Historic Fortune Cookie Grills Donated to the Smithsonian
By Jennifer 8. Lee | July 9, 2010
Breaking news! Gary Ono, who is descended from one of the earliest fortune cookie manufacturers, is donating historic fortune cookie grills, known as kata, to the Smithsonian — thanks to a connection I made.
Armed with the contact information I gave the museum, research specialist Noriko Sanefuji went out to investigate and met Gary, who is one of two people I have met that is as obsessed with fortune cookies as I am. (The other is Yasuko Nakamachi, the scholar who found the proof of fortune cookies existing in Japan)
I’m super excited that this history is getting preserved. Gary’s grandfather, Suyeichi Okamura, an immigrant from Japan, is one of the claimants to the original fortune cookie in the U.S. He was a supplier of fortune cookies to Makoto Hagiwara, who ran the Japanese Tea Garden at the Golden Gate Park, and one of the legendary figures tied up with fortune cookie lore.
As I cover in my book, Gary discovered the kata while digging through family history in the garage. Although some of the katas were plain, others had engraved initials (M.H. for Makoto Hagiwara) or had logos for the Tea Garden (Mount Fuji with “Japan Tea”).
Gary is donating three katas to the Smithsonian. I know in a way, it’s a dream for him. His family history is being preserved as an official part of American history.
Topics: Fortune Cookies | No Comments »
Elena Kagan, the Supreme Court, Jews, Chinese Restaurants, and Christmas
By Jennifer 8. Lee | June 29, 2010
There was an fun exchange about Chinese restaurants in today’s Supreme Court confirmation hearing of Elena Kagan, whose mom was my fifth grade teacher and whose brother taught in my high school.
SEN. GRAHAM: And I think you would tell me if you thought he was wrong. So I’m going to assume you thought he was right, because that’s the kind of person you are. And I, quite frankly, think he’s right.
Now, as we move forward and deal with law-of-war issues, the Christmas Day bomber — where are you at on Christmas Day?
MS. KAGAN: Senator Graham, that is an undecided legal issue, which — well, I suppose I should ask exactly what you mean by that. I’m assuming that the question you mean is whether a person who is apprehended in the United States is –
SEN. GRAHAM: No, I just asked you where you were at on Christmas? (Laughter.)
MS. KAGAN: (Laughs.) You know, like all Jews, I was probably at a Chinese restaurant. (Laughter, applause.)
SEN. GRAHAM: Great answer. Great answer.
SEN. LEAHY: You know, I could almost — I could almost see that was coming. (Laughter.)
SEN. GRAHAM: Me too. So you were celebrating –
SEN. LEAHY: Senator Schumer explained this to me earlier.
SEN. GRAHAM: Yeah, he did.
SEN. SCHUMER: No other restaurants are open.
SEN. GRAHAM: Right. You were with your family on Christmas day at a Chinese restaurant — okay.
MS. KAGAN: Yes, sir.
SEN. GRAHAM: That’s great. That’s what Chanukah and Christmas is all about. (Laughter.)
Love that the Jews’ love affair with Chinese food is now part of the Congressional record. My chapter, Why is Chow Mein the Chosen Food of the Chosen People has been excerpted for a project about Jews and mahjongg.
It’s an endlessly fascinating topic, and the topic of a Night Before Christmas parody as well as academic papers, including this one called “Safe Treyf” [pdf] and another by Hannah Miller. This is why I went on the Jewish book circuit.
This exchange has been noted by The New York Times, The Atlantic, Politico, Bloomberg, The Huffington Post, among others. Arguably, this will go down in the canon of famous lines from Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
As to why Jews love Chinese food? My post on pastrami egg rolls highlights some of the reasons.
- Chinese and Jews are among the two largest (if not the two largest) non-Christian immigrant groups, so they followed similar calendars. This is where Chinese food on Christmas may stem from, since Chinese restaurants were open.
- Chinese food does not use dairy (unlike the other two main longtime ethnic cuisines in America, Italian and Mexican), so when many more Jews kept kosher, Chinese food was easier to eat.
- The Chinese use of garlic, rice and chicken were familiar to an Eastern European palate.
- Chinese food was not too expensive and involved family-style sharing.
- Chinese food represented a way to become cosmopolitan.
- Chinatown and the Lower East Side, where a significant number of the Jewish immigrants from around the turn of the century lived, bordered each other. Indeed, the Eldridge Street Synagogue, the first significant Jewish house of worship in the United States, is now squarely in Chinatown these days. (It even has an egg roll festival.)
- For the Jewish immigrants, who were insecure about their rural status way back when, Chinese restaurants allowed them to feel more cosmopolitan.
