A Chinese Gastronomic Event Dim Sum - Essay Example

A Chinese Gastronomic Event – Dim Sum According to Fritz Blank in his paper “Tafelspitz, More Than a Recipe: A Tribute to the Late Chef Louis Szathmary”, he mentioned that “The kitchens of every nation have one dish which is not a dish, not even a meal, but rather exists as ‘an event’”. According to Blank, there is a need to understand and evaluate such a dish which is important within the culture and is celebrated and shared amongst the people so that they can also enjoy the food along with others. There are a number of food items that people tend to have in the form of festivals because it teaches them to be more sharing as well as it increases the love between them growing.1 In this paper, I have chosen China and its gastronomic event which is familiar to many people not only in China but also around the world: Dim Sum. To truly explain why it is considered “an event”, I would relate it to 3 components: dim sum, tea drinking and tea houses. Historically wise, it would be very wrong to mention Dim Sum without mentioning the centuries old tradition of Yum Cha or tea drinking. Dim Sum and Yum Cha go hand in hand and cannot do without the other. It is said that in China’s remote past, a primitive tribe which utilized farming as their main source of survival and income, invented many farming tools and also grew crops. This tribe was called Shen Nong. This tribe paved way to an agricultural based society in early China and also set up markets for trade purposes. The chief of his tribe was said to be an expert on local herbs and plants and was much sought after for his experience in herbal medicine. He even compiled a book called the “Materia Medica of Shen Nong.” As part of his discovery, the chief noted that he found a type of plant which could cure tumors and abscesses as well as lessened the desire for sleep. This was now known as tea or in Chinese “cha”. During the Sui Dynasty from 581 to 617, tea was drunk more often for its unique taste rather than for herbal benefits. Its value began to rise and China began to use tea as a form of currency when trade was carried out with Mongolia. It was also during this time that tea was pressed into bricks which increased its carrying capacity, something which is still done today. Then, the Tang Dynasty from 618 to 907 evolved tea drinking into an art form. The spread of tea to other regions in Asia can be attributed to this era and its value continued to increase. It was so valuable that traders could even threaten buyers with tea. The first proper book about tea was written in 800 AD by Lu Yu called “Cha Ching” (The Holy Scripture of Tea) and this book drew from his memory the various types of tea plantation to the preparation of tea. For the purpose of this paper, it can be said that during the Tang Dynasty, tea became an event for the Chinese community. This book paved its way for a more sophisticated method of tea drinking and at times, tea drinking was regarded something as sacred as religion. It was no surprise that as part of religion, tea was also served and offered to the Gods. During the Song Dynasty from 690 to 1279 AD, the aspect and event of tea drinking itself was refined. Instead of drinking from crude cups, tea was now taken in bowls and prepared in pots. Harvesting of tea became a controlled event with sacrifices made to deities beforehand. 2345 Next, to accommodate people who would also want to enjoy a pot of tea other than in their homes, tea houses and tea rooms began to sprout all over China. Tea houses were especially prevalent on the ancient Silk Road which enjoyed heavy trading. As travelers and traders along the Silk Road had to rest, tea houses mushroomed along the roads. In cities however, tea houses and tea rooms became a form of social gathering where men would gather there for their daily dose of the local news, gossips and sometimes, tea contests were even carried out where different kinds and qualities of tea were tested with the contestant being blind folded. For those who belonged to the higher classes of the Chinese society, there were private tea pavilions where intricate art and furnishing gave tea a distinct class. In these places as well, some of the greatest of Chinese poetry were written.6 In addition to this, the art of porcelain and ceramic making also boomed as there was a need for more hardy utensils. The drawings which lined the pots and cups also became more intricate and today, these are worth thousands on the antique market. 6 The history of Dim Sum is much shorter than that of tea drinking. Basically, the rough translation of Dim Sum is “a little bit of heart.” As noted earlier, tea drinking came first, followed by tea houses. It was approximately during the time where tea houses became popular which dim sum too was born. As the travelers along the Silk Road not only needed rest and water, they also needed food.7 As cooking equipment in these tea houses were limited and so was cooking space, they could not prepare more complex forms of Chinese food. In addition to this, many travelers moved either alone or in pairs, thus, it was difficult for one person to order a complete meal. The owners of these tea houses started preparing simple food in small quantities which was just enough for one or two persons. One of the first of dim sums were the “bao” or fluffy buns which were filled with either meat or vegetables. Initially, it was believed that tea and food should be taken separately but later on, it was believed that drinking tea and having food together actually improved digestion as tea had properties to help neutralize