First things first, a little about Chinese dragons. While in the west, they're creatures to be feared (think Drogon and Smaug), in Chinese culture they're wise, benevolent, and lucky.
They're also powerful rulers of water and the embodiment of the seasons. The Red Dragon is the patron of the South China Sea and the essence of summer. The Black Dragon oversees Lake Baikal in Siberia and embodies winter. The White Dragon, protector of Qinghai Lake, the largest lake in China, equates autumn while finally, the Blue Dragon, king of the East China Sea, means, you guessed it, spring.
The Blue Dragon Festival takes place on the second day of the second lunar month (March 11 this year) and originated as a way for farmers to honor the Blue Dragon, a symbol of spring and bringer of favorable rain.
It's also known as Longtaitou, which translates as "the dragon raises its head," and seems to come from the Chinese proverb, "Er yue er, long tai tou," meaning, "On the second day of the second month, the dragon lifts his head." So what does that mean? It might imply that the deity is waking up, like the flora and fauna rousing from their winter slumber into spring.
Some activities considered bad luck are now safe to partake in. And of course eating good food, as with every Chinese holiday, is also involved.
Clean. Starting on Lunar New Year Day, it’s considered bad luck to clean the house: you might be sweeping away good luck along with those dust bunnies. But on the Blue Dragon Festival, feel free to get everything spick and span.
Cut your hair. The Chinese word for “hair,” fa, is the same as in fa cai, meaning “to become wealthy.” So washing or cutting your hair is a big no-no on Lunar New Year Day, as is handling scissors: God forbid you should have a scissor accident on New Year's Day. That might dictate the rest of the year. But now on Longtaitou, you can finally get that trim.
Eat a “dragon.” What better way to laud a dragon than by feasting on it? Of course we mean that symbolically. Pan-fried scallion pancakes, or cong you bing, are said to resemble dragon’s scales while dumplings symbolize the ears and noodles, the beard. We’re not sure we see it, but if it means chowing on yummy eats, we’ll believe almost anything.
Check out our whole suite of posts on Chinese holidays as well as our brief histories of some quintessential Chinese foods. You can also shop for all things dragon.
[Photo: "Blue Dragon" by Tony Hisgett via Flickr, CC BY 2.0]
]]>Pearl River has survived in part because it has changed with the times—my sister-in-law Joanne Kwong now runs the day-to-day operations and has reoriented the store’s brand around Asian American identity. Many of the customers who come to the store today are younger Asian Americans who are revisiting familiar items in a new light, seeking to reconstruct faded memories or revisit their relationship to their families and their diasporas. The Hello Kitty stationery, rice paper–wrapped milk candies, and stainless-steel lunch tiffins recall weekend grocery runs in Chinatown or their aunt’s tenement apartment that smelled like laundry soap and old talcum powder—memories that Asian Americans may have felt eager to leave behind before, but now want to reclaim.
Read the whole essay and Michelle's other work at The Margins.
]]>It was such a pleasure to kick off the season with the opening of REUNION: Food as Culture, Community, and Coming Home. The exhibition features the beautiful work of six prominent AAPI food photographers and was curated by Christine Wong, cook, author, and Pearl River Mart creative manager. REUNION is on view in our Soho gallery through April 21.
Thanks to Lori Chung of NY1 for dropping by our Chelsea Market store and talking to Pearl River Mart President Joanne Kwong about how to celebrate Lunar New Year. And much appreciation to Cindy Hsu and CBS for welcoming Joanne back into the studio to chat about the Year of the Dragon and Lunar New Year customs throughout Asia.
Much appreciation to all the publications and websites that profiled Pearl River and our products, including The Strategist, CNN, Go Fug Yourself, Brit+Co, Hollywood Reporter, and Vice.
The first day of Lunar New Year wouldn't be complete without a showstopping performance from longtime friends, the Wan Chi Ming Lion Dragon team.
We also welcomed tasting tables from vendor partners, Anna Ye Tea and Kimly Parc, who served up delicious Vietnamese tea and Korean latte.
It was such a fun and festive afternoon at Chelsea Market with:
We ended the season with by co-hosting a Lunar New Year happy hour at Ray's, a Lower East Side hotspot co-owned by dear friend and longtime customer, actor Justin Theroux. Cocktails, flash tattoos, and friends — can't ask for more!
From our family to yours, here's to a fortuitous Year of the Dragon!
]]>Celebrated on the last day of the 15-day Spring Festival — Feb. 24 this year — this effulgent fete involves dancing, eating, and of course lots of lanterns.
As with many Chinese holidays, the Lantern Festival has many origin stories, but the most popular one traces it back more than 2,000 years to the Han Dynasty. An emperor (Wen or Ming, depending on the source) who was a proponent of Buddhism noticed Buddhist monks lighting lanterns on the 15th day of the first lunar month of the year. He liked what he saw, and ordered everyone to do the same.
Depending on who you ask, the lanterns might laud shorter nights and longer days or the invention of man-made lights. They might also represent hopes and wishes rising to the sky while their round shape could symbolize the completeness of family.
Whatever they mean, preparations begin on the 13th day of the first lunar month when the lanterns are brought out. They’re tested the next day and formally lit the day after, on the 15th. They’re left up for three days and taken down on the 18th.
For extra fun, sometimes riddles are written on the lanterns. This custom might have started during the Tang Dynasty, which ruled during parts of the seventh, eighth, and 10th centuries. These riddles were said to be extremely difficult, hence their nicknames of "literary tiger" and "lantern tiger." If you managed to solve one, you could say you shot the literary tiger.
While classic riddles refer to Chinese idioms, literature, historical figures, and places in China, modern ones are about more everyday topics. A few of our favorite examples include:
If you guessed a silkworm, your name, and a clock, respectively, you were right.
The Lunar New Year season begins and ends on a symbol of completeness. Sticky rice balls called tangyuan are eaten during both the Dongzhi Festival, a winter solstice holiday that's a kind of Spring Festival sneak preview, and the Lantern Festival, the closing celebration.
Literally “soup balls,” tangyuan are also called yuanxiao, or “lanterns,” due to their resemblance to the round lights. They can be sweet or savory. Sweet fillings include sesame, bean, or jujube paste, walnuts, some flowers, and candied tangerine peel. Savory varieties include meat and vegetables.
The tangyuan’s round shape symbolizes perfection, unity, and family togetherness. A Taiwanese idiom says, “Eating tangyuan leads to reunions.”
In addition to lion and dragon dances, you might also see traditional folk dancing called Yangge or Yangko during the Lantern Festival. It usually involves large groups of colorfully decked out performers, and hails from northern China with different regions giving the dance their own flavor.
North Shaanxi. Call them the Pied Piper of Yangge dancing. In groups they move throughout different parts of towns lead by a kind of drum major, only instead of a wand or baton, they hold an umbrella, hence the leader’s name, santou, “umbrella head.”
The santou leads the group in an improvised song, first in single file, then a large circle, then more complex patterns. In addition to the leader and brightly hued dancers, you might also see see a Big-Headed Monk, a common comic character in Chinese processions, and the Eight Immortals, magical beings from Chinese myth.
Shandong. Within this province, there are two regional varieties of Yangge, Haiyang and Jiaozhou. A third kind is called Guzi Yangge, where guzi means “drum” and refers to one of the five roles the dancers take. The others are umbrella, stick, flower, and clown.
Dongbei. Not surprisingly, parts of the northeast region of China, once known as Manchuria, shows Manchu influence through the performers' clothing. As for the dance, it's free-flowing and brisk, and is supposed to imitate their ancestors who exceled in horse riding and archery.
Liaoning. Popular in this northeast province, as well as nearby Beijing, is Yangge on stilts. Within this type are many variations, including Jietang, dancing in the street; Dachang, dancing in wide, open spaces; Jiaxiang, involving the formation of pyramids; and Xiaochang, which incorporates a love story.
Want to learn more about Chinese holidays? Check out our posts on the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Hungry Ghost Festival, and the Dragon Boat Festival. If you're in the New York area, be sure to check out the Light Up Chinatown lantern installation throughout Manhattan's Chinatown.
[Image via Flickr: "Taoyuan Lantern Festival" by Jirka Matousek, CC BY 2.0]
]]>Join us for the opening reception of our next art exhibition! Curated by chef, cookbook author, and photographer Christine Wong, REUNION features the gorgeous work of six renowned AAPI food photographers. Learn more and register for the opening reception.
Can't make the reception? No worries: REUNION is on view through April 21.
Help us ring in Lunar New Year Day with cozy drinks and lion dancing. Starting at 4:30 enjoy exquisite tea from Anna Ye Tea and yummy Korean latte from KimlyParc. Then prepared to be wowed by a showstopping performance from the Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar lion and dragon dance team starting at 5 PM.
Join us for our annual Lunar New Year extravaganza in Chelsea Market! It will be an afternoon full of festivities:
More details coming soon!
