Chinese Food Trivia

Catherine Andrews asks:

Did you know that one of the world’s best Chinese restaurants can be found in Dubai? That General Tso’s chicken was probably invented in New York City? Or that the Chinese characters outside the Hooters in DC’s Chinatown translate to “Owl Restaurant”?

I actually knew all of those things, but the online chat with Jennifer 8. Lee, author of The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, that she's introducing with those teasers has even more interesting stuff. For example, "Also amazingly good and unique food (though the Chinese food there is a bit of an acquired taste): Mauritius, island country off the coast of Madagascar, which has a history that produced a cuisine that is a blend of French, Indian, Chinese and island (Curried octopus on French rolls, or adding cheese to the lo mein)." Meanwhile, did you know that the szechuan peppercorn isn't really pepper?

Photo by Flickr user Stu Spivack used under a Creative Commons license

Comments

I did know that szechuan peppercorn isn't actually pepper. And I did know that Jing Fong is the best place for dim sum in NYC.

What I don't know, and would like to know, is what Jennifer "8." Lee uses a period after the "8".

Posted by Al | March 21, 2008 10:35 AM

I actually knew all of those things

Good old fashioned Harvard humility.

Posted by Leverett House | March 21, 2008 10:41 AM

Ah, General Tso, you were a bloodthirsty foe, but your chicken is delectable!

Posted by Glenn | March 21, 2008 10:44 AM

Jennifer came to speak at the Library of Congress on March 17. As some point it is likely to be in the webcast area.

http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/

Posted by ET | March 21, 2008 11:01 AM

Leverett House:
Speaking as someone who didn't go there, insecure Harvard griping is about one thousand times more irritating than any of Matthew's foibles.

Posted by max | March 21, 2008 11:01 AM

OT

Jennifer 8 (the movie w/ Andy Garcia and Uma Thurman) is either an under-rated masterpiece or a comically-ponderous piece of fluff.

Posted by Jeffrey Davis | March 21, 2008 11:16 AM

I have a friend who lived in Taiwan, and he says Hooters is known over there not for the bra size of its waitresses, but for the whole "owl" motif. He claimed it's pretty much a Chuckie Cheese type deal, catering to raptor-loving little kids. In other words, a more mature crowd than its patrons over here.

The "8." is actually her middle name. The number is good luck in Chinese. She used to write for the campus paper in college and explained it in an article.

Posted by scarpy | March 21, 2008 11:34 AM

Ah, General Tso, you were a bloodthirsty foe, but your chicken is delectable!

I lol'ed.

Posted by Bill | March 21, 2008 11:44 AM

The "8." is actually her middle name. The number is good luck in Chinese. She used to write for the campus paper in college and explained it in an article.

My question is why she uses a period after the "8". It doesn't seem correct. The proper analogy would seem to be to Harry S Truman - no period after the S. After all, in writing, we don't use a period after the number 8.

Of course, it seems kind of silly to be wondering about these things on Matthew Yglesias's blog, of all places.

Posted by Al | March 21, 2008 11:52 AM

Maybe it's short for 88. Like how that kid in Peanuts was called "5," but it was actually short for his full first name, 555.

"I think the diversity, concentration and quality of Chinese food (and services) is best in the greater Los Angeles area, specifically the San Gabriel Valley, but you can debate whether that is a Chinatown. Then again, given that much of America is burbs these days, Chinaburb may be the vision of the future."

Yay! One of the great things about living in Monterey Park is that since the competition is so fierce, the variety and quality of the Chinese food here is very high and the prices are low. Anyway, it's very much Chinaburb here; it doesn't look anything like how a Chinatown looks. Singgle-family houses and lots of strip malls full of the best Chinese food in the country.

Posted by Adam Villani | March 21, 2008 12:19 PM

The "8." in "Jennifer 8. Lee" doesn't stand for anything -- that's her middle name.

Posted by Matthew Yglesias | March 21, 2008 12:33 PM

Ugh, she is just a walking ethnic gimmick.

Posted by msjean | March 21, 2008 12:34 PM

Ugh, she is just a walking ethnic gimmick.

Posted by msjean | March 21, 2008 12:34 PM

Max,

Um . . . Leverett House isn't some spiteful guy's name. It's some sort of big dorm at Harvard. So I think we can safely assume that post wasn't spiteful or "insecure" "griping" from someone who didn't go to Harvard, but rather knowing chuckling from one guy or gal who did (or does) to another.

Jennifer 8. Lee is actually another Harvard grad. (And legendary self-promoter too, but, eh, that's another story.)

Don't feel too bad. You're learning a little about how America works, which is a good thing.

Posted by The Chrysler Building | March 21, 2008 12:37 PM

The "8." in "Jennifer 8. Lee" doesn't stand for anything -- that's her middle name.

Yes, I realize that. My question is why it is "8." (with a period) rather than "8" (with no period, like Harry S Truman).

Oh, never mind.

Posted by Al | March 21, 2008 12:42 PM

Jing Fong!!

Posted by MattNotYglesias | March 21, 2008 12:44 PM

Mauritius is an interesting country (never been there, but I used to live in that part of the world and I know several people who have visited.) Somewhat expensive, but beautiful, and great infrastructure. It's small enough that you can travel around in a day, apparently.

And yes, the Mauriciens do love their curried octopus.

Posted by Hector | March 21, 2008 12:54 PM

And Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin took it away from the French.

Posted by roac | March 21, 2008 1:24 PM

Chrysler Building:

How does America work? people who go to Harvard promote each other? come on, that's old news. (don't worry -- I'm saying it knowingly! just like you!)

But it was kind of obnoxious for Matt to offhandedly say he knew all those things, as though -- OF course, EVERYONE knows that!. I don't think it was intended, but maybe "I've heard" all of those things, or I "knew all of those things because of a book I read" would sound better. Unless, of course, Matt went to that restaurant in Dubai, the restaurant in NYC where Gen. Tso's chicken was invented, and translated the Chinese sign at the hooters...

Posted by C.C. Langdell | March 21, 2008 8:19 PM

As I'm eating chicken bologna sandwiches, this post really isn't very relevant to me.

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | March 21, 2008 8:21 PM

"General Tso, you magnificent bastard, I read your cookbook!"

--Iron Chef Patton

Posted by Dr Paisley | March 21, 2008 9:37 PM

I'm going to guess that the period after the 8 is to show significant digits, so that we know that it is 8.0 +/- .1, instead of 8 +/- 1. Or something like that...

Posted by Charles | March 21, 2008 11:15 PM