Yum Yum Dim Sum

When I was a child, my mom always tried to bring the world to me through cuisine. Only on special occasions would we go to the local French restaurant for their famous onion soup, drive to the next town over for Chinese food, or dine at a brand-new Japanese eatery.

A road trip before a big move saw us stop in San Francisco where we ate dim sum together for the first time. It was magical how the little dishes of food showed up table side steaming with different exotic foods. We still recall with humor turning down the chicken feet. I was 9 years old.

Years of living in Hawaii opened our palates up to more delicious foods from around the world like sashimi, kalbi, and lau lau. When we returned to the mainland, we sought out these foods over the years to quench our craving for something other than chicken and rice.

The tradition now continues with my own children. They devour lumpia I fry up at home. Their Nana often cooks homemade kalbi when the kids have sleepovers. And the four of us like to go to dim sum together.

With one child game to try almost everything, and one who is often wary, it has been fun to watch as they develop a taste for different foods that hopefully prepare them for even more cultural experiences as they grow. 

written for http://blog.sacramentoparent.com