Passion Worth Blogging: Hunt for General Tso

Jennifer 8. Lee is an American journalist, previously with the New York Times and the author of the best seller “Fortune Cookie Chronicles,” detailing her investigation of Chinese food in the United States.

In her TED talk, Jennifer talks about food, which is one of the biggest reasons I wanted to watch it in the first place and want to share on my blog. I love food, as many of my friends and people around me would instantly acknowledge, and learning about the history of food is an interest of mine. I found it extremely interesting to find out that fortune cookies are actually of Japanese-creation and that there are more Chinese restaurants in the States than McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, and Wendy’s combined. I also found it interesting that Chinese food has been immersed so much into American culture, much like how Japanese food is in Vancouver and Hong Kong. Come to think of it, I only remember American pie from the movie.

What I really liked about this talk is that I actually did my own little experiment similar to Jennifer, which I asked my relatives in Hong Kong about these Canadian/American Chinese food (I’ll refer to all Canadian and American variations of Chinese food as simply American Chinese food from now on because I’m quite sure the variations moved from the States to Canada). I remember asking them if they had ever heard of fortune cookies? Nope. Would they like to try chop suey? My cousin said hell no and how could this even be sold under the name “Chinese food,” which was said in a disgusted tone as if I asked him if he’d like to eat stir-fry cell phones.

To be quite honest, I share my relatives’ sentiments on American Chinese food. I don’t like them, I don’t eat them if I can avoid it, and I don’t recognize them as “real” Chinese food. As a Chinese person whose eaten his fare share of Chinese food at home or in China and Hong Kong, I find the American Chinese food to be lacking any sort of creativity or memorable-taste. They are ge.nerally oily, too salty or sweet, and have a healthy dose of MSG. There is also a lack of innovation in American Chinese food. If you deep fry something, add some sweet/sour sauce, that isn’t spectacular. Same reason I don’t eat deep-fried Mars bars; it doesn’t add any value to the food-eating experience. The fast-foodness of these kinds of food fails to make me want to eat more of it or be reminiscent of anything I’ve eaten in China or what I’ve eaten at home. Even if it isn’t from a fast-food restaurant like Manchu Wok, it’s almost the same thing.

I realize that any “real” Chinese food cannot be called original, and there’s not much of anything you can call “original” Chinese food if the definition is stretched to that level. When it comes down to it, it’s personal preference. I don’t expect my friends to share the same opinion (many of which don’t and don’t like the more “real” Chinese food I’ve taken them to eat). Haters will be haters, and I’m at the dislike level.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to borrow her book and read it on the beach eating what I call real Chinese food.

(Pics and video: TED.com)

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