- The Chinese restaurants didn’t make the Jews feel self-conscious about their immigrant status, as the Chinese owners looked more overtly immigrant than they did!
- Chinese restaurants became a place where they quietly broke kosher rules, for a variety of reasons. The exoticness of the food made it a safe place to have an exception.
Key to remember it’s largely an American Jewish phenomenon. Chinese restaurants are not noticeably popular in Israel for example.
Thanks to Charlie Savage for sending me the transcript.
Topics: Jews & Chinese Food | No Comments »
American Chop Suey, Available at Whole Foods
By Jennifer 8. Lee | June 27, 2010
Photo of American Chop Suey at Whole Foods sent to me by Elisa Mala. I’ve long been perplexed by this dish, which is essentially macaroni, ground beef and tomato paste (plus some other stuff thrown in). It’s a fairly popular dish, based on how many people cook it. How did this become American chop suey?
The funny thing is that in India they have normal chop suey, often made with ketchup, that is one of their most popular dishes. And they call it — wait for it — American Chop Suey.
Topics: Chop Suey | No Comments »
Las Vegas “Chinatown,” Giant Mall Developments For Miles on End
By Jennifer 8. Lee | June 13, 2010
I finally witnessed the famed Las Vegas “Chinatown” for the first time — which is a series of very large strip malls with Chinese and assorted other Asian businesses on Spring Mountain Road.
The original called Chinatown Plaza (pictured above), which is anchored by a Ranch 99. The strip mall was conceived by Taiwanese American developer James Chih-Cheng Chen, and opened in 1995. It was profiled in a 2004 Wall Street Journal article which doesn’t seem to be publicly available on the Internet. 
Wikipedia offers an excellent write-up and Bonnie Tsui chooses it as one of five Chinatowns to focus on in her book, American Chinatown.
The food is good, and a good value. We had all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ for $18.99 + tax/tip at Motehr’s Korean Grill, and we pigged out at a Vietnamese-Chinese restaurant for $15 each for a group of 8. The meal included banh mi sandwiches, beef pho, shrimp summer rolls, shrimp paste on sugar cane, bo lac lac, among others.
The cab from the strip is not cheap: $14-$18, depending on where you are. But with a group, I think you stil come out ahead, and you have eaten better food.
Topics: Chinese, Immigration | No Comments »
Jon Karp Leaves Twelve to Head Simon and Schuster
By Jennifer 8. Lee | June 4, 2010
My editor Jonathan Karp is leaving Twelve to head Simon and Schuster — which is startling for everyone because Karp is, in many eyes, synonymous Twelve. I remember when my book was being sold, I asked my agent, Well what if he leaves Twelve? (knowing that editors often leave books when they leave houses). But back then, the belief was that he couldn’t leave, because he was the imprint. This is was before it launched.
Twelve focuses on one book per month, twelve max per year. It only has four full-time employees (plus all the resources at Hachette). Cary Goldstein, the publicist extraordinaire, is staying on. And they are replacing Jon with another editor.
The news was widely covered in The New York Times (print and blog), The New York Post, Los Angeles Times, The Huffington Post, among others.
Topics: Twelve | No Comments »
Crak Bam Dot Mah Johngg
By Jennifer 8. Lee | May 19, 2010
The book party was at Shun Lee, of course.
more »
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
Homemade Fortune Cookies at the Smithsonian
By Jennifer 8. Lee | May 16, 2010
Noriko Sanefuji of the Smithsonian made homemade fortune cookies for my visit to the Smithsonian using a recipe she had found. They were really fragile though, so only three survived, which she gave me.
Topics: Fortune Cookies | No Comments »
Poulet du Général Tso, Fortune Cookie Chronicles Reviewed in French
By Jennifer 8. Lee | May 11, 2010
The Fortune Cookie Chronicles has now been reviewed in French on Rue89, a cross between HuffPo and Politico in France, by Guillemette Faure, who was a reporter in New York. Guillemette Faure noted it got 2,000 views in 40 minutes, which is remarkable for a foreign book review.
The Google Translate from French to English is remarkable. She quotes my book in French and Google translate it back as elegantly as I first wrote it. It is much better than from Chinese to English.
I did travel to France for my book to visit the David restaurant, and wandered around the French Chinatown (or Quartier Chinois), so it’s interesting to see the commenters mention Tang Frères. Most of the French Chinese are from Wenzhou.
