Hong Kong: Chapter 5 - "(ex)Governor Patten versus Tsui Wah"

Left:  Tai Cheong's tart, otherwise known as ex-Governor's fav
Right:  Tsui Wah's tart, otherwise known as Leung family's fav

I know what you're asking.  "Who's (ex)governor Patten?"  Well, he was the British dude who went buh-bye as the governor of Hong Kong on June 30, 1997, when Hong Kong returned to PRC on July 1, 1997.  

Then who's Tsui Wah?  Tsui Wah is not a who; it is a what.  It's a restaurant that boasts delectable Hong Kong style bread and baked goods, among other items. Locals flock to its branches during lunch hours.  Being a "local" that I claim to be, I, too, visited Tsui Wah at lunch during my first week in Hong Kong, and visited frequently for breakfast and afternoon tea.  I stood in line, ordered quickly, accurately, and refrained from asking dumb questions such as "what is in a custard bun?"  I graduated from "Clueless Tourist" to "Local Tourist" status rather effortlessly.

So what does (ex)Governor Patten have anything to do with Tsui Wah?  Well, he doesn't.  However, Sir Patten apparently made it known that he loved egg tarts from a bakery called Tai Cheong, Tsui Wah's competitor.  One thing led to another, Tai Cheong's popularity soared and it opened new shops one after another, thanks to its egg tarts.  I likened that effect to a product having appeared on a daytime talkshow episode such as "Oprah's Favorite Things". 

Tai Cheong Bakery
Sir Patten's favorite

Tsui Wah Restaurant

Having uncovered this story 

from my family, naturally 

my next step is an 

Egg Tart Taste Test:  

"Tai Cheong vs. Tsui Wah." 

I announced my project to my mom, who gladly supported and assisted my ambition. I  showed up around 3 o'clock, the customary time egg tarts rear their heads from the oven and enter little pastry bags or boxes for customers, in time for afternoon tea.  The sweet, vanilla-y fresh aroma at the bakeries was incredible.  If only I could bottle it.  Customers were buying four at a time; or half a dozen; or a dozen. And they would say, "four tarts", sans the word "egg".  It's understood - you wouldn't buy other tarts when egg tarts come out of the oven, I guess.  I listened and followed smartly, "one tart, please"...  How embarrassing.  The shopkeeper muttered, "ONE tart?"  "Yes, m'mam, and thank you."  I paid the five bucks (about US 70 cents) obediently and politely, exiting and rushing home to sink my teeth into the soft, velvety custard and the flaky crusts before they steamed up.

"Tai Cheong versus Tsui Wah," I proudly announced to my dad, who then of course repeated the associated history and testimony which mom already educated me.  I listened mindlessly while fumbling around for couple plates and my camera.  "Hurry before they cool down..." 

Authentic, traditional egg tarts should have a laminated crust that is dry and flaky. Neither soggy nor greasy.  The custard should be soft but not runny; never hard or gelatinous.  It should taste creamy and sweet with vanilla.

As I sank my teeth in the tarts, I regretted not buying at least a dozen or two from each bakery.  I could have tarts for dinner - they have plenty of protein.  This must have been one of the best taste tests I created for myself.  

Tsui Wah vs. ex-Governor Patten...  

Tsui Wah's crust was dry and flaky - just what I would associate with good egg tarts.  The crust did not taste buttery - butter was not undesirable, of course, but it is not a traditional or authentic egg tart taste.  Similar to making a pie crust, I imagine an important ingredient to achieve the flakiness was either shortening or lard, a customary ingredient in the old days, but I cannot be sure.   The custard was smooth and velvety.  Deliciously vanilla, but not excessively sweet.  

I cleansed my palate with some strong tea.  Next up, Sir Patten's favorite. 

I tasted what resembled a fine shortbread crumb crust.  Nice and buttery.   The crust crumbled slightly as I bit into it.  The crumbs mixed nicely with the custard, with a taste of of fresh eggs and milk.  The custard was also slightly sweeter than the other contender, so it complemented the buttery crust nicely. 

In the end, I have to agree with ex-Govenor Sir Patten that Tai Cheong has a damn good egg tart.  It suited my taste because I happened to believe butter makes everything tastes better.  I don't know whether what I ate was made with real butter.  Not surprisingly, my sister, brother, and my parents all prefer Tsui Wah - they all have a more authentic palate than I do.  