fat. In the cities of ancient China, this practice of ordering small morsels of food while having tea at a tea house also spread and as clientele was larger, tea houses evolved into lively eating places, hence the term “yum cha.” The types of dim sum served also changed and from the humble beginnings of the “bao”, more varieties of dim sum including dumplings and fried pastries made its way to the tables.89 Today, this Chinese culture of “Yum cha”, tea drinking and dim sum has spread all over the world. However, there are not many traditional tea houses left in China as they have been replaced with modern, air conditioned restaurants which specialize in dim sum and tea. Of course, the epicenter of dim sum and tea development remain in China with Hong Kong being one of the forerunners in the art of tea and dim sum. In western countries, dim sum came about as the result of the immigration of Chinese immigrants in the 19th century. Surprisingly, a lot of these immigrants also came from Canton which was the region of Cantonese food. Some people believe that dim sum itself was the creation of the Cantonese cooks. As food is always evolving and obtaining ideas from other cultures, some dim sum restaurants now have Western inspired dim sum for example puddings.10 In places like Hong Kong, having breakfast consisting of dim sum is synonymous with the Western practice of having milk, cereal, bread and eggs and toast. There is an exception to this though, as in certain places, the extent of dim sum dishes that one can order can run to the hundreds and are prepared fresh. Some places have added on more exotic dim sum dishes such as shark fin’s, abalone and oyster dumplings. The experience when entering a dim sum restaurant is that of like entering a buffet restaurant except that the dim sum comes to the customer via a trolley or portable steamer. They range from dumplings, buns, steamed meats and seafood to cakes and desserts. One should not be taken aback by the small portions as a few plates can easily make one full. And of course, with a meal of dim sum, one would need tea and the selection is endless. Actually, tea is the first thing which one is asked to choose from. Hot water is poured into a pot of tea leaves and left to simmer. It is then served in dainty tea cups. As a gastronomic culture with hundreds of years of history, there are bound to be certain “rituals.” In order to refill one’s cup of tea, one simply taps a finger on the table. It is a silent expression of gratitude and this tradition can be traced to the legend that when a Qing dynasty emperor traveled under disguise, he went to a tea house with his companions. In order to remain anonymous, the emperor poured tea which stunned his companions. They wanted to bow down for the honor but this would give away the disguise. Thus, the companions tapped three fingers on the table instead, one finger representing a bowed head and the other two to symbolize prostrate arms. To ask the waiter to refill the pot with hot water, one simply leaves the lid open.11 With the historical information, I would now explore, analyze and tie up reasons why dim sum and its other components including tea drinking and tea houses are an event. By just looking at the rich history of tea drinking, we can see why today, it is not only about consuming a beverage but an event on its own. Today, by drinking tea, connoisseurs feel a connection to their past, to their ancestors and to their roots. Chinese all over the world today originated from rural China and it is important that one does not forget their roots. Drinking tea shows the recognition and remembrance which the ancestors should be accorded to. It is also considered an event because tea has herbal properties, thus by consuming tea, we cleanse our body of any impurities. Research today has found that tea contains a high amount of antioxidants which can protect our bodies from harmful chemicals and it shows that even people from in the past were well aware of its health benefits. 12 As in many cultures, the idea of bodily purification is done as a major event, for example when the Hindus cleanse themselves in the Ganges River, it is a religious event by itself.13 Tea is also offered in religion, thus, when we consume tea ourselves, we are consuming something which is good enough for the Gods and deities. From the aspect of tea houses, we can see that in ancient China and even now, tea drinking is an event because it allows the social mixing of people from all walks of life. As noted earlier, tea houses served for discussion and sharing of news, sometimes, even for carrying out business transactions. Even today, business deals are discussed over a meal of dim sum. For example, compared to a formal meal in a restaurant, there are certain dining etiquettes which have to be followed. However, when it comes to dim sum, there is flexibility on how one eats or behaves. One can walk into any dim sum restaurant or tea house and the first thing you would notice is the amount of noise, laughter and conversation which goes on. Although it may not be the best place for an intimate and detailed conversation, people have an opportunity to be more open. In places like China where there are still traditional tea houses, the people who patronize these places have noted that every morning, they look forward to enjoying a few plates of dim sum and a hot pot of tea there with their friends. Thus, for some people, this is the only form of socializing which they may have. An extension to this being a social event would be that today, families also use dim sum restaurants to meet up. For example, when children