Topics: Reviews | No Comments »
Speaking at the Smithsonian Tomorrow
By Jennifer 8. Lee | May 7, 2010
Tomorrow afternoon at 2 p.m. I’m giving a talk at the Smithsonian which is free and open to the public! Today I’m going down to talk to historians, as they are interested in doing a Chinese food exhibit. I’m amused in the description below that they say “As stated by Ms. Lee,” when citing the number of Chinese restaurants. It’s very scholarly.
Jennifer 8. Lee (in China, the number ’8′ connotes good luck as it sounds like the word for ‘prosperity’) talks about her obsession with Chinese food, and explains how Chinese food became all-American. She is the author of the book The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food. The program will begin with an entertaining presentation by Ms. Lee, followed by an opportunity for visitors to ask questions. At the end of the afternoon, she will be on hand to sign books.
Saturday, May 8, 2010, 2 p.m.
Carmichael Auditorium
National Museum of American History
14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NWAs stated by Ms. Lee, there are more Chinese restaurants in America than McDonald’s, Burger King, and Kentucky Fried Chicken combined. During the program, she will discuss how her obsession with Chinese food led to a remarkable journey, penetrating this subculture by traveling the world in her quest to understand Chinese food and the people who make it. She explains the origins of General Tso, his popular chicken dish, and the story behind the fortune cookie. Ms. Lee’s presentation will educate, entertain, and inspire the desire to eat Chinese food!
Jennifer 8. Lee was a reporter at The New York Times for nine years, where she wrote about poverty, crime, politics, and technology.
Free and open to the public, this program is jointly sponsored by the National Museum of American History’s Asian Pacific American Initiative Committee, Food and Wine: The Food and Wine History Project, and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program.
Topics: Appearances | No Comments »
The Youngest Fortune Cookie Chronicles Fan?
By Jennifer 8. Lee | May 3, 2010
Sent to me by her parents, who are foodies! Supercute.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
Beijing Fortune Cookie Exporters
By Jennifer 8. Lee | April 29, 2010
I just got this e-mail sent to me on the contact form on my site. I find it amusing that they have been exporting for “many years” and that their cookies have “enjoyed popularity in both China and abroad”
Dear Sir / Madam
We wish to inform you that We have been exporters of cookies for many years.We offers you quality products at the lowest prices. The Quality of our Products and Superior Customer Service far out way all those fancy gimmicks. We serving customers for many years with honesty, integrity, reliability and a Brand name that honors your trust.
We would like to state that we accept customization of products to suit your requirements.Our products have enjoyed popularity in both China and abroad. Because of the competitive quality and price, we are sure that you can secure a market of considerable size in your area.
We are interested in gaining foothold in your country and offering our entire line of fortune cookies on the market.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for any further clarifications.
We look forward to doing business with you.
Sincerely Yours
Selva
Beijing Fortune Cookie Co.Ltd,
Address:Room2109, Wanfengjiye Building,
NO.118 Sanluju, Fengtai District, Beijing
Topics: Fortune Cookies | No Comments »
Speaking at the Smithsonian on May 8, 2010
By Jennifer 8. Lee | April 11, 2010
Very exciting. I am speaking at the Smithsonian Institute on May 8, 2010. Details are below.
Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 2 p.m.
Carmichael Auditorium
National Museum of American History
14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NWFree and open to the public, this program is jointly sponsored by the National Museum of American History’s Asian Pacific American Initiative Committee, Food and Wine: The Food and Wine History Project, and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program.
They might also be doing an exhibit on Chinese food and America. Maybe.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
New Paperback Covers. Choose one.
By Jennifer 8. Lee | April 3, 2010
Twelve is going to reissue my paperback with a new cover with my photo by Nina Subin. Which one is better?
Topics: Book Musings, Twelve | No Comments »
Why I Relate to Ming Tsai
By Jennifer 8. Lee | March 18, 2010
Did a fundraiser with Ming Tsai at Blue Ginger for the AAJA New England chapter on March 11. We even got a little write-up in the Names section of the Boston Globe (scroll all the way down. Last item.) Above: Ming preparing his special soba sushi recipe.
I spent a lot of time with Ming in my book research, and as I write in my book, he’s the one I met along my journeys that I most related to.
As I write in my book:
In one of our conversations, Ming told me, “If I can give my kids at least what my parents gave me, then that is definition of a true success.”
I reflected on his words, concluding what his parents gave him was what set him apart from so many of the Chinese people in the restaurant industry I had met. Many Chinese cooks had told me, “We cook so our children won’t have to.” Ming cooked because he wanted to, not because he had to.
Likewise, I write because I want to.
This is why I dedicated the book to my parents and all the other parents out there who traveled across oceans so their children could follow their dreams.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
Fold-Pak Disguises Itself as Bio-Pak
By Jennifer 8. Lee | March 7, 2010
Inspired by my book, Melissa Janoski did a piece on Fold-Pak’s white food pails for The Citizen Voice in Wilkes-Barre, Penn. She interviewed me for the piece.