End the Lunar New Year season with a party at this Lower East Side hot spot co-owned by Pearl River Mart friend, Justin Theroux. (Fun fact: Justin's mother, Phyllis Grissim-Theroux, is an accomplished writer who has been using our black and red classic notebooks for decades!) More details coming soon.
Check out our latest clothing collection for something new for women, men, and kids.
Our newest Friendship Box is the perfect festive gift to wish someone a happy Lunar New Year. It includes treats to bring good fortune, cute dragon tems, lucky red money envelopes, the newest Chinese pocket almanac, and more.
Share the luck with our latest Lucky Foods Box, which is chock-full of auspicious treats. Consider pairing with a Togetherness Tray so you can share good fortune with guests.
Get everything you need for the Year of the Dragon! From figurines to decorations to toys, and more.
Keep up with all things Lunar New Year by following us on Instagram or singing up for our weekly newsletter.
]]>For women, we have new dresses inspired by traditional qipaos, cute long-sleeve tops with mandarin collars, and jogger pants with a dramatic floral flair. We also have several new jackets, like these unique bombers with exquisite dragon design (for the Year of the Dragon naturally), a cool tang style, and more casual "puffer" outerwear.
Don't forget to accessorize with a new leaf pattern bamboo handle purse or round wooden handle bag. Add a bit of early spring to your hair with flower clips and pins.
We have jackets for men too, like these in gorgeous velvet and these with an all-over print. Pair the jackets with a short-sleeve dragon design shirt or throw a tang-style vest over a long-sleeve tee.
Kids can also get a new look! We have adorable qipao-style dresses for girls (perfect for Lunar New Year or Valentine's Day) and this qipao dress-and-pants set (which we wish came in adult sizes). For boys or girls, we have a simple yet festive tang jacket with dragon design as well as a more elaborate style in red and gold.
Special thanks to Pearl River Mart friends Amanda, Lester, and their adorable daughter Kyuri for being our fashion models, and to fashion photographer Pascal Perich for the beautiful shots. Check out all the looks.
Please note this collection is available online now and will be available in our stores in the coming weeks!
]]>Christine is also an author, cook, and photographer, and has brought together a group of talented food photographers in "REUNION: Food as Culture, Community, and Coming Home."
The artists come from variety of backgrounds — Korean, Chinese, Malaysian, and Indian — and have had their work appear in Vogue, Cherry Bombe, Bon Appétit, The New York Times, Saveur, and more.
"The photographers I chose were based on how their images tell a story," says Christine. "The way they evoke a sense of beauty and nostalgia but also make people hungry."
To celebrate REUNION, we're hosting an opening reception on Feb. 1 from 6 to 8 PM in our Soho location at 452 Broadway. The event is free but registration is appreciated.
REUNION will be on view in our Soho gallery through April 21. See you soon!
]]>The Year of the Dragon starts Feb. 10, 2024 and lasts until until Jan. 28, 2025. Since the Lunar New Year follows the, you guessed it, lunar calendar, the dates according to the solar or Gregorian calendar (the one most commonly used) shift every year. And because the Chinese zodiac runs on a 12-year cycle, your animal comes up every dozen years.
Not sure if you’re the Year of the Dragon? Check out our handy zodiac chart.
People born in dragon years are thought to be charismatic, intelligent, confident, and natural-born leaders. But they can also be thought of as aggressive and not open to criticism.
While dragons in Western culture are often depicted as ferocious fire-breathers, in Chinese culture they're wise and benevolent. Representing strength and prosperity, they were believed to control water phenomena, from rain to typhoons to floods, and to live at the bottom of bodies of water like lakes, rivers, and the sea.
Chinese myth goes on to say that four Dragon Kings ruled each of the Four Seas, and are connected with a different color, direction, and season. The Blue or Azure Dragon is the God of the East, patron of the East China Sea, and the essence of spring. The Red Dragon is the God of the South, the essence of summer, and the patron of the South China Sea.
Meanwhile the Black Dragon rules the north and is the essence of winter. Lake Baikal in Siberia is his body of water. Finally, the White Dragon is the God of the West, essence of autumn, and patron of Qinghai Lake, the largest lake in China.
Learn even more about dragons in Chinese culture.
When your animal year comes up in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, that’s called ben ming nian. During that time, it’s believed that you’re more vulnerable to adversity.
For this year, dragons are advised to wear red and purple to keep luck on their side. They should also hang out with those born in rat, monkey, and rooster years — they may bring you luck or valuable info!
Were you born in a dragon year? So was action star legend Bruce Lee (and his son Brandon coincidentally!), Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle), Oscar winner Haing S. Ngor (The Killing Fields), Hong Kong icon Maggie Cheung (In the Mood for Love), and all-time favorite hometown girl Awkwafina (The Farewell, Quiz Lady, Crazy Rich Asians).
Other dragons include the "Eternal Queen of Asian pop" Teresa Teng, acclaimed authors Bharati Mukherjee and Amy Tan, groundbreaking scientist David Ho, entrepreneur Jack Ma, and at least two Olympic athletes, figure skater Chen Lu and snowboarder Chloe Kim.
Want to learn about the other Chinese zodiac animals? Check out our posts on the rabbit, tiger, ox, rat, dog, and pig, as well as everything Lunar New Year.]]>It was such an honor to exhibit the work of renowned sculptor Warren King. OUR ROOTS RUN DEEP: Finding Home in Chinatown featured a series of distinctive life-sized and smaller scale sculptures as well as wall-hanging pieces, all only of cardboard and glue.
The works depicted residents of nearby Chinatown — women engaged in lively conversation, a hardworking fish vendor, players and spectators of an intense game of Chinese chess — and are a tribute to the people who anchor the community.
Teaming up with our favorite family who cooks, we launched The Woks of Life x Pearl River Mart Pantry Essentials Box. All the items were handpicked by Bill, Judy, Sarah, and Kaitlin Leung, the family behind the wildly popular The Woks of Life blog.
We rang in Lunar New Year day with lion dancing at our Soho store from longtime friends, the Wan Chi Ming Dragon Lion Dance Team (who by the way celebrated their 50th anniversary this year!). Then we hosted our annual Lunar New Year extravaganza at Chelsea Market with plenty of lucky foods, libations, and more lion dancing.
We got in a visit with our favorite news anchor, Cindy Hsu, and capped off the 14-day festivities with another lion dance at our Soho store.
This year we introduced a new collection of ceramics from Jingdezhen, China, known as "the porcelain capital." Each piece was carefully selected — our multigenerational buying team had many spirited discussions while choosing them! They had to be culturally significant but also have a modern edge. Unique but also classic. A perfect fit for small NYC apartments and larger homes alike.
The result was a tightly curated collection, which in a way represents the new Pearl River. Traditional and contemporary. Celebrating the past but also moving forward. Multiple generations working together to create something meaningful.
We had a blast sorting through unique and forgotten items, including weird lamps, "haunted" mirrors, and enormous vases, and sharing them with customers. Every purchase made our day!
We unveiled a newly designed van! From oversized truck to streamlined van, Mr. Chen's wheels for transporting items from store to store have never looked more stylish.
Partnering with Netflix on this pop-up for "Beef" — the amazing series starring two of our all-time faves, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun — was so much fun. And we admit we enjoyed walloping the punching bag a little too much.
Other collabs we did this year were with Netflix's Monkey King and Disney's American-Born Chinese.
As part of AAPI Heritage Month, we had the honor of hosting JUST BETWEEN US: From the Archives of Arlan Huang in our Soho gallery and CORRIDOR GLANCE: Paintings by Arlan Huang in Chelsea Market.
JUST BETWEEN US — co-curated by Howie Chen and Danielle Wu — featured just some of the works amassed by Arlan over 40 years, most of it attained through friendly "art swaps" with friends and fellow artists. Some of the pieces could also be seen on outdoor tables throughout the Meatpacking district.
CORRIDOR GLANCE showcased Arlan's own oil paintings and evoked the dreamy romance of Wong Kar-wai's classic film, In the Mood for Love.
May was a busy month as we participated in the marketplace for the Asian American Foundation’s first annual Heritage Month Summit and Celebration, and co-hosted our second annual Sunset Celebration with Lunar Hard Seltzer and Gold House, serving up eats and drinks from over 30 restaurants and small businesses.
We continued to showcase new vendors in Little Eats 小吃, our "substantial snacks" booth in Pearl River Mart Foods. This summer we partnered with Kabisera to bring halo halo to the masses while currently the Laksa Shop with its delectable Malaysian coconut curry noodles have set up shop.
It took a while but we finally got our beer license at Pearl River Mart Foods! Now you can get classics like Tsingtao and Sapporo; fun new booze, like Jasmine Tea Lager and Puffed Rice Chinese Pale Ale from Master Gao Beer, and Hitachino Nest White Ale from Kiuchi Brewery; and beverages from AAPI-owned businesses such as Lunar Hard Seltzer and Makku.
From our annual staff dinner (complete with karaoke) to happy hour (what better way to celebrate our beer license?) to hot pot to our first managers' outing to Halloween, there was plenty of employee fun to be had.
