Peking Duck, Houston Chinese Restaurant

Chinese Restaurant in Houston Guide and Review

History
The origin of the Peking Duck dates back to the Ming Dynasty, about 600 years ago. Cooks from all over China traveled to the capital Beijing to cook for the Emperor. It was a prestigious occupation as only the best chefs could enter the palace kitchens. A top cook was even able to reach the rank of a minister! It was in these kitchens where dishes of exceptional quality such as the Peking Duck was first created and crafted to perfection by palace chefs. However, many of the recipes for such foods of the Emperor were later smuggled out of the kitchen and onto the streets of Beijing. With the eventual fall of the Ching dynasty in 1911, court chefs who left the Forbidden City set up restaurants around Beijing and brought the Peking Duck and other delicious dishes to the masses.
The Dish
Peking Duck is originally from Beijing, which is the capital of Mainland China. It is prepared with a kind of fruit tree, so it has a fruity flavor. Its skin is very crispy. You also eat it in a very special way. First you need to use a special bread. Then you can start your tasty meal. Usually, you cannot finish a whole Peking Duck, so you can make soup with the leftovers.
Most Chinese people are very fond of Peking Roast Duck. You can go to a Chinese restaurant to order this dish rather than prepare it at home because it takes some time to cook it, and you need a lot of things to prepare it. Chinese Restaurant in Houston
The duck is divided into three parts and made in three different ways. The first way is the most popular. The meat is selected from the best part of the duck and is boned. Green onions and dressing are added to make it savory and a little sweet. It is served with thin crepes. You just spread the dressing on the crepe, add some green onions, and roll it up.
The second way is to use the part of the duck with less meat. It can be fried with garlic, chilies, ginger or onions. A third way allows you to make use of the entire duck. You can make soup with cabbage and the duck meat with bones. Chinese Restaurant in Houston, www.chinatownconnection.com/restaurant.htm
I would recommend you try it if you want to try something different. Once you try it, you will understand why this dish is loved by so many. You can try Peking duck at any of the following restaurants in Houston listed below.

Please visit www.chinatownconnection.com, Chinatown Houston for more food articles.

History of dumplings-interesting article

Chinatown Houston Web Portal Presents: The History of Dumplings.

The History of dumplings/jiaozi dates back to ancient times, some 500-600 years ago. As the Spring Festival marks the start of a new year, people choose to eat jiaozi to connote their wishes for good fortune in the new year. China has been perfecting the art of dumpling making since the Sung dynasty. Fillings There is no set rule as to what makes dumping fillings. They can be anything from vegetables, meat to seafood. Whatever the fillings, the wrapping skill needs to be exquisite to make jiaozi look attractive. Shape and variety Chinese dumplings may be round or crescent-shaped, boiled or pan-fried. The filling may be sweet or savory; vegetarian or filled with meat and vegetables. Of course, all this variety can be confusing. As China is a country with a vast territory, there are great difference in various regions in ways of making jiaozi or even serving it. For example, dumplings wrappers are made with a rolling stick in most areas of Beijing and Hebei Provinces, whereas in some parts of Shanxi Province and inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, wrappers are hand-pressed. How to make Chinese dumplings? To make Chinese dumplings, first of all, chop the meat into pieces and mash them, then add salt, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, scallions, Chinese cabbage and MSG if you like. Mix thoroughly the ingredients; add two spoonful of water if necessary. In a big bowl, add water to flour gradually. Mix and knead by hand to form soft dough, then cover it with towel and put it aside for about an hour. Then scatter some dry flour on the board, knead and roll it into a sausage---like dough about 5 centimeters in diameter, then chop it into small pieces. Press each piece with your hand and get a pancake. Finally, to hold the pancake with your palm and put the filling in the center and wrap into half-moon shaped and seal the edges. The next step is easy. Put the dumpling into boiling water, when it is well cooked, it is ready to be served. Before eating, you need to prepare some small dishes to contain the mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil or pepper oil [to your own taste. Ways of serving Ways of serving Chinese dumplings also vary from place to place. Generally, Chinese dumplings are boiled in clear water and served dry with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic or pepper oil if one likes them hot. In some parts of the Northeast China, however, dumplings are boiled in broth together with vermicelli made from bean starch, and served together. You can read more at Houston Chinatown Web Portal.