Well, perhaps I will go back to Tai Cheong before I leave and take a photo with the newspaper clip of the ex-governor singing its egg tarts praises.  I suppose I have the same good taste with Sir Patten when it comes to tarts.   

Good job, Daisy, you're doing great. 

The hills are alive...with the Sound of Music...

My trip to Hong Kong makes me appreciate my parents enormously.  Among many things, it was (and is) their love for classical music; hence, our exposure to it since we were born. 

Before my siblings and I began our piano lessons, we were conditioned to dad's regular violin practices.  In time, the four of us branched out to a different musical instrument of our choice.  


My sister started with the piano then moved on to the cello; my brother Tim plays the erhu, a quintessential versatile double-string Chinese instrument equivalent to the violin in a philharmonic.  My other brother plays the violin.  I stick with the piano. None of us became professional musicians.  What we have become, thanks to our parents and our training, are  individuals who understand and appreciate the value of hard work and discipline.  And because of our parents' love for music, we speak and appreciate this timeless language that requires no spoken words.  As I mature and become more interested in self-reflection, I begin to realize just how critical my training in classical music shaped me through the years, and how it continues to impact my perspectives of what's around me.  

As much as I love authentic wonton noodles, it is the affordable, world-class concerts I treasure most about my visit to Hong Kong. It is not exaggerating to call Hong Kong the cultural mecca.  During my short visit, I attended a piano recital, two Chinese operas, and the Metropolitan Trio featuring two Chinese string instruments and a piano, all within two short weeks.  I begin to recall what the energy feels like during a live performance.  I love feeling the magnetic energy while the performers interact with the audience.  I wanted badly to attend a concert by the Hong Kong Philharmonic, but my schedule does not work.  My brother Tim will be performing at a concert, a tribute to his former teacher, as a former member of the Hong Kong Youth Chinese Orchestra; regrettably, I will miss his performance, too.  

I am grateful for my music training which taught me the value of discipline and delayed gratification.  I find myself comparing learning a new skill to practicing scales.  Scales are downright unsexy and unexciting but critical to build a good technical foundation.  As for delayed gratification, my parents did not allow short cuts. There was no cheating and labeling of notes and fingers on the music score. I didn't play any "dumbed down version of Fur Elise".  I learned to sight-read.  I learned to count.  I learned music theory.  About composers and their respective periods and styles. And musical terms in Italian so I understand how to interpret the pieces and make them my own.  I learned the hard and long way, note by note, thanks to my parents.  It took time and efforts and it eventually became a form of delayed gratification to which I simply grew accustomed.

Above all, the early years of music training and exposure eventually leads to music appreciation, which brings gratitude to not only the composers and the performers but my abilities to hear, enjoy, interpret, and express.  Most of us take our ability to hear for granted.  I do.  Since I have a personal belief that gratitude is the engine for humanity, perhaps you can understand why I think music is so important to my world of humanity.

May you find what rocks your world, the equivalence of Chopin and Julie Andrews of mine. 

Hong Kong: Chapter 4 - "Capturing the Essence"

In my mind, the spirit of Hong Kong can be described in two words: Speed and Diversity.  

Speedy but not rushed, perfectly choreographed.  The essence of mega-city can be witnessed from a 5-year old to a 85-year old in this highly-urbanized city.  There is no other place like Hong Kong, a hustling and bustling city of 7 million, fitted in four main areas with the entire territory smaller than Rhode Island, the smallest State in the US. It is 421 square miles, six times larger than Washington D.C., according to the Encyclopedia of the Nations and the US Department of State websites.  

As for diversity, I suppose you can interpret that in many ways.  While Hong Kong's population is 95% Chinese, her official languages are Cantonese and English. English is widely understood and spoken by more than one-third of the population. Without a major language barrier, it attracts tourists and residents from all over the world; hence, the birth of diversity and hopefully, tolerance.  Not having any meaningful experience living in Hong Kong under the current political environment, I cannot intelligently discuss its political and social diversity here.  I can, however, share a slice of the "Diversity Pie" through photos.  

Hong Kong's official name is now HKSAR, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, since her return to Mainland China in 1997. 

Congratulations!  You've just won a free trip to Hong Kong! 

Eye candies!
No shortages of luxury flagship stores
in Central District, where I would take the
Travelator to my parents' house on Robinson Road.  

Gwyneth looking good on the windows of
the Coach flagship store

Harvey Nichols, an upscale London-based department store,
opened its 83,000 sq ft flagship in Hong Kong

Across the street from Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo
is the open market where we frequent for
fresh meat, fruit and vegetables 

"Ding ding ding ding"
The sound of the electric tramway.  I used to take the
tram to school during my elementary school years.
Available only on the HKG Island.