We welcomed back fashion photographer extraordinaire Pascal Perich and Pearl River model and granddaughter Emilee to shoot our summer fashion collection. Joining Emilee was Tatsuya King, the son of former Pearl River artist-in-residence Warren King. Check out all the fits!
If you know Pearl River founders Mr. and Mrs. Chen, you know this is monumental. For the first time in many years, they took a well-deserved vacation. They saw the sights in Tibet, then met up with daughter-in-law (and Pearl River president) Joanne Kwong and her family in China. We hope this was just the first of many vacations to come!
This year we were over the moon to offer specialty Vietnamese mooncakes (taste-tested by Pearl River staff of course) from Ăn Xôi, a popup from the folks behind Van Van, as well as classics from our longtime friends at Kitsby.
Last year was the inaugural Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund benefit, and this year we were so pleased to participate again. Not only did we love sharing delicious food from chef, cookbook author, and Pearl River creative manager Christine Wong and Pearl River Mart Foods vendors Mao's Bao, Kimbap Lab, Tea and Milk, we REALLY enjoyed partaking in all the eats and drinks from the over 100 chefs and restaurants throughout Chelsea Market.
Our third and current art exhibition features the stunning portraiture of Korean American artist Julia Chon and explores the interweaving of ancestry and diaspora, the past and the present, traditions and contemporary life. In the way that a mudang, or medium in Korean shamanism, acts as a bridge between the spiritual and mundane so Ms. Chon's work connects generations across space and time.
SPIRIT DREAMS: Where Ancestors Come to Speak is on view in our Soho gallery through Jan. 21.
Kudos to Pearl River president Joanne Kwong! First she gave an insightful, funny, and moving talk at Changemakers Chat and then was honored at the Asian American Arts Alliance 40th anniversary gala. Congrats Joanne!
Jing Gao, the founder of Fly By Jing, released her debut cookbook this fall, and we had a blast helping her celebrate with a book talk and afterparty/book signing.
Our free tastings series at Pearl River Mart Foods has become one of our favorite activities. It's been so fun welcoming vendors to share their treats with customers, including Twrl Milk Tea, Bowlcut, KimlyParc, Tasting India, Mama Lam's, Makku, Confusion Snacks, Rooted Fare, Anna Ye Tea, and more! Can't wait for next year's lineup!
Queens has become a second home to us between our warehouse and manager outings (and not to mention Joanne's roots in the borough). So a popup in the Tangram shopping center in downtown Flushing was the perfect fit! Open at least until after Lunar New Year.
Whew, that's it for 2023! Happy new year and see you in 2024!
[Lead image: Chefs, entrepreneurs, and Pearl River Mart staff at the second annual Sunset Celebration]]]>In what's become our second home sweet home — between our warehouse in Woodside, manager outings in Flushing, and stuffing our faces throughout the borough — our FOURTH location will be opening Friday, Dec. 1 in Tangram, joining our Soho flagship, Chelsea Market store, and Pearl River Mart Foods.
We're so excited to be partnering with Tangram on this fun venture in downtown Flushing, which with its large Chinese population is the perfect fit for us, not to mention all the food, glorious Asian food. Thanks to the whole Tangram team for their support and encouragement!
Keep an eye on our Instagram to find out the exact opening time on Friday. Or swing by Saturday or Sunday! We plan to open on those days at 11, but again check our Instagram to make sure.
See you in Queens!
UPDATE (Dec. 2): The Pearl River Mart Popup Store is officially open! Current hours are:
Regular hours resume on Friday, Nov. 24.
Regular hours resume on Tuesday, Dec. 26.
Regular hours resume on Tuesday, Jan. 2.
Of course pearlriver.com is open 24/7!
]]>You can also save on our website! Just use code THANKU15 at checkout. (One use per costumer.)
Please also note the discount excludes gift cards and shipping costs, and cannot be combined with other discounts or coupons.
Happy shopping!
]]>Because of this, like the Lunar New Year and other east Asian holidays, Diwali falls on a different day every year according to the Gregorian or Western calendar. For 2023, it starts on November 10 and concludes November 14.
Stemming back to ancient times, Diwali’s most popular origin story is that of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, one of the main deities of Hinduism. The tale goes that after some complicated family drama, Rama was exiled to the forest for 14 years. However, after saving his wife from and slaying the demon king Ravana, he was welcomed back home.
Diwali celebrates this triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Celebrators bring this brightness to life by decking out their homes, temples, shops, and office buildings with lights, lanterns, and candles.
On the first day, which is called Dhanteras, people clean and decorate their homes, purchase new household items, and light diyas, oil-based lamps that can last up to five days. It’s not just a way to start on the right foot but also to make a more welcoming place for Hindu deities such as Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth; Ganesha, a remover of obstacles and god of wisdom; and Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music, art, wisdom, and learning.
Like the Lunar New Year, Diwali is the most popular Hindu festival. Firecrackers are set off the scare away evil spirits while people don new clothes, visit family, pay homage to ancestors, and come home to feast together on delicious food.
While dumplings are the piece de resistance for the Spring Festival, sweets called mithai are central to Diwali. Traditionally bought on the second day, mithai, like many Asian desserts, are quite different from their Western counterparts. They’re usually cooked on a stove top rather than baked and are made with ingredients like milk, chickpea flour, semolina, coconut, rice, and spices such as cardamom, saffron, and rose water.
Typical mithai include:
You can get your own ladoo courtesy of Tasting India at Pearl River Mart Foods! (In-store and Mercato purchases only.)
In addition to purchasing food on the second day, people pray for their ancestors. This particular day is called Choti Diwali, Naraka Chaturdasi, where “naraka” means hell. The purpose is to practice rituals that would free any souls suffering in naraka as well as a way to light the way for ancestors on their way to the afterlife.
By this time homes and temples are all shining with lights. Prayers and clean homes are offered to various Hindu deities. In addition everyone gets decked out in new threads, visits older family members, and oohs and ahhs over fireworks, and finally, gather together for a fabulous meal.
The celebration continues as husbands and wives show their gratitude for each other. Sometimes husbands will give gifts to their wives, or parents will host their newly married children and spouses with a meal and gifts.
On the fifth and last day, brothers and sisters honor each other by exchanging blessings, gifts, and of course food.
Want to learn more about Asian celebrations? Check out our posts on the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Blue Dragon Festival, and the Lantern Festival.
[Images (CC BY 2.0): "Diwali Lanterns," Dhinal Chheda; "Diwali Celebrations in Sri Lanka," Amila Tennakoon]
]]>While we love all kinds of porridges, oatmeals, and gruels, we have a soft spot in our hearts for one that comes from Asia: congee. To us it’s the ultimate comfort food — eaten on chilly days, when we’re feeling under the weather, or when need a boost in our moods. It’s also extremely versatile and relatively healthy. To honor this cozy carb, here are five flavorful fun facts about congee.
While congee might seem quintessentially East Asian, the word actually comes from Tamil, a language spoken in south India and Sri Lanka. The Tamil term is kañji and may have entered English via Portuguese around 1698, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. (From the 15th century, sailors and navigators from Portugal explored many parts of the world.) A traditional chicken and rice soup from Portugal is called canja.
Depending on who you ask, congee dates back a long time or a really long time ago. According to historian Tobie Meyer-Fong, the earliest evidence is from the Han dynasty (206 B.C. to A.D. 220) while cookbook author Eileen Yin-Fei Lo maintains that it goes all the way back to the Zhou dynasty circa 1000 B.C.
While Mandarin Chinese is a major language in both mainland China and Taiwan, congee goes by different names in each country. In China it’s generally called báizhōu (百粥), “white porridge,” while in Taiwan it’s known as xi fan (稀飯), which translates as “watery rice.”
Meanwhile, the pronunciation of congee in Cantonese Chinese and Korean is pretty similar: jook (粥) and juk (죽), respectively.
Have some hardened rice and random protein and vegetables? Throw it all together with some water and have a delicious bowl of goodness.
If you're in the New York area, head on over to Big Wong, one of our favorite Chinatown eateries. Pearl River President Joanne Kwong shouted out the Mott Street mainstay in Resy’s wonderful round-up of beloved neighborhood restaurants. Or if you want to try your hand at Asian cooking, check out the cookbooks on our website and our Bookshop store.
[Image by Peachyeung316 (CC BY-SA 4.0)]
]]>Most historians agree that noodles originated from China, The oldest evidence to date was found in 2005 when archaeologists dug up a bowl of noodles they estimated to be 4,000 years old. They were found in the northwest province of Qinghai province and resembled lamian, a kind of very long, hand-pulled noodle that’s chewy in texture.
Long noodles have much significance in Chinese culture. Representing a long life, they’re the must-eats on birthdays and during Lunar New Year. Any lengthy mian will do, but especially a dish called longevity noodles or yi mian, a kind of egg noodle that’s cooked al dente and therefore isn’t easily broken.
While it seems logical that noodles symbolize a long life due to their length, another legend says it may have to do a pun. It was believed that a long face meant longevity, and since the Chinese word for face, mian, sounds like the word for noodles, the two were equated.