One thing the piece notes. White takeout boxes don’t fly with non-Chinese restaurants, because of the image. So the company also makes flatter, wider containers that don’t look like Chinese boxes, though are structurally the same. Many sold under the Bio-Plus Earth brand.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
Tears for My Dedication
By Jennifer 8. Lee | March 5, 2010
My mom forwarded this note she got, typos and all, to me. It’s from another Chinese-American immigrant.
I read the prefcace of the book that Jennifer wrote,I was pretty touched by what she wrote at the first page, I dont rememebr the exact words she used but the gist was: To Mom and Dad, who struggled their life so that we can chase our own passion….
..I was almost crying, when I read that….
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
“Fortune Cookie Chronicles” Coming to a Syllabus Near You
By Jennifer 8. Lee | March 2, 2010
Meryl Gordon, director of magazine writing at NYU’s Arthur Carter Journalism Institute, assigned my book to her undergraduate class. I’ve never seen this many copies of my book outside a bookstore!
Topics: Book Musings | No Comments »
Mother Goose and Grimm Imagines General Tso’s Chicken in Battle
By Jennifer 8. Lee | February 25, 2010
This was forwarded to me from a Donald Siegel, a professor at Syracuse University, and more importantly, the author of “From Lokshen to Lo Mein: The Jewish Love Affair with Chinese Food.“
Topics: General Tso | No Comments »
Is Zen Fine Chinese Cuisine Back?
By Jennifer 8. Lee | February 23, 2010
Chowtimes reports that the restaurant I selected as the “Greatest Chinese Restaurant in the World” (which had closed) is re-opening: Sam Lau’s Zen’s Fine Chinese Cuisine in Richmond, near Vancouver, Canada. (Photo above courtesy of their diligent reporting). They were struggling because of the economics for a long time sadly.
Too bad I just missed it when I passed through Vancouver for the Olympics. But they have a new location:
120-12480 No.1 Rd Richmond B.C., Canada
604.272.2777
Hours: 5:30-10:30 p.m. Tuesday close
Email: zenfinechinesecuisine at gmail dot com
I see they are not shy about advertising their status as Greatest Chinese Restaurant in the World (Outside China). They leave out the “Outside China” part outside the window. And I will say, their food is much better than their choice of fonts.
So Ben and Suanne of the Chowtimes blog are trying to get a group together for Feb. 26 (this Friday). They are hoping to get 2 to 4 couples to join us for a 5:30 p.m. reservation. Email ben at chowtimes dot com.
Here is the menu for those who are interested:
Menu A – $33
- Salad ~ Micro Mix, Mango Ravioli, Salted Plum Oil Crumble, Seasonal Fruit, Rice Vinegar Foam
- Baked Whelk ~ Stuff Diced Seafood, Chicken, Vegetables With Coconut Curry
- Double Boiled Soup
- Tofu Duo ~ Crispy Egg Tofu, Steamed Silky Tofu with Mushroom
- Pork Belly ~ Braised In Chinese Spice, Serve With Glutinous Risotto
- Dessert Of The Day
Menu B – $55
- Terrine ~ House Smoked Salmon Wrapped With Souffle
- Baked Whelk ~ Stuff Diced Seafood, Chicken, Vegetables With Coconut Curry
- Foamy Seafood Cappuccino ~ Layered With Egg Tofu
- Lobster ~ Stir Fried With Black Bean Sauce/Steamed Garlic Sauce
- Deep Fried Crispy Chicken ~ Serve With Five Spice Infused Salt
- Lotus Leaf Rice ~ Stuff with Dried Scallop, Mushroom, bbq Duck,Diced Chicken, Crab Meat, Bamboo
- Dessert Of The Day
Menu C – $120
- Seafood Duo ~ Curry Stuffed Whelk, Sliced Geoduck Fondue
- Chinese Seafood Soup ~ With Fresh Crab Meat and Fish Maw
- Braised Abalone ~ Slow Braised In Oyster Sauce (3 Heads)
- Steamed Lobster ~ Steamed With Mince Garlic
- Rice ~ Lobster Claw Stir Egg White, Fried Rice
- Dessert Of The Day
By the way, here is my running list of restaurants that were in my chapter of greatest Chinese restaurants.