This is the place to eat breakfast. Classic Kitchen located in Houston Chinatown has a lot of different kinds of the traditional Chinese breakfast such as the soy bean drink, egg pan cake and rice ball. Here is a tip: try to go there before 11am, otherwise you might have to wait for 30 minutes before you can get a table

Chinese Culture

Traditional Chinese Clothing

A clatter and crash of drums and gongs sound at a theater of Chinese Opera in Taipei as a young warrior appears on stage in traditional Chinese costume. From his head ascend two tall plumes, tracing in the air each movement and gesture he makes. Some might think these plumes are simply ornamental, but in fact they originate in the battle wear of the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.). Two feathers of a ho bird (a kind of pheasant good at fighting) were inserted into the headwear of warriors of this period to symbolize a bold and warlike spirit, that that of the ho. An outstanding characteristic of traditional Chinese clothing is not only an external expression of elegance, but also an inter symbolism. Each and every piece of traditional clothing communicates a vitality of its own. This combination of external form with internal symbolism is clearly exemplified in the pair of fighting pheasant feathers used in headwear.
Objects found in archaeological remains of China's Shantingtung culture, which flourished over 18,000 years ago, such as bone sewing needles, and stone beads and shells with holes bored in them, attest to the existence of the concept of ornamentation and the craft of sewing already in that age. Variety and system in clothing were roughly established by the era of the Yellow Emperor and the Emperors Yao and Shaun (about 4,500 years ago). Remains of woven silk and help articles and ancient ceramic figures further demonstrate the sophistication and refinement of clothing in the Shang dynasty (16th to 11th century B.C.).
The three main types of traditional Chinese clothing are the pien-fu, the ch'ang-p'ao , or long robe, and the shen-i. The pien-fu is an ancient two-piece ceremonial costume, including a tunic-like top extending to the knees, and a skirt reaching to the ankles; one had to wear a skirt on certain occasions in order to be properly dressed. A pien is a cylindrical ceremonial cap. Typical of these three types of clothing, besides their wide cut and voluminous sleeves, were a design utilizing mainly straight lines, and a loose fit forming natural folds, regardless of whether the garment was allowed to hang straight or was bound with a sash at the waist. All types of traditional Chinese garments, whether tunic and trousers or tunic and skirt, unitized a minimum number of stitches for the amount of cloth used. And because of their relatively plain design and structure, embroidered edgings, decorated bands, draped cloth or silks, embellishment on the shoulders, and sashes were often added as ornamentation. These decorative bands, appliquéd borders, and richly varied embroidered designs came to be one of the unique features of traditional Chinese dress.
Darker colors were favored over lighter ones in traditional Chinese clothing, so the main color of ceremonial clothing tended to be dark, accented with elaborate embroidered or woven tapestry designs rendered in bright colors. Lighter colors were more frequently used by the common people in clothes for everyday and around the house. The Chinese associate certain colors with specific seasons, for example, green represents spring, red is for summer, white for autumn, and black for winter. The Chinese can be said to have a fully developed system of matching, coordinating, and contrasting colors and shades of light and dark in apparel.
Fashion designers today in the Taiwan are finding new ways to freely combine modern fashion aesthetics and trends with traditional Chinese symbols of good fortune. The great wealth of source material has resulted in a plethora of eye-catching designs for children's and young people's clothing, including guardian deities, lions, the eight trigrams, and masks of Chinese opera characters. Another more ancient source of printed, woven, embroidered, and appliquéd design for clothes is Chinese bronzes. Some of these distinctive and unusual designs include dragons, phoenixes, clouds, and lightning. Motifs from traditional Chinese painting, whether bold or refined, often find their way into woven or printed fashion designs, creating a beautiful and striking look.
Traditional Chinese macramé has broad applications in fashion; it may be used to ornament borders, shoulders, bodices, pockets, seams, and openings, as well as in belts, hair ornaments, and necklaces. Some successful examples of combinations of modern and traditional fashion elements are the modern bridal tiara, based on a Sung Dynasty design originally worn over a coiled coiffure; the Hunan Province style embroidered sash made in the traditional Chinese colors of pure red, blue, and green; and traditional sachets and pendants.
The ch'i-p'ao is a traditional Manchu design still popular today.
In modern Taiwan society, men are frequently seen at social occasions wearing the dignified and refined traditional Chinese long gown, Women often wear the ch'i-p'ao, a modified form of a traditional Ch'ing Dynasty fashion, on formal occasions. There are endless variations of height, length, width, and ornamentation in the collar, sleeves, skirt length, and basic cut of this elegant and very feminine Oriental fashion. From these examples, it can be seen how traditional Chinese dress is the spring of modern fashion.
In the wax museum of the Chinese Culture and Movie Center in Taipei, and at the Museum of Costume and Adornment of Shih Chien Home Economics College, you can see comprehensive and carefully researched collections of traditional Chinese men's and women's fashions from over the ages. A visit to one of these collections is both enjoyable and educational.
The people of Taiwan not only incorporate traditional Chinese dress into modern life; they have taken the silk making, spinning, and weaving techniques developed by the ancient Chinese a step further, and created modern textile industries around them. Through these industries, Taiwan residents can enjoy beautiful fashions with traditional features and modern chic.
Please visit Houston Chinatown for more information about Chinese heritage and culture.

