I am ever in awe of the complexity and deliciocity (Yes. It is a word, I promise, maybe.) of oriental food. I love going to get the lemon or orange chicken from the Dillon's Chinese Kitchen. I enjoy a big bowl of fried or steamed rice. I fall head over heels over and over again when I try the General Tso's chicken...the spices take me to another continent---as it should.
My friend and I went to some garage sales around town and to a used book store. I purchased a fondue set (with the fondue book) and a Chinese cookbook. I am more than excited to start cooking from both books!
If you had been around Salina Kansas in the 90's, you might have gotten to try a delicious restaurant called "Mar's." Mother, forgive me, I can't remember if it was Korean or Chinese? Either way--- Delicious food. I distinctly remember going there for dinners. You'd walk in the door and the counter to pay at was on the left along with a lazy susan full of big round suckers, full of creamy and fruity flavors. It was rare that we got one.
My sister and I would order hot tea. She would order oolong and I, jasmine. We'd sometimes sit at a different table than my parents---Mar's wasn't very busy. I'd add a bunch of sugar to my tea and we'd color on the paper place mats with the Chinese animals and horoscopes on them. I don't remember ordering anything but sweet and sour chicken.
The sweet and sour chicken would come in a tall silver pedestal bowl--a bowl on a stand, so to speak. There would be a lid on it and we'd melt the butter bars for our dinner rolls under the hot plates. This wasn't margarine in a tub but this was a slice of butter wrapped in paper, the good stuff.
The sweet and sour chicken had an amazing sauce. It was very tangy and had pickles in it. I used to pick out the pickles but now I wish I hadn't! My mother has been searching for and trying to replicate that sweet and sour sauce but with no luck. I hope that with my new cookbook I will be able to come close to that sauce!
Mom, that one's for you! If you can't read it I will replicate it. Just let me know!
I am more than eager to test out some new recipes---pork lo mein, pineapple chicken, shark fin soup---- OKAY maybe not shark fin soup... but I could make it now, thanks to my Chinese cookbook!
As soon as I dive into the world of Chinese cooking, I will let you know and be happy to tell you of my experiences!
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