The record was set in Henan, China in 2017 and still has yet to be broken.
While it may take up to 18 hours to cook ramen broth, the idea in Japan is to eat it as quickly as possible. How quickly? Thirteen minutes is the average. It’s considered rude to the chef to not enjoy his or her dish when it’s at its freshest and hottest. So that means no getting up from the table after you’ve been served nor dawdling with the perfect Instagram shot.
Taiwan-born, Japanese-bred Momofuku Ando is widely considered the inventor of instant noodles. In 1958, at the age of 48, he introduced Chikin Ramen — but not before months of trial and error, trying to figure out the best way to preserve noodles for a long shelf life. It was while watching his wife cook tempura that inspiration hit: flash-frying the noodles would remove the moisture, just the way the tempura method did with shrimp and vegetables.
As for his other big invention, Cup Noodles, it was a trip to the U.S. that sparked that idea. Legend says he was meeting with an American grocery buyer when he wanted to demonstrate his noodles. However, no bowl or chopsticks were available so the buyer grabbed a Styrofoam coffee cup, broke the noodles in half, poured hot water over them, and ate them with a fork. The idea for Cup Noodles was born.
With locations in Yokohama and Ikeda, Osaka, the Cup Noodles Museum offers a history of both Ando and the invention of instant noodles, a tasting room, and an “instant noodle tunnel.”
While it may have been introduced to the yam-shaped island by those fleeing Sichuan province in China, beef noodle soup has become a quintessential Taiwanese dish. Every year a competition is held during the Taipei International Beef Noodle Festival to find the country’s best bowl of niu rou mian. This year’s 56 competitors ranged from street vendor to five-star restaurants, and even included actor armed with his mother’s recipe.
Jajangmyeon, noodles with black bean sauce, is said to have been introduced in a invented by a Chinese immigrant in Korea. Introduced at a Chinese restaurant in South Korea’s only Chinatown, the dish was originally based on zhajiangmian, which originated from Shandong province (the inventor’s hometown). The original restaurant is now a museum.
South Korea, like Japan, celebrates Valentine’s Day not once but twice: the first time on the traditional western date of February 14, on which women give men gifts, then on March 14, dubbed White Day, on which men reciprocate.
But what about singletons? While China encourages those unattached to distract themselves with shopping, South Korea encourages 24 hours of wallowing with Black Day on April 14. According to the Smithsonian, those who went 0 for 2 in the gift department for both Valentine’s and White Days gather together dressed head to toe in black and eat, what else, noodles in black bean sauce, or jajangmyeon.
Have a craving for more morsels about Asian food? Check out our posts on sponge cakes, dumplings, and egg tarts.
[Images: "Dalian, Liaoning, China: Noodlemaker in Dalian Laohutan Ocean Park" by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas; CC BY 2.0 licenses: "Miso Ramen" by George N; "CUP NOODLE s" by Yumi Kimura; "Beef Noodle Soup 紅燒牛肉麵" by BlueJules; "Jajangmyeon" by Stu Spivak]
]]>We had the chance to chat with Cassandra about how Mama Lam's and the Laksa Shop came about, what craft-beer-drinkers and laksa-eaters might have in common, and of course food food food!
Tell me a little about your childhood. Where did you grow up?
My mom's from Malaysia and my dad's from Hong Kong. They met in New York. I grew up with different kinds of food – Canton, Malaysian, and lots of curry. It was a very food-oriented household. My mom was more of a stay-at-home mom and always prepared our meals for us. One of my favorite memories is from when I was about five, standing over a stove with my dad cooking. I grew up always eating and always surrounded by food.
Have you always lived in New York?
Yes! I was born in Flushing Hospital. We lived in Kew Gardens Hills until I was 10, and then in Stony Brook. I went to St. John's University for marketing, and I still live in Queens.
How did you go about starting your own business?
In addition to being a stay-at-home mom, my mom also worked from home as a travel agent. My dad is a small business owner and runs a silver jewelry shop. So I grew up surrounded by a kind of entrepreneurial spirit.
I worked at an advertising agency for a few years. It was a very corporate world. After five years, I knew that wasn't what I wanted to do. I was looking for new opportunities when my mom said why don’t I use her curry paste recipe and try to start a business?
We always travel a lot. About eight or nine years ago, my sister, mom, and I were at an outdoor market in Canada. They had curry laksa, which we were happy to see since finding Southeast Asian food is still very rare. It was good, but we all thought my mom's was better. That also helped inspire me to try a food business.
We started with a stand. It was very spur of the moment. We rushed around getting this license and that license. I quickly realized the food industry is very tough. Plus I didn't have the proper training. I thought, I don't know if I can handle this right now. Let's pivot to product. And that's how Mama Lam's came about.
People call my mom Mama Lam so we thought that was what the brand should be called. We focused on curry paste and hot sauce. The CPG [consumer packaged goods] route is very different from serving food. There's more of a production aspect. My brain works better in that sense. We launched Mama Lam's in 2017. It was a little while later that I quit my job and decided to focus full-time on Mama Lam's.
Before we talk about your Laksa Shop pop-up, what is laksa for those who don't know?
It's a noodle soup dish but may be different from ones more popularly known. In Japan the popular noodle dish is ramen, in Vietnam it's pho, and in Malaysia and Southeast Asia it's laksa.
What makes laksa different from, say, ramen are the flavors and noodles. In Malaysia it's more common to use lo mein egg noodles, thin rice noodles, and a kind of chow fun noodle. In Singapore the noodles are round and thick and made of rice. The flavors are different too. There are more curry spices and ingredients like lemongrass.
How did the Laksa Shop come about?
Everyone kept asking about laksa. We just said you can use our curry paste to make it. It won't be restaurant quality, but it will hit the spot.
A while ago I felt like I wanted to get back into the food service industry. I was waiting to find somebody — a chef who understood my vision and what I wanted to create. Laksa is not that common. To find a chef who understands the dish and the flavors was very important to me.
That was how I met Lizzy Singh-Brar, the chef who created the recipe for the soup for Laksa Shop, using our curry paste. She was teaching a culinary course in our commissary kitchen. She said our curry paste smelled familiar, and it turned out she had bought it at her farmer's market. So random!
Another interesting angle is that Lizzy is Australian and Australians love laksa. It's a very common dish there. Plus Lizzy is half Indian-Malaysian. Her father is of Indian descent and is from Malaysia. There are three main ethnic groups in Malaysia: Malays, Chinese, and Indian. So our noodles have more spices than a Thai curry because of that Indian influence.
What happened after you met Lizzy?
I told her my idea and we tested out some recipes. We did taste tests at a few restaurants. Of course my mom was involved with the taste testing too. Lizzy took the feedback and notes, and eventually came up with the recipe, which includes both vegetarian and traditional non-vegetarian versions.
We also took allergens into consideration — the traditional has soy, shrimp, and gluten while the vegetarian has just soy — and how to minimize them so that as many people as possible could eat the laksa. Because you only have to try it once to think, This is definitely something I need in my life.
Then we started doing popups at breweries and craft beer bars. I'm a big craft beer person. People ask why we have popups at breweries, and honestly it's more of a personal thing. Also I thought that since the clientele at craft breweries are usually seeking our better quality beer, they're probably seeking out better quality food, and are open to trying new things.
Is the goal to open your own place?
Yes, my goal is to have a brick and mortar, and more if possible. I would like Laksa Shop to be like the neighborhood ramen shop. A place to go whenever you feel gloomy or want a hearty meal. I want to add more to the menu. Laksa has so many variations. We have just the curry now, but there's also one called assam, which has a more sour flavor and is fish based. Singaporean laksa is also curry but the notes hit differently. The noodles are different. In Penang, there's a different version that's a white curry laksa.
What's the most surprising thing you've learned while starting your own business?
One big surprising thing is meeting other Malaysians and Singaporeans. Growing up we frequented a Malaysia restaurant, but other than that we didn't know too many other Malaysians. It wasn't like I would meet them in class. Now I'm meeting all these second-generation Malaysians as well as expats who miss laksa and Southeast Asian flavors.
What do you to re-energize if you're feeling burned out?
When I feel burnt out, I definitely like to go out and eat. [Laughs] I eat pretty much anything. So it could be Korean, Indian, Nepalese, or Mexican. I'm also a big seafood person. My husband and I like to find places via Google maps. We’ll pick five places and just go eat.
What's something you're obsessed with right now?
One of my favorite spots, Food Struck, just reopened, and I've been thinking a lot about that. They have a mix of everything. Like loco moco, a Hawaiian dish that's a hamburger over rice with an egg and gravy on top. They also do fried chicken and pork belly. They put a unique twist on comforting dishes.
What's your favorite food city or cities?
Kuala Lumpur has a ton of different foods since it's such a big city. But because it's so big, you have to know where to go. You have to go to specific restaurants. Penang is smaller but you can go to one area of the city that's all food stalls. You go there and think, Yeah, this is where I want to be.
