by Julie Zhi

Created on: June 12, 2008

The story of Dumpling

Dumpling originated from ancient food horn, horn and dumpling have the same pronunciation in Chinese, all' Jiao Zi"' It is said that Dumpling has the history more than 1400 years. Every year, before the Chinese new years day, in northern China, all the families making dumpling, no matter rich or poor. Rich family, when they making Dumpling, always put gold or silver currency into the dumpling for seeking good luck. If the family member got that dumpling, whole year he (she ) will be good luck. In China, eating the dumpling in New years day, it means '' Say good by' to the old year and welcome new year arrivals " also means good luck.

The two stories of famous Kupao Chicken

1. Mr PaoZhen Ding, was a very famous general in Qing Dynasty. He was so enjoy the meal like stir fried pepper, pork ,chicken Every time when he entertained his friends, he always asked his chief stir fried the meal with pepper, chicken, pork, peanuts. Later he got the title ""Shao Pao"' from King for his excellent performance. Others called him Mr Kupao Ding. The Chicken cooked form his chief, also named Kupao Chicken.

2. Mr Ding always did some investigation privately. One day, he had a meal in a very small restaurant, the meal was spicy peanuts mixed chicken, he loved it,enjoy it, and asked his chief to cook that all the time. His chief then name this meal as 'Kupao Chicken'.

The miracle of Mapo Tofu

At first, Mapo Tofu was the name of a restaurant. The restaurant full name was "Chen Mapo Tofu". The restaurant began its business in 1862, in the northern sub of ChengDo , Sichuan province in China. At the beginning, the restaurant's name was ""Chen Xeng Seng Restaurant"". The major Chief was Mrs.Chen. The Tofu she cooking had a beautiful red, bright color, and the beef grain was so tender, hot and spicy, fragrance,delicious. In a short time, Mrs Chen's Tofu became very famous, a lots customers going to that restaurant to try that meal. Some writer always coming there for party. One looked at Mrs Chen face, found that her face pockmarks, so named the Tofu ""Mrs Chen MapoTofu"". Mapo's pronunciation in Chinese is the lady has pockmark on her face Then, the name became a laudatory title quickly. So the restaurant changed its name to "'Mrs Chen Mapo Tofu store"". But now seldom using the beef to prepare this meal, most using the pork to do that.

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