The High Expectations Asian Father

I can't seem to post the image to my blog but click to the Jeremy Lin 'meme" of the

 High Expectations Asian Father:  http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/361o8h/

I got a kick out of it...

Will Jeremy Lin's Success End Asian Stereotypes?

Came across this interesting opinion piece by Timothy Yu about instant sensation  basketball star Jeremy Lin. I doubt the stereotyping of Asian Americans will end once and for all... but  I do think it's a great beginning. 

Read more at:  http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/20/opinion/yu-jeremy-lin/index.html?section=cnn_latest

I Love LinSanity!

Jeremy Lin, what a story and what a phenomenon. In two words, it's AWESOME! And yes, all the typical Asian stereotyping will still come out of the woodwork from the mouths of ignorant sportscasters and folks across the country but to heck with that - we finally have an Asian-American NBA professional sports star! (Yao Ming doesn't count cuz he's a native of China) Jeremy was born in Los Angeles, and raised in the Palo Alto/Bay Area. Heck, he's an ABC (American Born Chinese) like me!) And his underdog story is simply inspiring - he never gave up despite all the obstacles he came against when knocking on doors for basketball scholarships and here he is - a Harvard grad playing for the New York Knicks, living his dream and breaking barriers for Asian America.

His family is from Taiwan and both parents are 5'6" - he's 6'3 - there's hope for my kids yet, lol. I'm cheering for Jeremy because he is scoring points for all Asian Americans - Thank you Jeremy #17!


Yes... Asians CAN drive.....

"What Jeremy Lin Teaches Us About Talent": http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/02/what-jeremy-lin-teaches-us-about-talent/

Cake Noodle Anyone?

Have you heard of  "Cake Noodle"? It's purely a Hawaii-Chinese/Jongshanese influenced dish in which the noodles are fried and sliced into square-like portions (like how you'd slice a rectangular cake) only available on Oahu, as far as I know.  When I met my future husband in California, he asked me to order "cake noodle" at a Chinese restaurant for him but I had NO clue what he was talking about. So I asked my mom, and she had never heard of it either. Now that we live on Oahu, cake noodle is a must whenever we go out to a local Chinese eatery. But I still like the traditional Hong Kong Style egg noodles pan fried and uncut too - yummmy. 



Oahu's Famous Minute Chicken Cake Noodle



Naked Cake Noodles! Without Minute Chicken and sauce.... to make it, check out this recipe from Joanne Sugimoto at: http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/asian/basic-chinese-cake-noodle-recipe.html



I'll have to conduct more research but from what I've learned - most of Oahu's Chinese are "Jongshanese," peeps who hail from the southern Canton (Guangdong) region of China, which is located south/south-east from Canton and are a region separate from Toisan.

Toisan and the other 4 counties (Hocksan, Sanweh, Hoiping, and Yanping) are located on the West/Southwest side of Canton, which is the commerce city center of the region. All this time I thought my Toisanese family was from southern Guangdong/Canton but in truth, we're Southwestern Chinese folks. Can anyone else help confirm? I need to make a trip to Toisan soon - namely to Nam Cheung, Wang Woo, or Leung Toon  (where all my parents/grandparents hailed from) so I can offer accurate information.  Ai-yah.

Lance Corporal Jacob Jacoby Gets Slap on the Wrist in Harry Lew Suicide Hazing Case



Allen Lew, father of Lance Cpl. Harry Lew and Rep. Judy Chu of California, speak to members of the press outside the courtroom of the Legal Services Center of Marine Corps Base Hawaii on Monday, Jan. 30, 2012, in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Lance Cpl. Jacob D. Jacoby, Sgt. Benjamin Johns, and Lance Cpl. Carlos Orozco III are accused of hazing fellow Marine Lance Cpl. Harry Lew who later committed Suicide.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/01/30/national/a011209S70.DTL#ixzz1lFtu2s7h

 This is hugely disappointing - such a slap in the face to the family of Harry Lew, the marine who committed suicide after being hazed, abused, kicked and punched - Lance Cpl. Jacob Jacoby, pleaded guilty to assault for punching and kicking Lance Cpl. Harry Lew shortly before Lew shot himself April 3.

A military judge earlier this week sentenced Jacoby to 30 days in jail and a reduction in rank. Johns was the leader of the squad that included Lew. He has been charged with humiliating Lew and failing to supervise and ensure the welfare of Marines under his care.

So all he gets off with a 30-DAY jail term and a mere reduction in rank?  Such bull - why even join the military to serve this country if they're going to let these sadistic bullies walk off without so much as a slap on the wrist?  I was hoping because Harry Lew was the nephew of Congresswoman Judy Chu, that this would receive MORE attention and some JUSTICE. The American legal/justice system disappoints.... again.

I'm becoming an Angry Asian Girl  (oh, i aleady was one, dammit!) In fact, once upon a time  i took  acting classes at East West Players with Angry Asian Girl Lela Lee... good for her success with  Angry Asian Girls blog/animation/products.