Learn more about the Little Eats 小吃 x Laksa Shop popup in Pearl River Mart Foods.
]]>We had the chance to speak to Ms. Chon about how her art career started, how a family photograph sparked the idea for her show at Pearl River Mart, and her first muse.
Tell me a little about your childhood and background. Where did you grow up?
I was born outside of Washington, D.C. My father is English so we lived in London when I was very young. I was there for about six years. We moved back to D.C. in 2007, and that's where I've lived ever since.
How did you get started with your art career?
When I was 13, I was going through a very hard time. My parents were getting divorced, and I turned to art as therapy to process my emotions.
When I was 14 I decided I want to be an artist full time, and I realized that if I went to a regular high school, I wouldn't have as much time to focus on my art. So I asked my mom if she could homeschool me. My mom said, "I will never homeschool you." [Laughs] But, she said, find an alternative. So I ended up finding this online high school program, which I posited to my parents. Luckily they agreed and let me pursue it. So I was able to spend my high school years at home, and I was able to paint. At 16 I had the chance to exhibit my work for the first time and at 17 I had the opportunity to paint my first mural.
How did that mural come about?
In 2017, I met an artist named Kelly Towles who’s the director for DC Walls, a mural festival here in Washington, D.C. He took a chance on me and invited me to be a part of that year’s roster. Having never painted a mural before and spending most of my online high school years isolated from day to day socialization, DC Walls gave me an introduction to an artist community, and I was able to find peers and friends through that community.
What's the inspiration behind your work?
I come from a very large Korean American family. My grandparents immigrated to the U.S. in 1970. They had two daughters at the time, and eventually had seven. They had no sons and kept trying. So I grew up surrounded by a very matriarchal presence what with my mom, grandmother, and aunts.
When I began to paint, the influence of my family and Korean heritage was subject matter that I naturally gravitated toward and was where I wanted to focus my work. So I started with painting portraits, and my grandmother was my first muse.
How has the response been?
My grandmother cried when she first saw her portrait, and my family has been overwhelmingly supportive. I'm very lucky.
Are any of your other family members artistic?
I would say all of my family members are creative, but none went down an artistic career path. My grandparents hit the jackpot with their daughters. One aunt is a judge while another is a doctor. Very handy occupations when you need medical or legal advice. My mom is the most untraditional out of her sisters. She does so many things. She works in hospitality and restaurant spaces. She’s an advisor for women's leadership programs. She helps women in hospitality take that next step. She’s been my rock and biggest supporter.
What do you do for inspiration or to get re-energized if you're feeling burnt out?
Art can be so consuming. It's not only my career — it's something that I think about constantly. To take time away from that is the most reinvigorating thing I can do. Even if I'm not focused on painting, I'm usually thinking about other artforms. Reading poetry and literature, going to museums, looking at ceramics. To see how other people create their work is inspiring.
Tell me about your show at Pearl River.
A lot of my work is influenced by my Korean heritage. The symbolism and culture. I recently discovered my grandfather's sister practiced shamanism when she was younger. She wasn't a mudang — the actual shaman — but she would consult them. She held that belief system.
It wasn't hush hush but it wasn't necessarily talked about. It came out when were looking at pictures he took in the 1970s and '80s. My grandfather's revelation opened this whole world to me that I've always been attracted to. Since then I've been exploring this aspect of Korean culture that's not necessarily very popular, and my show at Pearl River will also explore those themes.
What's something you're obsessed with right now?
I'm kind of obsessed with tennis. When I'm preparing for a show, I have to sit for a really long time. Upwards of 18 hours a day. Having something on in the background helps me to focus.
My nature is to be competitive. In art you don't have an obvious opponent that's not yourself. In sports you can cheer people on as bystanders. That gives me energy and helps motivate me.
SPIRIT DREAMS is on view in our SoHo gallery from Sept. 21 through Jan. 21. Free and open to the public every day between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Join us for the opening reception on Sept. 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. Attendance is free but registration is required.]]>The Mid-Autumn Festival, sometimes called the Moon Festival, falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month (Sept. 29 this year). So what is it? Imagine Thanksgiving but instead of eating turkey and watching football, you feast on mooncakes and gaze at the full moon.
The holiday has been celebrated for thousands of years, starting in the 10th century during the Northern Song Dynasty. But where did it come from?
The festival has many origin stories, but the most widely accepted seems is about the goddess who inhabits the moon.
Chang’E wasn’t always so celestial. She started as the ordinary wife of famed archer Hou Yi, who saved the earth from burning to a crisp by shooting down nine out of 10 suns. Pleased with Hou Yi, the queen of heaven gifted him with an elixir which would grant him immortality. But Hou Yi didn’t want to live forever. He only wanted to live with his mortal wife. So he left the potion untouched at home.
Unfortunately, his jealous apprentice Feng Meng had witnessed the elixir exchange, and barged into Hou Yi’s house while he was away, demanding it from Chang’E. Having no choice, she downed the concoction herself and immediately flew up to the moon, where she’d live as a goddess for the rest of eternity.
Now it’s said you can see her face in the full moon.
Also called the Jade or Gold Rabbit, as jade and gold were often used to refer to the moon, the Moon Rabbit, like Chang'E, began as a mortal.
He, a fox, and a monkey were approached by three immortals disguised like beggars and asking for food. While the fox and monkey handed the vittles over, the rabbit unfortunately had none to give. A generous soul, he jumped in the fire, sacrificing himself as a meal instead. The immortals promptly rewarded him by sending him up to the moon to live forever with Chang’E.
Sometimes the rabbit is shown with a mortar and pestle. In Chinese folklore, he’s making the immortal elixir for Chang’E while in Japanese and Korean tradition, he’s pounding the ingredients for rice cakes.
The legend of the Moon Rabbit lives on: China’s unmanned lunar rover, which was named Yutu, or Jade Rabbit.
Some say it’s Chang’E ancient people prayed to during the festival. Others say it’s the moon itself with the belief that it, along with the sun, controlled the universe. Either way, paying homage to the harvest moon was believed to bring prosperity and happiness.
To do so, says The Atlantic, women would arrange an altar in their family’s courtyard. In the altar would be Moon Rabbit replicas, melons and pomegranates (which stand for fertility), and 13 mooncakes, one for each of the 13 months of the lunar calendar. Families would worship the moon together, then chow down on the cakes.
While some celebrations call for elaborate lantern displays, lion dancing, and fireworks, what the Mid-Autumn Festival comes down to being with loved ones.
Like Thanksgiving, it's a time for homecoming and family reunions. Those who can’t be with family — Moon Festival orphans, if you will — gather together to lament their homesickness, light lanterns, laud the full moon, and of course feast on mooncakes.
But what are mooncakes exactly? They might be thought of as the fruitcake of Chinese culture: dense, very traditional, and often reviled.
They're also full of meaning. The round shape not only symbolizes the moon but also completeness, unity, fulfillment, and perfection. To emphasize the roundness and stand for the phases of the moon, sometimes one or more salted duck egg yolks are wedged in.
Despite the briny surprise, the cakes are often mildly sweet with fillings of lotus or red bean although savory pork is also available. Modern flavors include green tea, taro, durian, pineapple, chocolate, tiramisu, and cream cheese.
The cakes differ from region to region. In Beijing they're are often meticulously carved while the Suzhou variety are known for their lighter, flaky crust.
In Hong Kong traditional mooncakes are eaten as well those with “snowskin,” a glutinous rice crust.
You won’t find any duck eggs in these frozen treats which bear more of a resemblance to mochi ice cream than yuebing.
Want to enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival first hand? You might like our mooncakes and other Mid-Autumn Festival items. You can also learn more about Asian holidays with our posts on the Hungry Ghost Festival, the Qixi Festival, and the Dragon Boat Festival. And catch up on more foodie fun facts with eight things you might not know about fortune cookies and eight lucky foods to eat during the Lunar New Year.
[Images: “Chang'e Flying to the Moon” by Ren Shuai Ying, Public Domain; “White Hare of the Moon,” Public Domain; “happy mid autumn moon festival” by tommy@chau, CC BY 2.0; “Mooncake side view” by Wee Keat Chin, CC BY 2.0; “P8129937” by CCFoodTravel.com, CC BY 2.0; “Homemade Moon Cake” by Ruocaled, CC BY 2.0; “P1130909” by lr175, CC BY 2.0]]]>Cantonese sponge cake, often served with dim sum
Unlike Western-style cakes, Chinese sponge cakes aren’t baked in an oven but are typically steamed in a wok or bamboo steamer. However, some nowadays, especially in the U.S., are baked.
If you know sponge cakes, you’ll know the feeling of peeling off the paper before taking that first, delectable bite. That’s because they’re steamed or baked in paper holders. Hence, their other moniker, paper-wrapped cakes.
