Flash Fiction #179 It is said that there are two kinds of Asian restaurants in America—one kind caters to Americans and the other caters to Asian immigrants. The food choices, the food presentation, the management, the waiters or waitresses, and the price can be slightly different or significantly different, depending on who you ask. Yue … Continue reading The Managing Style (Flash Fiction)
As you know, I like to watch videos about food although I dislike cooking, eat almost like a vegan, and often delay dish washing until it is impossible to delay anymore. I used to like cooking and shopping for food etc., but my enthusiasm has suffered a steady decline for years. Recently, food is more … Continue reading Cultural Differences In A Restaurant
Flash Fiction # 173 The shortage of rice snack right now reminds me of my mother, who had her own version of rice riot regularly at home. As you know when I was young, we were living on the southern border of Mongolian steppe, where rice was considered an exotic commodity, at least in those … Continue reading My Mother’s Rice Riot (Flash Fiction)
I've heard about the rice problem for several weeks, but I've never acted on it or tried to stock up on rice products. One reason is that I've been busy and haven't paid attention to what is happening around me for a while. Another reason is that whenever I step into the Asian grocery stores, … Continue reading The Rice Snack
I ran into L today in the supermarket. As you know, I have lost my interest in shopping for groceries ever since the inflation started. I used to like looking for coupons, buying discount stuff, and feeling the pleasure of saving money while spending money. However, recently coupons are hard to come by, discounts are … Continue reading A Different Perspective
As you know I am an "almost vegan" who can never be a real vegan but who eats only a little bit of egg or meat every day. For example, an occasional egg white for breakfast, or a strip of turkey bacon for a sandwich. And the secret of being an almost vegan is to … Continue reading Vegan Dishes For The End Of Summer
I have been watching some videos to learn Spanish--just a little bit every day for fun--and one of the YouTube videos is from a guy who works as a Spanish teacher in Germany. He is originally from Peru in South America, and he shares his thoughts on 30 things Germans do that he feels quite … Continue reading Cultural Differences In Daily Life
This is the 13th part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. "It suddenly dawns on me what this is. This is a charade, for which you are indirectly involved, Pammy. No wonder you switch from Team Chrysanthemum to Team Lau. No … Continue reading The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 13)
This is the 12th part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. It's another weekend. Pammy, Dodo, and I are sitting at the Paris Baguette for its delicious rice donuts and coconut croissant. Our conversation lingers on its new store opening in New … Continue reading The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 12)
This is the 11th part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. The news of Lau's heart attack spread among the restaurant patrons and throughout the Asian community, inevitably provoking a debate between Team Lau and Team Chrysanthemum--should the money from the Korean businessman … Continue reading The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 11)
This is the 10th part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. That night, Lau and Chrysanthemum have their biggest fight over it. "He gave the money to me, for the sole purpose of fighting bad wives like you. He deliberately said that it was … Continue reading The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 10)
This is the 9th part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Everybody has her defining event (or moment) in her life. For Chrysanthemum, this defining event didn't come until she ran away with Chow. Before this, she was a good girl, a silent partner who … Continue reading The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 9)
This is the 8th part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. "If Chrysanthemum had rejected Chow's proposed runaway many times before, why did she accept the one to go to the West Coast for a marijuana farm? Why this proposal? Why this time? I mean her … Continue reading The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 8)
In order to be an "almost vegan", one has to have one or two miracle sauces, which can add flavor to any dishes. The most bland, unpromising, flavorless food can be transformed instantly when such sauces are added, sometimes just one tablespoon. And my miracle sauces are Brown Braising Sauce from Lee Kum Kee and … Continue reading My Miracle Sauces For Vegan Food
This is the 7th part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. I wrote the last part of the story really badly, but I hope this part is better than the last one. Anyway, Chrysanthemums and Chow disappeared, together with two stashes of cash in two safety deposit … Continue reading The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 7)