Topics: Chinese Restaurants, Global Chinese | No Comments »
Doing a Session on Book Publicity on May 2 in Boston
By Jennifer 8. Lee | February 21, 2010
As part of the Grub Street (not to be confused with NYMag’s food blog) literary confab, I am doing a publicity talk using my own book as a case study. I don’t have a lot of experience beyond my own book, so it’s pretty narrow. My session is on May 2, 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Scroll down the page to find it. (I don’t think it had # links).
SESSION 5D: Marketplace Lecture: “Secrets of Being Your Own Book Publicist”
Author: Jennifer 8. Lee
Jennifer 8. Lee is the author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, a book on Chinese food in America that hit #26 on The New York Times best seller list. She worked for nine years as a reporter at The New York Times, where she still helps out on social media. She is the lead judge in the Knight News Challenge, which gives away $5 million to news innovation every year. In addition, she is co-chair of the Asian American Writers Workshop’s board of directors, a former member of the Poynter Institute’s National Advisory Board, and a judge in the Robert F. Kennedy courage in journalism awards. She graduated from Harvard with a degree in applied math and economics.Description: Writing your book is only half the battle. The other half is promoting your work—something most authors treat as an afterthought. Just as a company has not only R&D department but also Sales and Marketing, a successful book launch must involve a coordinated marketing campaign on the part of the author. Using The Fortune Cookie Chronicles as a case study, Jenny will walk through the publicity strategy that took her onto The Colbert Report, The Martha Stewart Show, The Today Show, CNN, and NPR stations coast-to-coast. She’ll also teach you how to use a blog as a living marketing document, how to use of Facebook and Twitter to promote events and generate sales, and how to earn speaking engagements at venues such as the Library of Congress. Applying what she learned from Cary Goldstein, one of the top book publicists in the industry, Jenny has now given over 100 book talks since her book launched and done dozens of media interviews and media appearances.
Type: Lecture with Q&A
More details: The Muse & The Marketplace will be held Saturday May 1, 2010 and Sunday May 2nd, 2010 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel, 50 Park Plaza at Arlington Street, Boston.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
The Census is Coming To You Via Fortune Cookies
By Jennifer 8. Lee | February 20, 2010
The Seattle Times is reporting the Census Department is using fortune cookies as a marketing device
.
Tsue Chong Co., a Seattle fortune company that also sells “unfortunate cookies”, is inserting five different census messages into 2 million cookies being shipped to restaurants and groceries across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana.
They have messages such as “Put down your chopsticks and get involved in Census 2010.”
I wondered how much the “buy” was from the census side. I assume they paid for that? But the article doesn’t say.
Topics: Fortune Cookies | No Comments »
Armenian Chinese Restaurant in Yerevan!
By Jennifer 8. Lee | February 18, 2010
My friend Alexis Ohanian snapped this shot of Beijing restaurant in Yerevan, Armenia for me. Here’s there on a fellowship with Kiva. He’s 1/2 genetically Armenian and the designer behind my book blog you see here. Random fact I learned. Last names that end in “-ian” are almost always Armenian.
Topics: Global Chinese | No Comments »
Event with Ming Tsai on March 11 in Boston
By Jennifer 8. Lee | February 5, 2010
I’m doing an event with Ming Tsai of Blue Ginger fame for the Asian American Journalist Association’s New England chapter in March 11.
Here is the description.
Ming Tsai, James Beard award-winning chef and owner of Blue Ginger and host of the Emmy-nominated Simply Ming on WGBH, is preparing a special menu to benefit AAJA New England and its Internship & Scholarship Fund.
Watch Ming turn up the heat on his signature East-West cuisine in a cooking demo, then hear Jennifer 8. Lee demystify Chinese food in a talk about her book, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles. Sample Ming’s renowned cooking in a cocktail party to follow, mingle with New England’s journalists, and be sure to check out the exclusive offerings in our silent auction.
Admission includes a cooking demo, talk, silent auction,
and cocktail party with appetizers and cash bar.
Space is limited. RSVP today!
BONUS: The First 25 ticket buyers will receive a free copy of Jenny 8’s book at the event! Limit one free book per purchase, please.
Thursday, March 11, 6:30 p.m.
Blue Ginger
583 Washington Street
Wellesley, MA 02482
Topics: Appearances | No Comments »
Got Invited to Speak at the Smithsonian in May
By Jennifer 8. Lee | January 30, 2010
How cool is that. More details to come. It would be at the National Museum of American History.
Topics: Chinese Food | No Comments »
Chinese Restaurant at the Belize-Mexico Border
By Jennifer 8. Lee | January 9, 2010
Sent to me by a friend who is traveling through Mexico. Funny to me, that it’s called Chopsticks, even though this is a Spanish-speaking area of the world.
Topics: Global Chinese | No Comments »