Bonded Beyond
美食
美食
2024-01-26 17:33
广东
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This past Christmas, I made a visit to Hong Kong with our amazing Cindy. It had been at least five years since my last trip to the city. I promised Cindy for a tour of Time Square and Paterson Street, where I’d come here for the impressive festive Christmas decorations that once led me to a wonderland, making me believe that Santa does exist.“One thing I like about Hong Kong very much is that it is a perfect blend of modernity and tradition. Take Dim Sum for example, Luk Yu keeps the culture alive.” I told Cindy as we were climbing the uneven stairs in Central, making our way to the first destination, Luk Yu Tea House. We were led to our table, passing a decorative screen hiding the interior to the curious passerby, a surge of emotion suddenly rose up. Everything seemed so familiar - has time frozen while the outside world continued to evolve? Laying on the table is a stack of old-fashioned menu inked with traditional Chinese characters. “Wow, look at these! Many of them are my childhood’s favorite.” I discussed the menu enthusiastically with Cindy, “ I remember when I was a kid, one of the most expected rituals is go to Yum Cha with my family. I was so curious and excited about the Dim Sum cart. But you know, it’s hardly to see a Dim Sum cart again, along with many of the traditional food items. I can’t believe I can still find these familiar names today.”The flood of emotions were eventually unleashed when I took the the first bite of Min Faa Gai - it was just like the way I remember it. As I savored the flavors, I looked at my surroundings: standing next to me were a row of wooden booths, which, through the passage of time, had aged gracefully. Reflecting such timeworn beauty were the remarkably clean mirror panels integrated within the wood. Being put on the starched white tablecloths were handwritten reservation cards bearing the names of the regulars, creating a safe space that resonates spiritually and physically with those familiar patrons.Walking around us were staff in ironed shirts with a rhythm unaffected by the chaos beyond the door. Am I travelled back into the set of an old movie?“Thank you for bringing me here. I feel how you feel.”Cindy disturbed the quiet and said: “We’ve been promoting so many cultures that we appreciate, and we also have a responsibility to showcase the best of our own, just like how Luk Yu preserves Cantonese tradition.”“Hey, you must be Ivan! Your cousin told me you are taking a tour around Asia and would drop by.” I extended my hands to a young gentleman who showed up at our door. “Yes, nice to meet you. I haven’t been back to Guangzhou since I moved to Melbourne 13 years ago when I was still a kid.” Said Ivan. “Welcome back! I feel so jealous. Your cousin told me you have started your journey in Bali, then you visited Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok, Taiwan and Hong Kong before you made it here.” “Yes, and I will stay here for one week before I go to Japan for skiing.” Ivan’s cousin, Nicole, had worked at LOCK CHUCK for six years before returning to Melbourne. Ivan shares as Nicole the same confident smiles and tanned skin, apparently another fan of sports. “Chuck, Nicole told me a lot about the shop, but she didn’t mention how amazing the pancakes are! It’s definitely the best I’ve ever tried!” Ivan was so excited after enjoying a flat white and a pancake.“Thank you.” I smiled. “Did you know Nicole helped create this pancake? LOCK CHUCK started with a very small team. There were only Nicole, Cindy and me. We were bonded by our appreciation and curiosity to diverse cultures and hospitality. I love traveling, wherever I go, I would search for the best breakfast in town. One of my favorites for breakfast is pancake. And there are so many different kinds: the iconic American style stacked with layers of thin batters, the airy textured Japanese style pairing with freshly whisked cream and fresh fruits, and the difficult dilemma of choosing between the sweet and savory delights of Dutch pancakes. But why not have all in one? So we decided to create our own version, combining the best elements from different styles - firm yet fluffy, casual yet delicate. Nicole and Cindy therefore tested many different recipes. And did you know our first batch of pancakes were all like burnt stones? We started everything from scratch and errors. The flavor of our pancake bonds the cultures we appreciate.”“Wow, this is really inspiring! We all benefit from the connections between different cultures.”said Ivan.“Yes, indeed! The more we explore, the more we learn. Initially, we were simply attracted by the beautiful presentation of the Japanese food, but not before too long we started to admire the craft and time invested. We started making our own ricotta cheese, honeycomb butter and sauces for our pancakes. We try to be masters and we are very dedicated to it.”Last week, I returned from a journey to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, a reunion with friends who had traveled all the way from Canada. As we gathered at our friend An’s home, her family had already started preparing for the upcoming Spring Festival. Reconnecting with friends whom I hadn’t seen in a long time - has brought forth loads of shared memories from our university days in Canada.Reflecting on the past year, where many of us reunited at the end of a years-long COVID-19 lockdown, some of us have taken on new journeys - exploring different parts of the country, or the globe for a new chapter of life. Despite the physical distances that separated us, the concept of “home” can be a representation for celebration and connection, a place where our hearts find a sense of belonging. In those early days abroad, I was surrounded by friends who had become a family. Schools were busy, but we found a way to create our own Spring Festival traditions: sourcing couplets from Chinatown, cooking traditional dishes, and holding a close-knit gathering that was reminiscent of our family celebrations. Even though my friends come from diverse backgrounds - some were Chinese descendants but raised in South Africa, in Canada, in France, in all over the world. Yet, despite the varied origins, we share a bond that transcends borders over a traditional holiday. “Remember we used to cook instant noodles but we’d add an abundance of topping to make it look like it was a fancy meal?” “Oh yes, and we’d bake a turkey instead of a chicken because that was all the supermarket had.” As I laid down on the couch, the conversation slowly turned into symphony of friendship, harmonizing through cultural differences, geographical distances, and time. Perhaps we might only see each other every few years, but the melody will echoed across the miles.While our Spring Festival feast may not be as grand as how our families used to do it, the flavors of friendship was expressed through our collective effort. It was as if, in each dish that we prepared, we could savor the essence of our bond and love, as they are deeply rooted in our hearts.Days filled with celebration are a great blessing, and we are grateful for living in such an interconnected world, where we can eagerly anticipate for Santa climbing into the chimney and prepare for the heartwarming Chinese New Year, just about two weeks away. The flavors of Chinese New Year, 年味, only gets stronger.We are all bonded by flavors: the flavors of childhood, of New York, Tokyo and Amsterdam, of life long friendships, and of the festivals.Our talented artist, Nicole Cheung, based in Rome, was invited again to create her visual magic. I shared with her the story of Luk Yu Tea House, and by no coincidence, her love for the city and its cultures influenced her design. Her new perspective on the old city is now beautifully presented. Despite the geographical distances between us and Nicole, the flavor of this holiday connects us through her visual works.Our American friends in town reached out and requested a Chinese New Year event. What is better than using a classical flavor in Chinese cuisine - Ginger, to create something together? In response, we designed a special Goeng Zong Naai (Ginger Milk Curd) workshop for them in the upcoming weekend. We hope that through this introduction of the Cantonese dessert, they are able to enter the world of ginger, experiencing the traditional flavor of Chinese New Year.We truly believe that these special moments, making traditional sweets during the traditional festival, strengthens the bond between us. Bonded beyond borders, the connections we celebrate through cultural exchange shows our shared belief in a better world tomorrow. This, precisely, is the flavor of Chinese New Year that we aspire to create.![]()
Illustration by Nicole CheungStory telling by Forest and ChuckOpen Daily 8.00AM - 10.00PMLike us on Wechat, Instagram and Facebook