When I was in high school and stayed with my maternal grandparents for a weekend, I watched them eating a fisherman's delicacy--raw crab pickled in alcohol. My grandparents had grown up in a fishing village. Even if they had moved to a big city later on, away from their traditional life, they enjoyed all kinds … Continue reading Food And Tradition
This is the 6th part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Babutai pauses and looks around, enjoying the astonishment of his audience. "Chef Chow's cleaver is very sharp. He sharpens it every day." "What happened next? Did Chef Chow hurt anybody?" We ask and urge Babutai to continue. … Continue reading The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 6)
This is the 5th part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2, 3, 4. One of the employees of the coffee shop comes to the table to ask Babutai and the three strangers standing behind me if they want to order something. Babutai becomes strategically silent and looks at his admires with … Continue reading The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 5)
Image by KamranAydinov on Freepik Sauce Is Everything Today at the supermarket, I couldn't find my favorite brand of dark soy sauce. As a replacement, I bought Lee Kum Kee's Brown Braising Sauce, which I had never tried before. And so coming home, I made braised tofu by pouring the sauce on a plate of … Continue reading Food Choices
This is the 4th part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2, 3. Now Babutai has got every woman's attention, he is not in a rush to reveal what he knows. To enhance the sense of suspense and drama, he asks questions instead, "So you don't know what happened yesterday. However do … Continue reading The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 4)
Free Image from canva.com The Bright Sky Today I don't have anything to write today. The only thing that comes to my mind right now is the weather. It is quite bright today although still not sunny. If I compare it to the last two or three days, it's a great improvement. Yesterday was the … Continue reading A Better, Brighter Sky
This is the 3rd part of the story. The previous parts are here: 1, 2. "Can you believe what he did to me a week ago? He tried to force me to do takeout while I wanted to eat in the restaurant." I tell Pammy, Jen, and Dodo. Four of us are sitting at the … Continue reading The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 3)
This is the 2nd part of the story. The 1st part is here. Anyway, it is a Saturday, but I work the whole day to finish an urgent document. When I finally finish everything, it is 8:30PM already. Driving home, I pass Bamboo Palace, thinking that I should reward myself with a nice dinner. Everybody … Continue reading The Dim Sum Drama (Flash Fiction Part 2)
Image by D. from Pixabay I am almost a vegan, but still not quite there yet since I can't get rid of occasional eggs or Campbell's chicken noodle soup or a slice of turkey breast for sandwich or one or two silk scarves (throwing them away is unthinkable by the way) or the daily fish … Continue reading New Vegan Dishes I Tried
Image by Denise Husted from Pixabay Long time ago, I worked in an Asian restaurant for two months during the summer. The place offered a wide range of Asian dishes from Vietnamese Pho, Pad Thai, Cantonese Dim Sum, to Japanese Sushi. I didn't understand why the owner didn't specialize on one regional food, but I … Continue reading Kitchen’s Cultural Difference
Image by sharkolot from Pixabay Quote Of The Day #72 This year, my favorite authors will be Dionne Brand and Janet Malcolm. I will try to read these two authors as much as I can until I start to lose interest in them. The problem with these two is that their books are never on … Continue reading Quote Of The Day: Spring Smells Of Eagerness
Image by Nicky from Pixabay I have nothing to write for today. I thought I would come up with something during the course of the day, but nothing comes up. Now it is almost midnight and I think I should still write something even if I have nothing to write. I went to two Asian … Continue reading Nothing To Write For Sunday
Image by Deborah Hudson from Pixabay I don't have anything to write today since during the day, I wrote thousands of words of correspondence to give opinions about a resume, a powerpoint, a self portrayal, a portfolio, a letter, together with a list of my suggestions. All the time, I was afraid that I was … Continue reading The Meaning Of Life
Image by Chris Hilbert from Pixabay Last week I found one great vegan item from the grocery store called Aldi, which is said to be the fastest growing discount store here. I bought the "Meatless Breakfast Patties" and it is delicious, even better than its counterpart from Trader Joe's. Most of the vegan items are … Continue reading My Breakthrough Vegan Dish
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay I am very happy today since when I went to the market this morning, I saw a drop on the price of turnip, eggplant, and watercress. Almost every veggie is getting half way back to its price a year ago. Finally, I am seeing the light at the end of … Continue reading The Art Of Getting It All Wrong