Pre-rush hour at a the Jordan MTR Station.
MTR stands for Mass Transit Railway, a rapid
transit railway system in the Hong Kong territory.
Extremely convenient, fast, clean, and economical,
its routes cover every corner of the Hong Kong territory.
I got around primarily using this railway system.  

Flower Market Road 
An entire block dedicated to gardening supplies,
plants, flowers, bonsai, etc.
Primarily wholesale businesses but plenty of retail
stalls catering to the green and not-so-green thumbs.

Gorgeous Double Phalaenopsis orchids lined
the street.  HK $100 for 3; that's US $12 for 3!
So much prettier than the ones sold at QFC.
I wanted to smuggle some back...  

The highly acclaimed Australia Dairy Co., an unassuming
"cha cheng teng", which loosely translated to "tea restaurant".
Every Hong Kong foodie knows this place.
It is frequented by locals and tourists alike. Google it
and you'll find numerous references, so I won't bother.

The line is always 20 people deep, but during
breakfast and afternoon tea, expect 40-50.
The line moves in lightning speed though.
You'll be done in 10 minutes, top 15, from waiting,
being seated, ordering, eating, to paying.
No joke.

One of Australia Dairy's specialty is Steamed Egg Custard,
It is fresh eggs mixed with milk or cream, lightly sweetened with sugar,
and has a heavenly and velvety texture.
Judging by the cold case, it must sell a lot of
steamed egg custard per day.   

Menus are all posted on the wall.
Set menus for breaky, lunch, and
all-day-snacks are
all under four bucks. 

Typical cha-cheng-teng breakfast:
Buttered toasts, fried eggs any style
you like, and elbow macaroni in clear chicken
broth and julienned ham.  Set meals include coffee or tea under four bucks.  Seriously good eats. 

Simplify, simplify, simplify
This is the bill. Pay this amount at the door
and don't let the door hit you on your way out.
NEXT!

Does this bother you?
Fish simply does not get any fresher than this.

Pick any one you want

Fresh squid.  Yum! 

Move over, Foster Farms.
My chickens don't come in a plastic bag...

So many varieties of dark greens to pick from!
More than just kale and Swiss chards.  

Classic snack called Cheong Fun.
"Fun" is rice noodles, as in the ubiquitous "chow fun". 
"Cheong fun" is a small sheet of rice noodle,
rolled up into a thin log, and cut into bite size pieces.  
Typically eaten for breakfast or as a snack.
Condiments may include any or all of the
following:  Soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil,
peanut butter sauce, hoisin sauce, and
if you'd like, chili paste.
It is a classic "must have".  

The shop owner was making a plate of cheong fun, asking if we wanted hoisin sauce and peanut butter sauce, to which my sister replied, "yes, but no chili sauce."  "Seasame seeds?"  "Yes." 

  

These aren't Chinatown wontons!
These are the real deal.  Made exclusively of whole shrimps.
No pork mixed in the filling.  The shrimps are so fresh they are crunchy.         

Every good wonton shop has its own secret recipe for the stock and wontons - just like any BBQ joint has its own BBQ sauce.   Always egg noodles; always al dente, almost on the "crunchy" side. 

For wontons to be considered marginally acceptable, the noodles and the wontons must not be gummy.  The stock must be clear, flavorful but not muddy.  The stock is simmered with a specific kind of fish, pork bones - and I don't know what else - to achieve a clean but  specific, je ne sais quoi, flavor.

Real wontons, by far, are one of the few things I miss about Hong Kong. There is simply no replicate or substitute anywhere in the world.

Dude is making our wonton noodles.
See the yellow rounds stacked up on the shelf at the back?
Those are FRESH egg noodles. A wonton shop can never
use dry noodles or it will go bust in 3 days. 

Congee with fresh fish - it is a kind of fresh water fish 

that has a very sweet flesh, but I don't know the name.  This congee shop specializes in this fish only, but you can order your congee with any part of
the fish - from the cheeks to the tail tothe fins or the bones.  

Congee shops typically serve
Chinese long donuts with scalding
hot congee.  Don't bother asking
for an Old Fashioned donut here.
It's not that kind of donut shop.

