We did a Chinese Chili Spaghetti version of this (adding beans) and served it up at the Dunwoody Chili Cook-off. Needless to say, it was the popular winner among kids and adults! This is one of our family’s all-time favorites.

Noodles represent long life so traditionally we eat noodles at birthday celebrations and don’t break our noodles! This is our adaptation of Shanghai Spicy Noodles. I have done a tofu or all-veggie version, too. You can use Asian egg noodles, regular or  whole wheat spaghetti/linguine. For a special treat, enjoy with fresh Asian egg noodles.

2 T veg (canola/safflower) oil

1 T minced garlic

1 T minced fresh gingerroot

1/4 t. crushed red pepper

1 1/2 c. chopped onion

3 T. hoisin or 2 T black bean sauce

2 T soy sauce

1 T sugar

Finely chopped veggies – 3 cups: cabbage, celery, yellow squash/zucchini

1 lb. ground turkey (or beef)

2 T water

2 T oil

½ t black pepper

16 oz. Spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained

2 T sesame oil

1/2 c. sliced green onions

Sliced cucumbers, cilantro for garnish

Mix water, 1 T oil, pepper in raw meat to “thin.” Heat wok. Add 1 t. oil, ½ 3G’s, red pepper flakes, onions, sauté. In small bowl combine hoisin/black bean sauce, soy, sugar. Stir into meat mixture. Cook until meat is done. Simmer. In separate pan, heat 1 T veg oil, sauté veggies. Mix with meat sauce. Serve noodles, top with meat/veggie mixture. Garnish with cucumbers, cilantro, scallions.

Fusion Fun: Black Sesame Biscuits

Arriving early to teach a class downtown, I went to the Flying Biscuit for a dinner snack. It was in-between meal times and the servers enthusiastically announced “$3 Mimosas!” Not a big drinker, I declined but excitedly noticed it was “Biscuit Happy Hour” on the daily special board. Excited about the prospect of a free or perhaps “all you can eat” biscuits, I asked my server about the daily special. He flew by and repeated “$3 Mimosas!” I asked again and this time pointed to the poster, “What is the Biscuit Happy Hour?” He repeated in the same cheery tone as he flew back the other way, “$3 Mimosas!” A bit flustered and confused, I reiterated, “But it says BISCUIT Happy Hour.” Then, it dawned on me that they were all about the “happy hour mimosas” and this Raccoon Foodie was all about the biscuit! Ha! I had a good chuckle at myself as I munched on my whole wheat biscuit and Love Bean Cakes.

Bone soup is very traditional and many Asian households keep a regular pot of bone soup simmering on the stove. At Thanksgiving, we look forward the most to getting not the breast or the leg or thigh, but the turkey bone to make soup! This soup can be made with any meat bone but ham hocks are best with the black-eyed peas! I have adapted a veggie-version of this by using miso or a vegetable bouillon base. It turns into a different dish but still tasty.

• Put enough water to cover ham hocks in a soup pot
• Boil and simmer over low heat for 1-2 hrs
• Put in fridge and skim off fat
• Bring to a boil and taste for saltiness. Add ½ tsp black pepper and salt (if needed)
• Heat oil in soup pot and stir-fry chopped collard greens, 2/3 of the green onions, garlic for 2 min (don’t over cook, still green)
• Pour hot ham broth (about 6 cups) over collards, add ramen noodles and beans, bring to a boil, cook until noodles are soft (only a minute since these are instant noodles). Garnish with green onion, fresh cilantro and serve.

1 tbs vegetable oil

2-3 ham hocks

2 cups of chopped fresh (or frozen) collard greens (“collies”) or chard

1-2 cups cooked black-eyed peas

1-2 packages instant ramen noodles

2 chopped green onions

1 clove chopped garlic

Salt and pepper

Cilantro for garnish

Nice article (with pics) on our Eat, Learn and Shop Series at Buford Highway Farmers Market by Beth Robinette, who came with smiles and her camera to all of our new classes. Great meeting you and thanks for your enthusiasm, Beth!  Thanks for the wonderful essays and beautiful slideshows!

Beth is the Atlanta Ethnic Foods Examiner, Atlanta Ethnic Restaurants Examiner and Atlanta Ethnic Foodies meet-up group.

Thanks to Buford Highway Farmers Market (and Bill) for being a great host for the class.

Asian Hot Pot Party Handout/Shopping List

Sister Fun(Smyrna, GA)

Some memorable cross-cultural bloopers and funnies heard in our family:

* Who’s at the door? “Look through the pee hole and check who it is.” (peep hole)

* Where’s Frank? “He’s downstairs getting ready. He takes a long time pimping himself!” (primping)

* “We used to have an old Volkswagon Beetle so I know how to drive a car with a stick and a crutch!” (clutch)

* While reading People magazine, “I can’t believe Angelini and the Pitts are trying to have another baby!” and “I think Bandino is very hot [Antonio Banderas]!” (Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt)

* As my sister was putting tokens in and ushering her kids through the subway turnstile, she waved quickly to her last little one to go through saying, “Hurry up, go, you’re free!” Reluctantly, the child slid under but not without protesting, “But mommy, I’m four!”

Bento Cafe is a colorful slice of Taipei in Norcross, 5495 Jimmy Carter Blvd. not far from 285/85 interchange. Sometimes I drive out to Bento just for the beverages. Few other places make fresh bubble tea anymore (mostly powders). I also recall that Bento is run/owned by a young female artist/designer. Good to support her efforts at entrepreneurship.

For more on Bento Cafe and what to order, see Creative Loafing review

On feminism and gender equity, I would like to focus efforts on alleviating barriers and challenges to success–poverty, healthcare, education, childcare–as well as constructively eliminating remaining bias or prejudice, among men and women. We all have some stereotypes and blindspots to work on.  Women remain grossly underrepresented in Congress (16%) and in top corporate leadership (3% are CEOs). The White House Project is one good organization that promotes and trains women for elective office and civic participation. We definitely need a more diverse and robust pipeline. Running my own campaign and serving in local public office was one of the most fulfilling and challenging experiences. Go Vote, Run, Lead!

As for beauty pageants, folks are surprised when they hear me point out the differences between the scholarship pageants and other bikini-fur coat-and-sports car pageants. Since I attended dozens of pageants to watch my sister compete (and win—she paid part of her college tuition with scholarship awards), I  know the difference between chiffon, gold lame and taffeta,  dyeing matching pumps and how to do Asian glamour make-up. I learned the Top 10 Interview Questions and have seen the best and the worst talent performances. Actually, I would probably be a pretty good American Idol judge!