Image by Chris Hilbert from Pixabay It's only Wednesday but the grocery stores are filled with busy shoppers. Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow would be rainy and then freezing, which makes today the best day for weekend shopping. Usually in HMart, we only see Asians. I rarely see non-Asians there. Wait, I can't say … Continue reading I Just Microwave It
Image by Alexa from Pixabay Flash Fiction #143 Two colleagues come into the little lunch room in their office at noon one day. Non-Native Speaker: "Look, I brought you one pound of sticky rice cake here." Native Speaker: "Oh, thanks, but why? What's the occasion?" Non-Native Speaker: "Last time when I showed you what I … Continue reading It Is Interesting (Flash Fiction)
Image by Joseph Levesque from Pixabay Many Asian immigrants interpret English words different, especially during holidays, when we have to pick and choose which mainstream customs we want to adopt, which customs we want to adopt but can't, which customs we want to admire from a distance, which customs we think we understand but we … Continue reading Holiday Food Reinterpreted
Image by timokefoto from Pixabay New Word #126 I was trying to compile a holiday word list, for which immigrants have alternative interpretations. Then I realized that it's a list that requires more thoughts and it wouldn't be completed today. For example, turkey is a mischievous reminder that one can never be Americanized enough to … Continue reading New Word: Holiday Celebrations
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I was thinking of getting more vegan food this year. I went to Trader Joe's today to see if they have their "Turkey-less Stuffed Roast" for sale. It's supposed to be delicious--so I heard. However just like last year, I couldn't find it. … Continue reading More Vegan Food For The Holiday
Image by Monika from Pixabay I am not talking about the differences in ingredients, spices, flavors, textures of food from different cultures, but rather I am talking about a different kind of cultural differences--human behavior. Many Asians, especially Asian women, are shocked to discover that American women can choose between cooking or not cooking--some women … Continue reading Cultural Differences In Cooking
Image by Pexels from Pixabay It is said Chiapas, Mexico is the capital of Coca-Cola--not that they produce the fizzy beverage, but rather they drink it more than any other places in the world. In certain towns in this state, people drink on average 2 liters of it per day per person. That's more than … Continue reading I Used To Drink Like That
Image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay I met such a girl and I want to write about her. Well, I really want to say that I don't know how to write about her and I want to practice writing about her. She and her brother were born in a very conservative immigrant family, which means … Continue reading I Met Such A Girl
Image by Trang Pham from Pixabay New Word #119 roast: cook (food, especially meat) by prolonged exposure to heat in an oven or over a fire. However this word has extended to mean to criticize or reprimand severely. And then the word has stretched its meaning again mainly in the U.S. to mean a banquet … Continue reading New Word: Cooking But Not Really Cooking
Image by CANDICE CANDICE from Pixabay The Weather I expected the heat to go down in August, but one week into it, the high temperature shows no sign of letting up. 95F (35C) for three weeks now, which has been punctuated by only one or two days of 89F (32C). Google says the average day … Continue reading Early Saturday Morning
Image by John Hain from Pixabay Today, I drove past "Wonder Seafood", one of the best Asian restaurants in town and found that the parking lot was empty. Just one or two months ago, the business was picking up, but now it seemed in steep decline again, either because Rutgers University students are gone for … Continue reading Weekend Thoughts
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay New Word #113 I don't know where the birds have gone? Maybe they've flown to Canada to seek some cool air since I don't hear birds chirping as much in the morning anymore. For the entire week, temperature hovers around 100ºF (about 38ºC) each day, which will last until … Continue reading New Word: The Heat
Image by kakuko from Pixabay Here are some of the common misunderstandings of stir fry dishes: Stir fry is always oily. This is not true. You can add as little oil as possible. It doesn't have to be oily. Although vegetables love oil and absorb oil, we can cook very tasty vegetable dishes without adding … Continue reading The Secret Of Vegan Stir Fry
Image by icsilviu from Pixabay Is the Pandemic Over? I wonder if the pandemic is over. Most people don't wear masks anymore around here. I am one of the few people who still wear it as much as we can, just to be on the cautious side. But I guess the effect is rather negligible. … Continue reading Is It Over Or Not?