This Makes Me Angry - Details of Danny Chen Death by ARMY




19-year old Toisanese Private Danny Chen of Manhattan, NYC - hazed to the point of suicide by the U.S. Army. 
This is the thanks we get for serving our country.

  I stumbled across this link by Angry Asian Man on Twitter about more unraveling details about Private Danny Chen's Death:

Military Admits Chen was

Target of Race-Based Hazing on Daily Basis

Read the entire story/interview at:  http://www.democracynow.org/2012/1/9/death_of_private_danny_chen_military

Welcome to 2012 Year of the Dragon



China's Year of the Dragon 2012 Stamp
which sparked controversy over being "too ferocious."
Snack anyone?

Gung Hay Fat Choy!
Xin Nian Kuai Le!

The auspicious year of the dragon will arrive January 23, 2012.  I was googling the Year of the Dragon and didn't realize that we have special Lunar New Year stamps in China, the U.S. and Canada. Take a look at these beautiful works of art.  

U.S. Year of the Dragon Stamp  by Brooklyn-based artist Kam Mak.  
Mak says the dragon represents strength.“People always ask me, ‘But dragons are scary.’ I’d say Chinese dragons are very different from Western dragons. Its strength is protection. In some way, we are spreading our culture and they’re learning."
For more, go to:
http://carrollgardens.patch.com/articles/kam-mak

The Canadian 2012 Chinese New Year of the Dragon Stamp
Designed by Louis Fishauf and Charles Vinh with calligraphy by James Tan. According to Louis Fishauf and Charles Vinh, this is the year of the water dragon. So they incorporated the wave motif down at the bottom of the stamp to represent the idea of water.

"The dragon, of course, represents good luck as well, and dragon should be very powerful, and knowledgeable with the symbol of the emperor and imperial of China. And this dragon is a five-toe dragon, so this is an imperial dragon." For more, go to: http://www.cncworld.tv/news/v_show/21149_Canada_issues_Dragon_year_stamps.shtml

American Chinatown

I serendipitously stumbled across Toisanese author Bonnie Tsui's website for her book "American Chinatown" recently. Last year, I quoted her in my Toisan article for Honolulu Magazine yet never got around to ordering her book.

New Yorkers, will no doubt, enjoy the descriptions of her native NYC Chinatown, but she also covers major Chinatowns across the U.S. including San Francisco, L.A., Honolulu, and Las Vegas!

Check out Bonnie Tsui's intro: http://www.americanchinatown.com/excerpt/  and she invites you to share your Chinatown Story at: http://www.americanchinatown.com/tell/.

Thanks so much for following my blog, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New 2012, Year of the Dragon...

Salt Water Chicken - Toisanese Style

I received a request for more Toisanese recipes - so if you have any, please share with us! My dearly departed father often cooked his delectable "Yem Sui Guy" (literally, it's salt water chicken in Hoisan-wah but  my brother calls it Chinese Poached Chicken). Luckily, he kept this recipe from our father:

Ingredients:

• Whole fresh uncooked chicken with the head still on (from a Chinese market - chickens from Ralphs or American-style markets are too young and won't work)
• Green onion
• Ginger
• Salt
• Soy sauce
• Oyster sauce

Directions:

1. Salt the chicken all over including the inside and rub with green onion and ginger.
2. Cover the chicken on a plate with cellophane wrap and leave it in the fridge overnight. 
3. Add some sliced ginger to a kettle of water (enough to cover the chicken), bring the water to a boil, then put the chicken in and reduce the heat to low.
4. Let it simmer for 1 hour, 15 min to 1.5 hours, depending on the size of the chicken. 
5. Drain the water (you may save it for broth if you wish - I would) and remove the chicken.
6. Let it sit for about 1/2 hour to cool, then cut it into pieces with a Chinese cleaver on a wooden butcher block. (well, that's how my dad would cut it, on a wooden butcher block on a stool standing atop Chinese newspapers strewn across our kitchen floor) 
7. Pour soy sauce and oyster sauce onto a condiment saucer. 
8. Arrange sliced green onions on top of the sliced chicken.
9. Use chopsticks to dip the chicken into the oyster/soy sauce and eat with a bowl of steaming hot rice. Delicious!  

Toisanese Holiday Gifts!

Courtesy of http://www.toisanlives.blogspot.com/

Looking for the perfect holiday gift for a fellow Toisanese? Or Chinese New Year, which falls on Jan. 23, 2012? 

Then check out Mr. Toisan's unique and funny line of  tee-shirts at: http://www.toisanlives.blogspot.com/

Incidentally, I was using Tiger Balm last night (for my sinus cold) and remembered Mr. Toisan's "Bauk Fah Yiu" tee-shirt below (but I don't think he has a tiger balm shirt yet).