Eagle, how are you doing today? I am going out soon...I really do wish we lived close to each other.
Wow, thanks for all the comments on the poem. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Gee Dotsie, you are welcome to add it to the site. It might need a little editing because I just tapped it out, copied/pasted, didn't give it a second thought and posted.
chick

Thanks for your thoughts, Chick. I'm doing great today. It's a bright sunny day here, so I went out this morning to mail a letter. Came back, had lunch and was just sitting down at the computer when hubby arrived unexpectedly. He's been in northern Quebec for the past 9 days and was planning to come home tomorrow. But he decided to come a day early. I was so delighted to see him...and glad that I had cleaned up some of those dust bunnies this morning! (though dust bunnies don't bother him, only unironed tea towels - oops, I never iron them when he's away!)

LOL. So I'm a happy camper today. His daughter's coming for the weekend, so we'll get to play some cards and dominoes...then he's taking her, my brother and I all out for Dim Sum on Sunday. So it's been a good day.

But this means I won't be online as much now...I have to share the computer so he can play his civilization games. Oh well, time to tackle the dust elephants hiding under the beds before Christmas guests arrive!

Dust elephants!!!!
So thats what all those trunks are under my bed!!!

chick

OK..so what is Dim Sum ?

Dim Sum is like a Chinese buffet, only they bring the food to you on little trolleys and you pick and choose what you want off the carts. It's a never-ending parade of carts, each bearing tasty Chinese treats like shrimp dumplings, Hom Sui Gok (we just call them Chinese footballs), scallop dumplings, fried noodles, and all sorts of other little pork, chicken or shrimpie things called shumai's...don't know how to explain those, but they're delicious. And then there's always the chicken feet...we've only had those once just to say we did, but too boney!

We have two Chinese relatives in the family...step-son's wife (and our granddaughter is learning Chinese language and customs) and our grandson's mother as well as step-daughter's male friend. So we've been learning a lot about Chinese culture, food and customs over the years. We love real Chinese cooking. Dim Sum is fairly close to authentic Chinese cooking.

Eagle I thought you might like to know (maybe you already do) that "Dim-Sum" literally translated means "from the heart". Isn't that neat!
chick

Chick, In all our years of "doing Dim Sum", I never heard that. It IS neat to know.

I'm reading along thinking oh my...that sounds good. Mouth is watering off...then we hit chicken feet. Don't think I would have those more than once either.

What in the world can there be to eat on a chicken foot? Peel back the skin and there's bone? Am I missing something in between?

I love trying exotic/unusual foods and love them all...I may have to check this out. Are they baked...broiled...recipes anyone?

chick

Hubby's nephew and his wife (their son is our adopted grandfather because he didn't have one) introduced us to Dim Sum years ago. That was our first and last experience with chicken's feet. I guess it's the sauce that makes it the popular item that it is...there was definitely no meat on ours, but everyone just sucks on them like lollipops.

Dim Sum is generally considered to be very healthy; most of the items are steamed in bamboo baskets. The sticky rice is steamed inside of bamboo leaves. Some of the dumplings are lightly fried, but not at all greasy, at least at any Dim Sum restaurants we've gone to.

It's a scary adventure the first time around, but if you're willing to try new foods, it can turn out to be a fun and pleasant culinary experience. It's also a social event...in the Chinese culture, it can take hours to get through Dim Sum (which is why it is almost always only served at lunchtime between 11 and 3) because the main focus of the meal is the conversation, not the food.