Haoyan Do Cell Phone Picture Flash Fiction #122 Mu and his wife Nia have been practicing extreme economy recently due to rising inflation, to the point that their relationship is somehow strained. They used to go out for dinner once a week in a local restaurant, but that is considered too costly. Mu claims that … Continue reading The Inflation (Flash Fiction)
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay Flash Fiction #118 Pammy and her husband Pan have been talking about inflation regularly. They have two mortgages to pay, one for the house and one for Pan's new car. Their son Sam is growing and the expense is increasing. A school trip to Manhattan, a new swimsuit for … Continue reading How Do You Know What Italians Think? (Flash Fiction)
The Microwave This morning the microwave went crazy. After emitting a weird burning smell, it sent the smoke detector screaming. I didn't see any smoke to justify the alarm, but not being visible didn't mean not being in existence. The detector can detect what our eyes can't see, I guess. Is this a metaphor for … Continue reading Crazy Friday
This is the best vegan dish I've ever cooked so far and the taste is so good that it rivals those meat dishes. It is extremely simple and there are only three ingredients: Just Egg--I used six table spoon of this plant based egg, which is equivalent to two medium sized real egg. tofu -- … Continue reading Super Easy: Tofu And “Just Egg”
I was thinking of getting the vegan option "Just Egg" from the Target store for months since it has had very good reviews online. However, Target is located in the Menlo Park section of the Edison Township, near those many acres of land Thomas Edison bought and established his lab more than 150 years ago. … Continue reading The Vegan Eggs
The first half of the story is here. "I want Arju to work, of course, but you know Joa, it is not as simple as that. Life is more complicated. If Arju works, our family income will go to a higher tax bracket. I calculated that. You know I'm a financial analyst. We would end … Continue reading She Says And He Says Continued (Flash Fiction)
Flash Fiction #117 Jinmu and his wife Joa have been running the restaurant "The Royal Garden" for years, which has a huge display of bubbly fish tank in the front, four two-feet-tall statues of folklore deities carrying luck, money, health, and longevity standing in a glass case by the wall, and several three-feet-tall indoor plants … Continue reading She Says And He Says (Flash Fiction)
When I was a little girl and lived on the edge of the Mongolian Steppe, I disliked the spring very much, for the simple reason that our food was the worst in spring time. In those days, transportation was no good. All the potatoes people stored in the underground vaults from the year before were … Continue reading The Spring Long Time Ago
I am not a vegan but I've been on my way to the vegan land for many years. And finally for the last two months, I've successfully cut chicken out of my diet. The only animal product remaining on the menu is the egg. I eat about two to three egg whites a day. Other … Continue reading On My Way To Be A Vegan
Image by Shutterbug75 from Pixabay Several years ago, a local Asian restaurant waiter told us when we were having lunch there that Valentine's day doesn't generate good business in his restaurant. The best day of business is the Mother's day weekend, Christmas week being the second, and around Thanksgiving being the third, followed by Lunar … Continue reading A Local Restaurant
Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay I can't believe I'm having insomnia again. I should take melatonin. It says 10mg maximum strength--is it too strong? It is said it's a hormone. Taking hormone is damaging to one's body, probably. I should read online reviews about it and know all the side effects. … Continue reading The Insomnia
Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay "Where are you going? You are going to the tournament, right? How much I wish I can stop such an event. No participation. Just observe. You promised." Maylan says to her husband Jay Lai. "Of course. The tournament is half way through already. How can I participate now?" Jay … Continue reading That’s Fate (Flash Fiction #99)
Incense Drying in Vietnam--Image by Xuan Duong from Pixabay I've always trying to write real stories, but plagued with the fact that real stories tend to be too mundane to sustain people's interest. I still don't know how to manipulate the language to make a mundane story more fun to read. So it has been … Continue reading Cultural Differences
Image by Couleur from Pixabay Let's have a dumpling party, that's tasty and hearty, with meat and veggie, to help her get over him. Who knows where he's now, could be anywhere in the Pacific rim. Let's make dumplings from scratch-- knead the dough, chop the spice. All the mixing and stirring and wrapping-- to … Continue reading Poem Of The Day #43
Image by Leandro De Carvalho from Pixabay Rida has been battling her husband Mung for years, but today's battle is more severe than any of the previous ones. Mung took out a loan of $5,000 from their insurance policy without telling her and then sent the money to his hometown in Southeast Asia to buy … Continue reading Dreams And Miracles (Flash Fiction #97)
Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay Whatever happens, he is not going to give up smoking. That's his last shred of comfort left in his life and he refuses to surrender it. Ever since they bought the house, he and his wife have been struggling to pay the mortgage and the property tax. Needless to … Continue reading The Mistake (Flash Fiction #93)