Quite simply because eggs are one of the main ingredients, along with flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
Egg cake waffle with fruit and ice cream
There are the egg cakes that are big and puffy. Then there are the ones that are small and, well, puffy. Like melon balls of goodness, they start as a kind of bubbled waffle and can be eaten as such or broken into bite-sized pieces. While the mildly sweet flavor might be similar to the sponge cake, these egg cakes aren’t steamed but grilled. We, for one, have room for both kinds.
One of the most famous egg cake makers was Cecilia Tam, known as the “egg-cake lady of Mosco Street.” In the 1980s and ‘90s, her modest red food stall in Manhattan’s Chinatown attracted lines that wrapped around the block. Unfortunately she closed up shop back in the early 2000s.
While they were probably around long beforehand, Chinese sponge cakes have been referred to an English texts since at at least 1860. In this British book set in Beijing, the author notes a man who became “celebrated amongst the troops for his sponge cakes.” This book about life in China discusses the custom of gifting guests each with “a present of a sponge-cake and various kinds of sweet cakes.”
This 1868 biography of Schuyler Colfax, a former U.S. vice president, describes a meal in a San Francisco Chinese restaurant which included such dishes as sea-weed, stewed ducks and bamboo soup, and sponge cake.
Our favorite Chinatown sponge cake shop has been open for 35 years
Pearl River employee Tiffany enjoys some Kam Hing sponge cake
The “Best Sponge Cake in Town,” their sign proclaims, and we have to agree. We’ve long been fans of the New Kam Hing Coffee Shop, which offers sponge cakes in the moister, less puffy variety. Started in the early 1980s, the family-run business is now in their third generation. While the shop has expanded in both their square footage and their menu, the original recipe of their delectable sponge cakes hasn’t changed. “Only the family knows it,” says Elizabeth Yee, who runs the shop with her father.
You can hear more about the history of Kam Hing in Elizabeth’s interview with the New York Public Library’s Chinatown Legacy Project.
Have a hankering for sponge cakes? Head on over to Kam Hing and tell them Pearl River sent you. You can also learn more about other Asian treats.
[Images all via Creative Commons (CC BY 2.0): "Paper-Wrapped Sponge Cakes" by Alpha; "千層馬拉糕 (Cantonese sponge cake)" by Dennis Wong; Nahaufnahme zeigt eine gerollte Blasenwaffel mit Eis und Erdbeerstückchen by Marco Verch]
]]>The Chinese Qixi Festival celebrates the annual reunion of two (literally) star-crossed lovers, known as the cowherd and weaver maiden. Falling on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month (August 22 this year), the holiday is also known as the Double Seventh Festival, the Night of the Sevens, the Begging for Skills Festival, the Daughters’ Festival, and the Magpie Festival.
So who was this Chinese Romeo and Juliet?
The myth says the cowherd was minding his own business when he laid eyes on the weaver maiden and promptly fell in love. With the help of his trusty ox, he sneaked up to heaven to woo the object of his affection, at which point she fell head over heels for him too.
A marriage and two kids later, the weaver maiden's parents, the Emperor and Empress of heaven, finally caught wind. Appalled their heavenly daughter was with a mere mortal, they banished the doomed couple and their children to opposite sides of the Silver River (also known as the Milky Way).
Overwhelmed with grief, the weaver maid and cowherd cried tears of rain. Seeing their pain, the Emperor and Empress took pity on them, allowing them to come back together once a year. On that day a flock of magpies flies over the Silver River, forming a bridge and letting the family reunite.
Just as the Milky Way stands for the Silver River, certain stars stand for the cast of characters — Vega for the weaver maiden, Altair for the cowherd, and Altair’s flanking stars, Beta and Gamma Aquilae, for their children.
Photograph via China Daily
So what do people do to celebrate the holiday? In the past, girls prayed to the weaver maiden for sewing skills and true love. In some parts of China, they knew she was listening if a spider wove a web on a sacrificial object.
Girls also held sewing and weaving competitions, and gave offerings of fruit and other goodies, including “skill fruit” which are actually thin pastries in various shapes. Not to be forgotten, sometimes the matchmaking ox is honored by children hanging wildflowers on the horns of oxen.
In some regions, seven friends would gather to make dumplings, being sure to include a needle, coin, and date in the mix. Whoever received the three lucky dumplings would gain, respectively, dexterity in needlework, good fortune, and an early marriage. (And hopefully not an involuntary tongue piercing or broken tooth.)
Nowadays, the practices more resemble western Valentine’s Day with romantic outings and gifts of chocolates and flowers, although in some parts of China, women still honor the couple by showing off their sewing skills.
The holiday has inspired festivals in both Korea and Japan. The Korean Chilseok festival, like Qixi, falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. But instead of sewing competitions and risky needle-dumpling eating, Koreans would take baths for good health and enjoy wheat flour noodles and grilled wheat cake.
In Japan, Tanabata festivities begin on July 7 of the western calendar and run throughout July and August. The old customs are similar to the Chinese ones: girls hoped for better sewing skills and boys for better handwriting by composing wishes on strips of paper.
"Strips of paper written one’s wish : Sendai Tanabata," by Yuichi Shiraishi, CC BY 2.0
Today people still write wishes but rather than a swift needle and neat penmanship, they wish for a good future for the earth and give thanks for what they have. The wishes are sometimes written in tanzaku, a form of poetry, and the papers hung on bamboo. After the festival, the bamboo and other decorations are either set afloat on a river or burned.
In addition to decoration competitions, Tanabata festivals may involve parades, Miss Tanabata contests, and of course a lot of food. The festivals are all over Japan, but the most famous is in Sendai, where there are seven types of paper decorations: strips for wishes, purses for good business, nets for good fishing, trash bags for cleanliness, and decorative kimonos, cranes, and streamers.
"IMG_0120," by kazuletokyoite, CC BY 2.0
Even Google got in on the Qixi action last year with a beautiful Google Doodle.
Want to learn even more about Chinese festivals and traditions? Check out our posts on the Qingming Festival, Chinese wedding traditions, and the Lunar New Year, from what foods to eat, how to get lucky, and some things you didn’t know about the Chinese zodiac.
]]>But the seemingly simple (not quite) dessert has a complex history. And so on this National Fortune Cookie Day, we bring you eight things you might not know about fortune cookies.
While Chinese restaurants all over the world serve fortune cookies, the ones in China don’t. In fact, the concept is so foreign, says TIME, that when Wonton Food Inc., one of the biggest purveyors of fortune cookies, tried to do business in China in the 1990s, diners kept eating the fortunes by mistake. In the end, the company decided it was too difficult to explain the concept, let alone get people to adopt it.
So you might think that makes fortune cookies quintessentially Chinese American. However, evidence shows they might actually be Japanese.
Researcher Yasuko Nakamachi found fortune cookie evidence in Japan that predates by decades the first appearance of fortune cookies in America, says journalist Jennifer 8. Lee. Among Nakamachi's pieces of evidence are multiple references to the cookies in Japanese literature and history, including an 1878 etching of a fortune cookie maker, as well as centuries-old family bakeries in Japan that make fortune cookie-like crackers, complete with paper fortunes.
Japanese-style fortune cookies are a bit different from their Chinese American counterparts. Made with sesame and miso rather than vanilla and batter, they’re browner and bigger. Plus the fortune is pinched in the fold rather than wedged inside.
By World War II, fortune cookies were a mainstay in California Chinese restaurants. They quickly spread across the country, and by 1960, were so common, they were distributed at the Democratic convention.
However, their history before WWII is fuzzy. The Japanese Tea Garden of Golden Gate Park apparently sold them beginning in the late 19th century, as did Fugetsudo, a family-run bakery also in San Francisco, and Umeya, an early mass producer of the cookies. However, Hong Kong Noodle, a Chinese-owned company, sold them as well.
In the 1920s and ‘30s, Asian immigrants had limited job prospects due to anti-Asian laws. Thus, many opted to open restaurants. Nakamachi surmises that those from Japan might have thought their cuisine too “foreign” for American palates and opened Americanized “chop suey” establishments instead, which served fortune cookies.
Then WWII began and Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps. As a result, Japanese-owned bakeries and restaurants were forced to close, and Chinese-owned businesses took over fortune cookie production and distribution.
Brooklyn-based Wonton Food is the biggest manufacturer of fortune cookies and messages worldwide. So where do they get all their messages? From a database of about 15,000 fortunes. Compare that to Yang’s Fortunes, Inc. in San Francisco, which has a database of about 5,000 messages. Meanwhile, Hogyokudo, a bakery in Japan, has used the same 23 messages for decades.
Former corporate banker Donald Lau served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Fortune Writer at Wonton Food for three decades. But then he developed writer’s block, creating just two or three messages a month as opposed to 100 a year. So in early 2017, he passed the fortune writing torch to the new official Chief Fortune Writer, James Wong.
Wong is the nephew of a founder of Wonton Food, as well as the son of one of the company’s industrial engineers. Lisa Yang, daughter of Yang’s Fortunes founder Steven Yang, took on fortune writing duties as a college student, editing nonsensical Chinese proverb translations and creating messages from scratch. Now a vice president at her family’s company, she still writes fortunes when she feels inspired.
