December 7, 2002 at Dubrulle.

The first class is with Chef Caarleegh Voght from 9a.m.-1p.m.