Image by Trang Pham from Pixabay Easy Curry Tofu Last time after I talked about easy tofu dishes, I realized that I forgot about curry tofu, which is my favorite. It is so easy to do. Cut tofu into small pieces (half bit size) and microwave it on a flat plate on high for 2 … Continue reading Easy Fusion Food
Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay I don't have a new year resolution since I know that I will never be able to keep it. Weather it's an exercise routine, a diet regime, a time management plan, or an avowed improvement on my imperfect manner, I will abandon it within a week and go back … Continue reading Happy New Year 2022
Image by Uschi Leonhartsberger-Schrott from Pixabay Christmas is a great occasion to learn new words. I know a lady who really wanted her kid to learn better English. She actually decorated her place and put labels on each item with English words on it. What a sweet mother she is. Holiday Decoration poinsettia: a small … Continue reading New Word #86: Christmas
Image by Couleur from Pixabay Christmas is a time to try new food. Stores display new items on their shelves while people don't care much when they go beyond their budget at this time of the year. One of the reasons that I'm always seeking new food is because I want to eat healthily. And … Continue reading Healthy Food For Christmas
Image by NickyPe from Pixabay It takes Nali the whole Saturday to troubleshoot the database, pinpoint the reason why it is slowing down, rewrite queries, and reconfigure essential tables. When it's all over, it's seven o'clock at night. She drove from Edison, New Jersey that morning, up the Garden State Parkway and the I-87 Highway. … Continue reading A Night To Forget (Flash Fiction #90)
Image by hanul choi from Pixabay Since I started a healthy diet regime about ten years ago, I've always been on the look out for new recipes. One of my friends told me that healthy and tasty can not be used to describe the same food. I don't agree with this, but I have to … Continue reading Easy Tofu Dishes
Image by Ylanite Koppens from Pixabay I've never attempted to roast a turkey. And there are several reasons for that. Reason number one: The oven has always been an extra storage space for pots and pans for me. No other functionalities. So my skill in managing the process of roasting or baking is non-existent. Reason … Continue reading Thanksgiving Options
Image by Manuel Alejandro Leon from Pixabay Jintu is the chef of "The Royal Garden" in New Jersey. If you talk about any other dish or any other chef in his presence, you are going to run into a big argument with him. He considers himself the king of food and cooking, and he is … Continue reading An Unexpected Competition (Flash Fiction #74)
Yip and Yik are two brothers who used to run a restaurant together on Old Post Road in Edison Township, New Jersey. However after their father died, the two brothers split. Their wives didn't get along for years and everybody said it was inevitable that the two owners would go their separate ways. Yip is … Continue reading Ida And Superstition (Flash Fiction #65)
Image by Ulrike Leone from Pixabay When I was young, living in the staff quarter of a rural college south of Mongolian steppe, I often heard fruit stories from my mother's friends who had migrated from the south. My favorite bits were oranges knocking on your shoulder, waking up with olives about to jump into … Continue reading Mellow Fruitfulness
Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter from Pixabay There are a lot of fireworks, big or small, in Edison Township over the weekend and one very exuberant one just blasted off outside of my window by a neighbor I guess. This year's celebration is obviously more intense than last year, or any previous year. … Continue reading The July 4th Long Weekend
Image by USA-Reiseblogger from Pixabay I haven't heard any sound from cicada in Edison, but it is said in the Princeton township 30 miles to the west, cicada is taking over the neighborhood. They climb on every branch and sing all day long and shed their skins everywhere. There's a very interesting article about New … Continue reading Cicada 2021
"Look, rice spaghetti. I wonder if it tastes like rice noodle. Let's try it." Pammy says to her husband Pan at the ShopRite grocery store. "Well, do we have to have food experiment? I mean can't we stick with the food we are familiar with?" Pan grumbles. "We need to diversify our dinner menu. Learn … Continue reading The Rice Spaghetti (Flash Fiction #5)
Akito Nakamura is a typical Japanese boy with an atypical family history. His father is a Malaysian who went to Japan to attend a graduate program, during which he got to know Akito's mom Momoe Nakamura. When the program ended, the two decided to get married. However after Momoe traveled to Malaysia to meet the … Continue reading The Crazy School Lunch
Last weekend, I had to struggle with the question--what broth to use--all because the local Trader Joe's runs out of the low sodium organic chicken broth. This Trader Joe's on Route One in the township of North Brunswick is too small, probably only three thousand square feet, which as a store is not much at … Continue reading Struggle With Broth
I don't have an appetite today and I don't know why. Is it because of the melatonin pills I've taken these past two weeks for my insomnia? It could be. It is said online that melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone in our body and taking a little won't have any side effect on the … Continue reading When You Don’t Have An Appetite
Whenever I make a bowl of wonton soup, I will think of R. When I first came to America as a graduate student, R was my roommate from Eastern Europe. In America, we all live in our own communities and it's unusual for an Asian girl like me to team up with a girl like … Continue reading Easy Wonton Soup
Haoyan Do 