Powerball officials thought something seemed fishy back in 2005 when 110 people in 29 states became second-place winners in one day. How did so many people all over the country get five out of six numbers right? Turns out they all got them from fortune cookies manufactured by, you guessed it, Wonton Food. The free fortune cookies were definitely worth the $100,000 to $500,000 prizes.
On July 5, 1937, Hormel Foods introduced Spam as a convenient, non-perishable, and economical meat product. Head of the company Jay Hormel (and son of founder George) wanted a way to sell "the underused shoulder portions of hogs," says Live Science.
One problem Hormel had was competition. Many spiced ham products were already on the market. When Hormel's started to fall behind, he decided to make his brand stand out with a unique name. Legend says that he held a naming contest with a $100 prize (almost $2,000 today), and the winner just so happened to be someone named Kenneth Diagneau, an actor and brother to Hormel VP, R.H. Daigneau.
As for what it means, no one knows for sure. Some speculations include "spiced ham," "shoulders of pork and ham," and "something posing as meat."
Despite its reputation as a mystery meat, Spam has just six ingredients: pork with ham, salt, water, potato starch, salt, and sodium nitrate. The same can't be said for hot dogs!
During World War II, more than 100 million cans were shipped to the Pacific to feed U.S. troops and as aid packages to devasted parts of Europe and Russia. In his memoir Khruschchev Remembers, the former Soviet premier recalled, "Without Spam, we wouldn’t have been able to feed our army. We had lost our most fertile lands.”
It wasn't just soldiers who loved Spam while stationed in Hawaii during WWII. The locals became obsessed with it too. After the war, it became a staple for plantation workers since it didn't need to be refrigerated, was the perfect complement for another Hawaiian must have, rice, and was an economical means of protein in a state with a high cost of living.
This Hawaiian Spam fandom persists through today. About seven million cans are consumed a year (or five cans per person), and you can find Spam almost everywhere, from McDonald's to high-end restaurants.
[Photo: Dllu (CC BY-SA 4.0)]
A seemingly quintessential Hawaiian dish is Spam musubi, a slice of Spam seasoned with shoyu-sugar sauce and placed on a block of white rice and wrapped with nori. However, at least one source says a form of it may have originated in California. Hawaii food historian Arnold Hiura says that he met some Japanese Americans who claimed to be the originators, tracing a form of it back to the internment camps during WWII.
As for inventors from Hawaii, one possibility is Mitsuko Kaneshiro. What began as snack for her kids turned into a treat for consumers, first out of a pharmacy then, by the 1980s, her own cafe, Michan's Musubi, where she churned out 500 Spam musubis per day, all hand made since this was before the mold was invented.
Speaking of which, another possible inventor is Barbara Funamara, also from Hawaii. At first her Spam and rice combo was triangular, like traditional onigiri, but then one of her employees, Matsuno Matsumoto-Kaohi, brought in a box which Ms. Funamara recognized as a viable mold. Thus, the Spam-shaped Spam musubi we all know and love today.
[Photo: T.Tseng (CC BY 2.0)]
Budae jjigae was developed during the Korean War, incorporating Spam, American cheese, and franks and beans with noodles, vegetables, rice cakes, and other Korean staples. While budae jjigae roughly translates as "military stew," it's also known as "Johnson stew" or "Johnsontang," named for U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson who apparently couldn’t get enough of the dish during his visit to South Korea.
[Photo via Hormel Foods]
During Lunar New Year, Spam gift boxes are popularly given in South Korea. Perhaps because it used to be so hard to get — during the Korean War, it was only available at U.S. Army post exchange or PX stores — a whiff of luxury still clings to every tin. A gift box may cost you well over $70 and could include various cooking oils.
Want an all-Spam dish menu? Head to the Philippines. The menu at Spam Jam (not to be confused with the annual food festival in Hawaii) boasts the Spam Burger, Spam Spaghetti, Spam Baked Macaroni, Spam Caesar Salad, and more.
Be sure to check out our I Love Spam socks and these cute Spam stickers. Happy (unofficial) Spam Day!
[Lead image: Jeeyoon Park (CC BY-SA 4.0)]
]]>There's a reason the holiday takes place on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month (which translates to June 22 this year). And that reason has to do with Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet who lived 340–278 BC.
The poet Qu Yuan riding in style.
Qu was a loyal official and adviser of the state of Chu during the Warring States period, during which seven states fought for control over China. While he was passionately dedicated to helping the king, he was eventually exiled by said king when jealous officials slandered him and accused of him treason. It was during this exile that Qu wrote his many patriotic poems.
When the Qin state conquered the capital of Chu, Qu was so devastated, he drowned himself in the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Legend says the townspeople rowed their boats up and down the river, looking for his body. When they couldn’t find it, they tossed in lumps of rice to keep hungry fish away. An old doctor also poured in realgar wine — once considered a universal antidote against poison — to ward off evil spirits.
Another theory says the holiday has to do with worshiping the Dragon King (hence, dragon boats), who ruled over water and weather, dispensed rain, and embodied yang, the masculine side of yin and yang.
Nowadays, celebrants honor the legend of Qu Yun or Dragon King in a variety of ways. You can too.
Race some dragon boats — or just watch
Rowers might think they’re simply trying to win a race. Little may they know they’re reenacting the search for a drowned poet. Many cities and towns all over the world hold races. In our neck of the woods the annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival takes place August 12 and 13. Mark your calendars, New Yorkers!
Eat zongzi
Zongzi for sale.
Don’t toss lumps of rice into a river. Eat them instead. These pyramid-shaped sticky rice treats are cooked in bamboo leaves and can be sweet (e.g., red bean paste) or savory (e.g., pork belly and peanuts). Other fillings include mung bean, salted eggs, mushrooms, and dates.
Don’t drink realgar wine
Any alcoholic beverage that’s also an insecticide can’t be good news. Realgar, in case you were wondering, is an arsenic sulfide mineral. That’s right: arsenic, which makes it a toxic arsenic compound, and a no no to drink, at least in our book.
Want to get even more in the Dragon Boat Festival spirit? Check out these fun dragon decorations.
[Photos: "Dragon Boat Races" by Marc Dalmulder, CC BY 2.0; "A statue of Qu Yuan in a dragon boat on one of Singapore's central streets. A display for the Dragon Boat Festival" by Vmenkov, CC BY-SA 3.0; "Zongzi, Singapore" by Mr Bao, CC BY 2.0]
]]>I'm writing to you for an English Language Arts project to appreciate a business. I'm writing to your store because I appreciate how much you help me when shopping. Your staff is very helpful and I always find what I need for my grandpa's recipes.
I love buying various snacks and foods from you. Specifically having my favorite foods from all over the city (like 46 Mott and Vanessa's Dumpling House) consolidated. Whenever I cook a new recipe, I know I can count on you to carry the ingredients I need. Whenever I visit the city I always swing by and grab some snacks for the ride home. I also admire your deep-rooted history in New York, and foundation on Chinese-American diplomacy. I could spend hours in your store. I really appreciate your resilience in bringing authentic Chinese culture to the city, and most of all I look forward to continuing to shop here.
Wow, thanks so much Jack for the kind, well-written, and well-researched letter! In appreciation we've sent a surprise box of some of our favorite snacks to you and your classmates. Enjoy and looking forward to your next visit!
[Image: Pearl River Mart President Joanne Kwong and Pearl River Mart Foods Assistant Manager Brian Lee]
]]>Gift him a bit of green with these low-maintenance planter kits. All they need is a bit of water and sun — and some even water themselves! Available are herbs, cacti, and a miniature bonsai tree, as well as soothing stone and sand Zen gardens.
The Parents Are Human card game is a great way to get to know Dad and practice a language. Included are 50 questions and 20 actions to spark meaningful conversations, cards with English on one side and the translated language on the other, and categories like Life Events, Wisdom, Identity, and Relationships. Available in Chinese (simplified and traditional), Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Tagalog, Spanish, Bangla, and English.
Liven up his wardrobe with new outerwear. Check out our whole selection of tang-style jackets.
One of our best-selling items, these classic kung fu shoes can be dressed up or down. Pair them with a cool suit, throw them on with jeans or shorts, or don them for a serious session of tai chi.
Now that you have kung fu on the mind, consider a Bruce Lee figurine, whether full size or miniature.
Help him add a dash of cool to his lapel or bag with a Pintrill pin. Get artsy with pins celebrating Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat or go retro with a Godzilla or Peanuts Joe Cool.
For the guy interested in art, activism, and education, we have the Just Between Us catalog. Currently on view in our Soho art gallery is Just Between Us: From the Archives of Arlan Huang. Accompanying the exhibition is a catalog which documents the pieces in the exhibition, many of which are from Asian American artists and reflect 50 years of art and activism in New York, and includes an insightful essay and interview by, respectively, curators Danielle Wu and Howie Chen.
Is he obsessed with his pet? Then he'll love these dog toys inspired by favorite Asian snacks. Available are shrimp chips, rice crackers, White Bunny (an homage to White Rabbit candy), and Hello Puppy (a nod to Hello Panda cookies).