Gold Fish Road
An entire block dedicated to aquarium and
aquatics supplies, featuring fresh water and
salt water fish, amphibians, reptiles,
feed, drift wood, hardware, etc.
Don't worry.  My congee pictured above
did not feature gold fish... 

A tank with beautiful salt water fish 

This is a soup made with yet another fresh water fish,
 cooked with papaya and white (daikon) radishes.
It is a Shanghainese cuisine.
I have never tasted fish soup this good.
There was no hint of fishiness whatsoever.
If you can't stand the look of the whole fish
on the plate, sorry dude. You're missing out.  

A dessert shop specializes in sweet soup.  Life is grand!

Clockwise from the top:
* Oat and peanut sweet soup
* Glutinous rice dumplings filled with sweetened black sesame paste
(like tahini, only better!) and topped with chopped peanuts
* "Tofu Flower" - an extremely velvety extra soft tofu, sprinkled with red sugar
* Purple rice sweet soup with a dash of coconut milk

Petite Eggos
Similar to a waffle but the batter
is a little sweeter and has more eggs.
Tear apart and share, or eat them all
by yourself!  Unlike waffles, these are eaten plain.
A childhood favorite! 

The process is similar to waffle making.  Pour batter evenly in the pan, and wait patiently!

When I was a kid, I used to buy these petite eggos at street vendors.  Now that I am a germ-freak, I have graduated to buying these at a bakery... She is wrapping up my petite eggos waffle as I watched her like a hawk.  

Chestnuts roasting in black, coarse sand
over open fire.  The aroma is incredible.
A very popular snack prepared by - who else -
street vendors!

Every so often, chestnuts are turned with a big shovel (see video below) and the aroma is intoxicating as well as mysterious. You may have seen a version of this in front of the Seattle Uwajimaya.  Out of extreme curiosity or desperation, you may opt to buy a buck or two of roasted chestnuts.  Be forewarned, just like the wonton noodles we find in Seattle, they aren't the real deal...  

You would typically find these snacks at the same street stall
as the roasted chestnuts.  They are dry roasted yams or
sweet potatoes; chicken and quail eggs baked in hot, coarse  salt.
Also popular snacks in Hong Kong sold by street vendors.

Other goodies include roasted walnuts and ginkgo nuts 

I can't eat anymore!  So we headed back to my sister and brother-in-law's flat in Jordan for some rest.  A beautiful Sunday with cricket games going on in the Cricket Club downstairs.   

Overlooking the Kowloon Cricket Club from my bedroom.
If I were a Cricket fan, I would have had the best seat
in the house.  But instead, I enjoyed the cheers
and bazookas from below all weekend long.

Sunrise at Carmen's Garden
Jordan, Kowloon

Hong Kong: Chapter 3 - "Beijing Excursion Part 2"

The Forbidden City
Beijing, China

(Click photos to enlarge)


Now that I have climbed the Great Wall and became the late Chairman M's version of a "worthy man", visited the summer resort occupied by the Emperors and Empresses, my 4-day Beijing excursion shall take us to other significant landmarks - the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and its neighboring buildings, the 2008 Olympics site, also known as the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube, where Michael Phelps broke eight thousand world records.  


Along the way we also visited a well-known traditional Chinese herbal clinic that has been selling medicine over 350 years, factories that manufacture and sell comforters made of silk, along other tourist traps. 


Epic Excursion! 

The Forbidden City Palace Museum 

The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost 500 years, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.  I suppose this is the equivalence of the White House of the United States, although I prefer not to make such references.  


Built in 1406 to 1420, the complex consists of 980 buildings and covers 7,800,000 sq ft. It exemplifies traditional Chinese palatial architecture. The Forbidden City was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987, and is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.


Today, the site is most commonly known in Chinese as Gùgōng (故宫), which means the "Former Palace". The museum which is based in these buildings is known as the "Palace Museum" (故宫博物院).

The Hall of Supreme Harmony 

Beyond the entrance gate of the Forbidden City leads to the Hall of Supreme Harmony Square, which is the focus of the palace complex.  A three-tiered white marble terrace, called The Hall of Supreme Harmony (太和殿)  is the largest pavilion.  It  rises about 100 ft above the level of the square.  It is the ceremonial center of imperial power, and the largest surviving wooden structure in China. 


During the Ming Dynasty (1300's-1640's), the Emperor held court here to discuss affairs of state. During the Qing Dynasty (1640's to 1912), as Emperors held court far more frequently, a less ceremonious location was used instead.  The Hall of Supreme Harmony was only used for ceremonial purposes such as coronations, investitures, and imperial weddings.