return during the weekends or for festivals, birthdays and special events, many families would go to dim sum restaurants for breakfast. It is rare to see single patrons in dim sum restaurants as most people go with family or friends.14 A dim sum session too would usually last for more than an hour, sometimes taking up the whole morning as after food, tea would still be served and people use this time to catch up with one another. Dim sum brings people closer together. Family and friendship bonds are strengthened, established, maintained and cherished over dim sum. Tradition too is passed on as grandparents share their stories with their grandchildren during dim sum sessions as it is a family affair. Sad to say, this does not happen frequently today due to the hectic lifestyles which we all live, and fortunately, dim sum offers us time to stop and enjoy life. How dim sum itself is an event would be the fact that the Chinese love a good meal. Thus, for some people, the weekend is the only time when they can go to a dim sum restaurant and enjoy a range of food which is different from the usual meal of rice, chicken and vegetables during the weekdays. Dim sum restaurants have also evolved from small shops with less than 20 varieties of dim sum to large scale restaurants in posh hotels which offer hundreds of types of dim sum, even rarer ones such as shark fin’s dumplings. Thus, when a family goes to one of these larger scale restaurants perhaps for a celebration, it is an event by itself because in normal circumstances, the family would not be eating at such a place. Another aspect of dim sum which makes it an event would be the complexity of dim sum itself. Although as mentioned earlier, dim sum initially started off with a simple meal of “bao”. As simple as it may seem and look, there are many ingredients which are used to flavor these fluffy white buns and many people would swear that the measure of a good dim sum restaurant is by its “bao”s. As dim sum evolved, so did the choices. Today, there are hundreds of varieties of dim sum which suit every taste and although many would think that dim sum has to consist of meat, there are many versions which are available for vegans. Looking at the dim sum cart or portable steamer, one would notice the myriad of colors and ingredients used. Taste wise, every dish is unique with each morsel bursting with flavors of sweet, salty and sour. Influences from different cultures have made its way into dim sum as well and today, it is not uncommon to find dim sum using ingredients such as curry, coriander and cumin which are typically Indian. In a meal of dim sum, all of one’s senses are stimulated, making this gastronomic experience truly an event to savor. Seeing a dim sum chef work is also can event. Dim sum making is an art form and it takes a dim sum chef years to learn how to knead the dough to make a “bao” or even how to fold a dumpling. Creativity has led to the creation of dainty forms of dim sum the shape of fish and even fruits. Gone is the tradition of chefs hiding in the kitchen as many of them are proud to show off their skills to the public via see through glass panels. Thus, many people make it a point to have seats next to the kitchen as not only do they experience seeing dim sum being made but they also have a peek into a part of Chinese culinary history. So, what actually is dim sum? In conclusion, we can clearly see that dim sum is something which is steeped in deep tradition and history centuries old. Every item from the utensils used to the food and drink itself has a story behind it. It also makes us realize how far we have come since the days of our forefathers. With every bite of dim sum which we take and every gulp of hot, refreshing tea, we are given an opportunity to forget our worldly problems, take a peek at history and savor a taste of heaven. As Fritz Blank mentioned, gastronomic events can awaken memories and bring us back to the very point in time where we first experienced a particular unforgettable taste and it would be indeed as though we were standing right there.15 I am sure that many people would be transported back into time when they first bit into a tasty morsel of dim sum and could remember exactly what they were doing then and who they were with. So strong is the power of food and in this case, dim sum. Thus, dim sum, truly is, an event. References: Alter, Stephen. 2001. Sacred Waters: A Pilgrimage up the Ganges River to the Source of Hindu Culture. Harcourt, pg. 10 Blank, Fritz. 2006. Tafelspitz, More Than a Recipe: A Tribute to the Late Chef Louis Szathmary. Totnes: Prospect Books, pg. 65 Chinese Tea House: The Customary Place of Leisure. http://www.belloweb.com/biz/ChineseTea/Chinese_Tea_House.html Evans, John. 1992. Tea in China: The History of China's National Drink,Greenwood Press, pg. 139 Golender, L. 2003. History of Tea: China. http://www.gol27.com/HistoryTeaChina.html Kit, Chow & Kramer Ione. 1990. All the tea in China. China Books & Periodicals Inc, pg. 1-12 Okakura, Kakuzo. 1964. Book of Tea Courier Dover Publications, pg. 10-18 Parkinson, Rhonda. 2007. Delicious Dim Sum - Chinese Brunch. http://chinesefood.about.com/od/diningout/p/dim_sum.htm Serafini M, Ghiselli A, Ferro-Luzzi A. 1996. In vivo antioxidant effect of green and black tea in man. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1996 Jan;50(1):28-32 Yum Cha. http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Yum_cha/id/1957458 Zhaofeng, Yeh. 2005. Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart. http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/lofiversion/index.php/t2991.html Read More