There's something for almost everyone with our themed Friendship Boxes, whether snack or tea lover, home cook, or someone who needs a bit of TLC or moment of Zen.
Of course you can't go wrong with a gift card! Valid for both online and in-store purchases at all our locations.
Happy Father's Day and gift getting!
]]>What began as “simply” a delicious idea turned out to be one big family reunion. It warmed our hearts to see all our AAPI universes coming together in one festive, beautiful space (the vision of the always amazing Christine Wong) and bonding over a shared love of community, small businesses (over 40 represented!), and of course food and drink (LOTs of drinks — thanks Lunar, Makku, and Tea and Milk).
Deepest gratitude and HUGE thanks to the wonderful team who went above and beyond to make the event such a success, especially event partners Lunar and Gold House. It’s been a crazy few weeks but WE DID IT!
Thanks and shouts also to:
And of course ALL our food and beverage partners!
And Cocofloss for some post-chowdown cleaning!
And we can’t forget:
And of course the whole Pearl River team!
Can’t wait until next year! Until then, enjoy some photos from the event. Happy AAPIHM!
]]>As a professor and board member of the Asian American/Asian Research Institute of the City University of New York, Dr. Ma often presents at conferences and attends fundraisers. "I've been on the lookout for more Asian-inspired clothing," she told us. "But after having three kids and living through the pandemic, the traditional cheongsam doesn't fit my body anymore."
Luckily Dr. Ma found our Old Shanghai meets New York collection. "It really gives an updated look to the original cheongsam that is bold and powerful," she said. It also brought her back to one of her favorite childhood stores.
"When my family and I first immigrated from Hong Kong to America, Pearl River Mart was one of my beloved Chinese stores in Manhattan’s Chinatown. I would spend hours browsing through all their treasures and wide assortment of Chinese and Asian snacks. This store always held good memories for me with its warm and inviting atmosphere during a time where Asians were often discriminated against in the early 1970s.
"I’ve been to all their stores beginning from Elizabeth to Canal Streets, and now in Chelsea Market. They still have an incredible and helpful staff of this family-owned staple of Chinese culture and community."
Dr. Ma at a presentation in the blue version of the shift dress
Dr. Ma was also kind enough to shout out Pearl River owner Mrs. Chen and Chelsea Market store manager Lynda. "They went above and beyond helping me pick out an outfit for my conference on Asian American studies. I ended up buying two dresses made of beautiful Chinese brocade because they reminded me of the traditional cheongsams my great-grandmother wore to my aunt’s wedding when I was a child.
"Pear River Mart has always held good memories for me as a child as well as now as an adult. I'm grateful they've survived troubling economic times, a global pandemic, and anti-Asian hate because they are a true exemplar of the resilience of Asian Americans."
And we're grateful for customers like you, Dr. Ma!
Have a story you want to share? Email us at customerservice@pearlriver.com. You can also check out our whole Old Shanghai Meets New York fashion collection.]]>One of our newest is an exquisite, early spring green tea called Ming Qian Longjing. An early harvest picked just before the Qingming Festival, it's also known as Dragon Well. Brewing to a golden color, the tea has a faint incense aroma and smooth, nutty flavor with a fresh and zesty finish. Available in a pretty tin or by the ounce.
Vases, jars, and bowls, oh my! In our latest collection you'll find a wide variety of ceramic items in different shapes, sizes, colors and designs. Perfect for home decor, tableware, or outdoor spaces.
Help Mom have a spa day at home! Check out our K-beauty masks, traditional implements like jade rollers, gua sha, and jade eye mask, and classics like Pechoin cream, Bee & Flower Soap, and White Flower oil.
Baisun's scented candles smell good enough to eat! (Don't do it of course!) Like his soaps, Miguelito's candles are inspired by the natural landscape of his home country, the Philippines.
Gift her something unique and pretty. Chaotic Neutral's earrings are inspired by the founder's Korean heritage and her close connection with the Chinatown community. Tinypinc's miniature foodie earrings and necklaces celebrate the artist's love for Chinese snacks.
Aid Through Trade's roll-on bracelets are ethically crafted by women artisans in Nepal and come in all 12 birthstones. You can also opt for something more traditional with our jade and natural stone bracelets.
And of course you can never go wrong with a gift card!
Check out our gift guides for even more ideas.
]]>Due to its long tradition of Confucian filial piety, some may argue that every day is Mother’s Day in China. But since the 1980s, the country has taken a cue from its Western neighbors and celebrated moms every second Sunday in May, often with bouquets of red carnations.
However, in 2007, Li Hanqiu, a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee suggested a different day: the second day of the fourth lunar month, which falls on the birthday of Mencius, an ancient Chinese philosopher whose mother is regarded as the epitome of motherly devotion. How devoted? She appears in a four-character idiom: mèng mǔ sān qiān, or “Mencius’s mother moves three times,” referring to the legend that she relocated three times before finding the perfect environment for her son.
Li also suggested replacing carnations with the gifting of lilies, which in ancient times was planted by mothers to express their grief when their children left home.
So what’s the verdict? It seems that while Li’s suggested day is the official date, celebrations are still held on the second Sunday of May.
While Taiwan also celebrates the second Sunday in May, their Mother’s Day has a little something extra. In 1999, the government designated the same day as the Buddha’s official birthday. In addition to honoring mamas, the strongly Buddhist population might also celebrate with the Bathing Buddha Festival, in which Buddha statues are cleansed with water, symbolizing care demonstrated toward newborns as well as a fresh start.
Known as Haha no hi, Mother's Day in Japan is also celebrated on the second Sunday in May. It seems to have started around the same time as in the U.S. although during World War II, it was banned along with other Western practices, only gaining popularity again after the war ended.
Today customs include children drawing pictures of their mothers as gifts or to enter into art contests. Not a kid? Red carnations are a common gift as well as items like purses and scarves. You can see Japan’s Mother’s Day in action in this episode of the popular cartoon series, Chibi Maruko-chan.
North and South Korea laud mothers differently. In North Korea, the designated day is November 16, which commemorates a speech the country’s first leader, Kim Il Sung, made in 1961 called "The Duty of Mothers in the Education of Children." Traditions include the giving of clothes and money.
Meanwhile in South Korea, the special day for mothers and fathers is the same: May 8. In the 1930s, the date was reserved just for moms, but in 1973, dads were included too. As in China and Japan, red carnations are often given and whole families get together to celebrate the day.
This South Asian country has a mother-related festival that predates the West’s Mother’s Day: it’s called Matatirtha Aunsi, which translates as “mother pilgrimage fortnight.” The holiday falls on the new moon of Boishakh, the first month of the Nepali calendar, which is April or May on the western calendar. Traditions include the gifting of money, flower necklaces, and fruit, while those who have lost their mothers give an offering of ceremonial grains called Sida Daan, bathe at shrines, and gaze at their reflections in the holy water. It was believed that in doing so, one might see one’s own mother reflected as well.
In Thailand, the day to pamper moms is August 12, the birthday of Sirikit, the queen mother. Customs include kneeling at one’s mother’s feet and thanking her for all she’s done — or in the case of two adorable little boys, at the feet of their devoted dress-wearing dad when their mom couldn’t make it.
In Indonesia, mothers — and all women — are officially honored every December 22. Also known as Women’s Day, it was established in 1953 to coincide with the anniversary of the First Indonesian Women’s Congress, which occurred in 1928 and is thought to be one of the launching points of organized women’s movements throughout the country.
Feeling inspired? Check out our gifts guides and find the perfect something for mom.
[Image: "Red Carnations in a vase" by Matty Ring, CC BY 2.0]
]]>Published by Pearl River Mart and Think!Chinatown, the book begins with an introductory essay by Danielle Wu, followed by an interview between Howie Chen and Arlan Huang. Huang's collection traces his time in the Asian American arts network, Godzilla, and the Chinatown-based collective Basement Workshop. Featured artists include Tomie Arai, Ken Chu, Corky Lee, Alex Paik, Hoyt Soohoo, Bob Hsiang, and Martin Wong. As the owner of the frame shop Squid Frames, Huang kept longtime correspondence with conceptual artist Sol Lewitt.
Like a confidence between friends, intel given off the record, or a shared history or experience, the exhibition is “just between us.” The phrase evokes the major principles that form the bedrock of Huang’s collecting ethics: that art should circulate outside the logic of the market; that it should not seek approval from heteropatriarchal white institutions; and that shared gossip and complaint forges the most precious friendships.
An abundance of Asian Americans in the collection often prompts Huang to consider it an “Asian American art collection.” Presented for the first time in this scale, the collection asks what Asian American art is and could be, and why Asian American identity and life continues to matter.
This book is made possible thanks to support of the State of New York and New York State Council on the Arts. It is also supported, in part, by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. The book design is by Gabrielle Chang.
(Update: "Just Between Us" closed on Sept. 10, 2023 and the catalog is sold out.)
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