Entering the Forbidden City from the Meridian Gate.
Photo was taken behind the Meridian Gate,
in the Hall of Supreme Harmony Square

Standing in the pavilion of the Hall of Supreme
Harmony, facing the Meridian Gate  

White marbled terrace leading to the
Hall of Supreme Harmony 

Yellow is the color of the Emperor.  Almost all roofs in the Forbidden City
bear yellow glazed tiles.
The sloping ridges of building roofs are decorated with a line of statuettes
led by a man riding a phoenix and followed by an imperial dragon.
The number of statuettes represents the status of the building –
The Hall of Supreme Harmony has 10, the only building
in the country permitted this in Imperial times.  

A minor building might have 3 or 5 statuettes.
The library at the Pavilion of Literary Profundity (文渊阁) had black tiles
 because black was associated with water, and thus fire-prevention.
Similarly, the Crown Prince's residences have green tiles
because green was associated with wood, and thus growth.  

The statue represents prosperity,
wealth, and  great fortune 

Northwest corner of the Forbidden City tower.
The City is surrounded by a protective moat.

Welcome to Tiananmen Square
Beijing, China

The two towers marked the city gate and entrance
 to Beijing in the old days 

Tianamen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing City.  It is named after the Tiananmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace), located to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City.  Tiananmen Square is the third largest city square in the world, and has great historical and cultural significance.  

Tiananmen Gate,
to the north of Tiananmen Square.   

Standing at the East edge of the Square,
waiting to cross the street to enter
Tiananmen Square

Huge red lanterns were erected to celebrate
the National Day of PRC on October 1.
(Structure was being removed during
our visit on Oct 23) 

The Great Hall of the People -
along the west side of Tiananmen Square 

Musoleum of Mao Zedong -
along the south side of the Square

National Museum of China
(dedicated to Chinese history predating 1919) -
along the east side of the Square

At the center of the Tiananmen Square
sits a huge flat screen that shows diverse culture
and traditions of China

Monument to the People's Heroes -
in the middle of the Square, facing north,
with the Great Hall of the People in the background.   

On the front of the monument is an inscription in the late Mao's handwriting,
which reads "Eternal glory to the people's heroes!"
On the back of the monument is a message drafted by Mao Zedong and written
by the first premier Zhou Enlai, commemorating the heroes who sacrificed for the Chinese Liberation War (1946-1949), the May Fourth Movement that started in 1919,
and the general struggle of the Chinese people against the various external and
internal strife engulfing China from the beginning of the First Opium war in 1840 to the establishment of the People's Republic of China. 

Heading back to the 5-star Crowne Plaza
for some much needed relaxation
after lots of walking and eating

A well-respected traditional Chinese apothecary
with rich history and remedies for all ailments.
The name of the shop is Tung-Yan-Tong,
It has been around for more than 360 years. 

I need a mortar and pestle in my kitchen;
regrettably this wouldn't fit in my purse...

Beautiful apothecary at the Tung Yan Tong clinic.
Each drawer stores one to three kinds of herbs and medicine,
each clearly labelled at the front.
They are beautifully and sensibly arranged
according to their functions and usages.

Apothecary mesmerizes me.
My maternal grandfather used to own an apothecary
in Hong Kong some 70-80 years ago.  He was
a well-respected physician of his time.  

A manual scale that carefully weighs out
accurate proportions of herbs and medicine
for clients and patients

I couldn't find the English name or scientific name
of this herbal medicine.  It is prohibitively
expensive - for the privileged 1%!  

The thicker the strand, the more expensive.
The ones in the far right corner are the most
expensive - about 700 RMB (or US$110) for 10 grams.
Yes, 10 grams. That's about ONE strand.
See why it's reserved for the richest 1%??    

Affordable luxury is more my style.
Welcome to Starbucks Beijing.  

Explaining to Mom what goes in a green tea latte

Holding the torch at the Olympics Site

Facing north at the Olympics site with the Bird's Nest to my left
and the Water Cube on to my right

Tourist shot at the Bird's Nest

Inside the Bird's Nest.  It was magnificent.   

Woot Woot!!!

So that's what it's like to sit in the Bird's Nest!

At the front entrance of the Water Cube,
now renamed the National Aquatics Center

Outside the Water Cube

This was where Michael Phelps broke eight thousand
world records and won fifteen thousand
gold medals 

I got assaulted by the Kung Fun panda

Meow!