Happy Chinese New Year everyone!
Did you know the Year of the Ox officially starts today? I thought we'd celebrate by honoring dim sum, (also known as Chinese brunch,) since folks all over will be enjoying it. Unfortunately nobody serves it around Greenville, South Carolina. Boo hoo. I'll just have to drool over the pictures and remember the love story... (Cue the violins--or maybe cue a Chinese bamboo flute. That would be more appropriate.)
Let me first take you to to the birthplace of my passion for dim sum.
Flickr photo by smata2
Yes! It's Calvary Baptist, our church home when we newlyweds moved to Washington DC back in the Dark Ages. (1987)
Calvary, how I love you! For teaching me that an integrated church isn't just possible, it's WONDERFUL! And for showing me how much I love working with homeless families...
But that's another story.
Back to dim sum...
No, Calvary Baptist doesn't operate a Chinese restaurant out of its basement.
But see what's right behind it?
Flickr photo by fivesixzero
Chinatown!
So guess what we had for lunch after church each Sunday...
Flickr photo by Dan_DC
Dim sum!
Part of the reason dim sum is so fun to eat is the way that it's served.
Flickr photo by wireguy
Waitresses walk by your table with carts and you choose what you'd like to try.
It's all in the bamboo steamers or on little plates.
Oh, I almost forgot. Everything is served with hot tea, of course.
Flickr photo by Lola Blue
If it wasn't for tea, there'd be no dim sum. Dim sum actually means "touch the heart." It's not a heavy meal, just enough to touch the heart, just a few little tidbits to accompany the tea.
On to the tidbits!
There isn't room on one blog post to list all the choices, so I'll just show you my favorites.
There are steamed shrimp dumplings...
Flickr photo by chattycha
And my all time favorite, barbecued pork buns!
Flickr photo by luckyfish
(They're the white balls in the back, between the meat balls and the wrapped sticky rice.)
I like these too--money bag dumplings.
Flickr photo by tofu666
Yum.
Be sure not to miss dessert.
Flickr photo by The Mooncake Box
Those are pineapple balls and sesame balls! The sesame ones are my favorite.
Shoot. Now I'm drooling.
I'm going to have to drum up the strength of an ox to fend off this dim sum craving!
Flickr photo by Samurai Shiatsu
Maybe that pretty bamboo will distract me...
Nope. I'm still thinking sesame buns.
Anybody want to take a road trip to Atlanta?
Have a wonder-full day, y'all!
And Happy Chinese New Year!
See you Wednesday!
Love, Becky
31 comments:
I love dim sum! I was first introduced to it in San Francisco. My husband even loved it, and he doesn't like Chinese food. (Who doesn't like Chinese food? I know. He's crazy.)
I don't know about it being only a little bit to touch the heart. We were stuffed afterward.
Yes, that's funny, isn't it? That cart just keeps coming around, and there are so many things to try! It's so delicious and cheap -- why resist?
Oh, I LOVE dim sum! I want some today! YUMMY! The thing about dim sum is that it's very important to go with people whose company you truly enjoy because you'll be there for a while! LOL! I'll have some dumplings, please! ;)
yummy in my tummy~~
must not forget the tea.
Great minds think alike! Char siu bao is my favorite too! And I also posted about dim sum on Friday :). Happy Lunar New Year, Becky!
I think I'd rather eat collards.
I've never ever had this! AND i've never SEEN it!
I have never had dim sum; I think I will put it on my Fun Things to do list for 2009...
Louise
Ok now I'm hungry
remember the dim sum scene from Working Girl? An argument for never letting enormous hair make a come back.
Guess what I'm having for dinner tonight. It looks so yummy!
Meek
春节快乐！ (That means Happy New Year!)
Sensitive stomach!!!!!
This just isn't doing it for me right now. You understand. ;)
I've never tried dim sum ... but, now I may have to ... I think I'll start with the dessert ones, and work from there! :-)
I've never had it, either. My kids have been wanting to try it though. Looks yummy!
Sounds yummy Rebecca!
Hope you had a great weekend!
See you back on Wed.
Love your blog!!
Rosemary
Happy New Year!!! We have a wonderful Chinatown in Chicago with the most excellent dim sum! There is a very festive celebration for the New Year.
Your Pal,
Linda
When my parents came to San Francisco for my wedding, my brother and his wife sneaked away from the group and got dim sum.
Later I got a call from my parents that said, Matt went to Chinatown! For BREAKFAST!!! He ate DEEEM SOOO-MMMMUM.
Their minds were blown. They'd never even heard of this magical dim sum. How have I failed them so?!
Come visit me in SF and we'll take you to the best places!
Maybe I should try "sum."
As a native midwesterner, I had never had dim sum until I visited Seattle. We had real dim sum just as you describe it. I loved the whole experience! I'd like to do it again.
p.s. Cool video. Happy lunar new year!
Yes Dim sum is a wonder of the world.
Especially steamed dumplings!
Love your topic for the new Lunar New Year!!
Gong Hey Fat Choy and
Happy Year of the Ox Becky!!
xox
Constance
It's 8:25am & now I am slobbering for dim sum! It's all your fault. I've never had it, but want it now. Oh well...someday! Hugs***Renea
I was eating lunch and doing chair dancing to the Year of the OX! Whew!
I'll be hungry again in an hour.
See you Wednesday! :))))
Is it anything like dimwit?
Jaxpop, you curmudgeon, you should give it a try! It's SO much better than collards!
Calvary Baptist caught my eye. My sister lived in D.C. (1982-1992) and she attended Capitol Hill Baptist. She loved her church for so many reasons but here is one reason you would never imagine. One of the Deacons used to come over to help her get her housework done!!! Truth be known, he was single and I think he had a crush on her but I told her, if more Deacons did housework, church attendance would soar!!!!
Ooh bad.
I'm a deacon, and I can't even handle my own housework!
You had dim sum every week!!!?? So did my husband! In Philly Chinatown.
I adore a few things in Dim Sum. And hate the rest. But the good things more than make up for it. ;)
Now I want a midnight snack...Happy New Year! (again)
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