ClevelandPeople.Com
 Passport Program - Cleveland Food Adventurers

ClevelandPeople.Com Food Adventurers Passport
The Pearl Asian Kitchen
20060 Van Aken Blvd Shaker Heights, OH
January 10, 2017


The Cleveland Food Adventurers Passport event in January 2017 was to China at The Pearl Asian Kitchen formerly known as Pearl of the Orient.

Pearl Asian Kitchen logo


As you know, the Food Adventurers travel to authentic ethnic restaurants in the Cleveland area and, besides enjoying a special traditional menu, learn about the culture of the country. The Pearl (formerly Pearl of the Orient) is run by Chef Rose Wong and the evening included many glimpses into the culture of China.

Chef Rose Wong prepared a special menu anticipating the upcoming Chinese New Tear celebration for the 50 adventurers.

The menu consisted of:

  • Yuen Baos (Crispy Crab Wontons)
  • Pork Pot Stickers
  • Vegetarian Spring Rolls (Significance: gold nuggets, gold bars, wealth, and prosperity)
  • Kung Pao Chicken Lettuce Wrap (Significance: Growth & wealth)
  • Steamed Glutinous Pearl Balls (Significance: Happy Family Unity)
  • Flaming Sweet and Sour Scrod (Significance: Surplus)
  • Whole Soy Marinated Chicken (Significance: Good Fortune)
  • Long Life Noodles (Significance: Longevity)
  • Pan-fried Glutinous Rice Cakes (Significance: Happy family unity)
  • Lotus Seed, Red Dates Sweet Soup (Significance: having sons year after year)
  • Good Luck Snacks and Fruits
  • Hot Tea
Before eating, Shaker Heights Mayor Earl Leikin welcomed the ClevelandPeople.Com Food Adventurers to the Pearl Restaurant and applauded them for their commitment to diversity.

Shaker Heights Mayor Earl Leikin

Shaker Heights Mayor Earl Leikin

NOTE: All the images below with a white arrow in the middle are videos. (The other images are just photos) You can click on the white arrow to watch the video of whatever is described. Make sure your speakers are on and you can make the video full screen once it begins by clicking the icon in the lower right corner. (Sorry for the dark lighting)



Debbie Hanson from ClevelandPeople.Com introduced Chef Rose Wong.

Rose Wong and Debbie Hanson

Rose Wong and Debbie Hanson


Chef Rose Wong told of the 5 different flavors of Chinese food and how the food varies in different parts (North, South, etc.) of China. She said that Chinese will eat anything that moves and everything inside and out of whatever moves.



Chef Wong described the sauces on the table and said there is no such thing as duck sauce and told why they don't put soy sauce on the table.



Chef Wong told of some of the colorful names of Chinese food that come from pronunciation, legend and superstitions. For example, the dish called Ants climbing tree is basically ground beef or pork over fried vermicelli. Field Chicken is really frogs. Spring rolls are lucky because they look like gold bars. Glutinous rice is good for family unity.



Chef Wong said they always have fish because the word for fish rhymes with surplus. The head of the fish should face the guest of honor. The word for lettuce is raw vegetable which rhymes with growing wealth.



Since it was almost Chinese New Year, Chef Wong told of the ubiquitous lucky red envelopes with money in them that are for good luck.



Chef Wong was asked about the expensive delicacy called bird's nest soup.



Chef Wong told of a fundamental difference between American and Chinese dining. For example, in Chinese dining it is impolite to fill the plate. Everything goes into a small bowl bite sized pieces at a time.



In this video we see the lighting of the Flaming Sweet & Sour Fish presented to the diners.

Flaming fish



During the cultural part of the evening, Lt. Colonel Joseph Meissner spoke about the 4 famous novels of China: Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Dream of the Red Chamber, Water Margin and Journey to the West.

Lt. Colonel Joseph Meissner

Lt. Colonel Joseph Meissner



Anthony Yen and Dr. Wang Yunmei spoke about the Chinese Garden, part of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens.

Anthony Yen and Dr. Wang Yunmei

Anthony Yen and Dr. Wang Yunmei


They emphasized the importance of teachers who are honored in the Chinese Garden each year. They also spoke about the huge 7.5 ton granite Confucius statue and the male and female lion statues which protect the Chinese Garden.



Yen mentioned that some workers wanted to try Maotai which is very strong distilled Chinese liquor, made in the town of Maotai in China's Guizhou province.



Anthony Yen introduced Dr. Yan Yan Xu, director of the Confucius Institute at Cleveland State University and Professor Xuhong Zhang, Associate Director of the Confucius Institute.

Anthony Yen, Professor Xuhong Zhang and Dr. Xu

Anthony Yen, Professor Xuhong Zhang and Dr. Yan Yan Xu


The group learned about the many important works of the Confucius Institute including Chinese New Year's celebrations and scholarships.

Professor Xuhong Zhang and Dr. Xu

Professor Xuhong Zhang and Dr. Xu



Luling Li teaches Chinese language at Shaker Heights High School.

Luling Li and Rose Wong

Luling Li and Rose Wong


Luling showed 5 important Chinese characters.



Then Luling showed a map of China and told why the Cantonese language is popular but that Mandarin is the official main language.



Luling also taught the audience the characters and pronunciation of numbers in Mandarin.



Luling taught the audience how to say Happy New Year in Mandarin.



Mathematician Dan Hanson told some basics about Chinese mathematics and the Chinese abacus which is able to do hexadecimal calculation as opposed to abacuses from other countries.

Dan Hanson with Chinese abacus

Dan Hanson with Chinese abacus



Dan also told about and demonstrated the popular Chinese Tangram Puzzle.



The food was delicious and the cultural presentations were enlightening. It was another great Passport Adventure.

Speakers and Dignitariies

Speakers and Dignitariies



Back to the main ClevelandPeople.Com Passport Page

Back to Chinese in Cleveland

Top of Page


***

If it's Chinese in Cleveland it's on ClevelandPeople.Com.


***





ClevelandPeople.Com is sponsored in part by
Margaret W Wong & Associates

Immigration Services for Corporations and Individuals
Fulfilling Dreams of Living in the United States
















Stay informed about the news and special events of the Cleveland Cultural community(s) you are interested in by signing up for the free ClevelandPeople.Com e-newsletter




If you want to reach the Ethnic communities in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, please contact us.






Visit our on-line
Ethnic Heritage Store

Books, Music, DVDs, Clothes, Flags and More from each Cultural group


Stay informed about the news and special events of the Cleveland Chinese community and any other Group(s) you choose by signing up for the free ClevelandPeople.Com e-newsletter







If you want to reach the Chinese community in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio, please contact us.




Visit our on-line
Chinese Store

Books, Music, DVDs, Clothes, Flags and More






























 Copyright © 2017
      Magnum Computers Inc.