Houston Chinatown Tapioca House

This place is awesome. Houston Chinese Web Portal rated this place a 4 out of 5. It is a great place to hang out, get free wireless internet, and drink bubble tea. Go to www.chinatownconnection.com/restaurant.htm to view a complete review and see pictures of this place. You won't be disappointed.
Also if you go to www.chinatownconnection.com you will be able to see Houston Chinatown virtually on the internet. It is a very neat experience.

Chinese Moon Cake Festival

Mooncakes earned their popularity during the Yuan Dynasty (1200 A.D.- 1368 A.D) when, as legends say, the Mongols who had established the Yuan Dynasty were too oppressive, and were overthrown by the Chinese with the help of this simple dessert. Since Mongols did not eat mooncakes, the Chinese took advantage of this cultural difference and planned a revolt against them. Leaders of the revolts distributed mooncakes, under the pretense of celebrating the emperor's longevity, to other Chinese people. The mooncakes held secret messages baked within the skin, informing people to revolt on the 15th of the 8th moon, also the Mid Autumn festival. The rebellion was successful and mooncakes were forever kept a national tradition of China. Go to www.chinatownconnection.com to view more of this story.

Star Snow Ice

One of the many to come bubble tea stores to open in Houston Chinatown , Star Snow Ice is in a league of its own. The atmosphere is clean and relaxing. There is enough room for people to come in and play card games, talk, or do homework. Service is fast and reliable, with many employees taking orders and making drinks or shaved ice. Please visit www.chinatownconnection.com/restaurant.htm to view pictures and review.

Classic Kitchen

This is the place to eat breakfast. Classic Kitchen located in Houston Chinatown has a lot of different kinds of the traditional Chinese breakfast such as the soy bean drink, egg pan cake and rice ball. Here is a tip: try to go there before 11am, otherwise you might have to wait for 30 minutes before you can get a table

Houston Chinese Bakeries

Chinese bakeries carry pastries and sweet buns filled with delights such as red bean paste, egg custard, BBQ pork, or coconut cream. Families eat them on the run for breakfast, or to curb a midday snack attack. Hong Kong bakeries are known for their wide variety of baked and steamed buns, which may have been influenced by English high tea culture during British rule of the colony. Northern Chinese are known for their fluffy white buns, which may be served in place of rice during meals. In the US, we often see these white buns served with Peking Duck. Please visit Houston Chinese Restaurant to find bakeries.