American Passion for Non-Chinese Chinese Food

From the Stirring Things Up guide:

Egg foo young, chop suey and chow mein are familiar dishes among Americans, but not always featured in Chinese restaurants today. Soo Lon Moy, Curator of the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago and Bennet Bronson, Curator of the The Field Museum explain why.

Saturday, June 25th, 2-3:30 PM
Chicago Cultural Center
78 E. Washington Street
312/949-1000

Cathy,

I attended the presentation and found it to be quite enjoyable, full of insights and ironies. I didn't take notes, but here are some of my impressions/recollections.

The presenters, Bennett Bronson, curator at the Field Museum, and Soo Lon Moy, curator of the Chicago American Museum in Chicago, began with the history of Chinese American resturants in the Midwest, the first of which was probably in the Chinese pavilion at the World Columbian Exposition. The double irony here was that the pavilion was neither Chinese (having been underwritten by Chinese Americans from Chicago and SF, the Chinese government having refused to participate in protest against the vile Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882), nor -- other than its decor and the tea -- was the restaurant Chinese, its menu being exclusively American.

Chinese owned restaurants proliferated in the first two decades of the 20th century, and from the photographic evidence displayed by the panel, they all seemed to announce themselves with signs advertising "Chop Suey," so much so that the term became emblematic for such restaurants. The interiors of many -- particularly those in the Loop -- were quite elegant, similar to the supper clubs of the time, with a Hollywoodish, vaguely art-nouveau accent to their Chinese decor.

The popularity of these restaurants was attributed to their contrast with the bland offerings of most of the "American" restaurants of the time and the desire for variety and perhaps a touch of the exotic from their clientele. But because of the above Exclusion Act, Chinese American entrepreneurs could not import Chinese culinary professionals to populate their kitchens. This might account for the preponderance and dependance on simplified dishes that had proven appeals to American tastes and could be easily transferred from restaurant to restaurant. It could also account for the lack of complexity, innovation, and experimentation in these menus.

The panelists then described some of these dishes, accompanying their presentations with truly ghastly slides of the culprits, such as:

Chop Suey: a fairly simple dish, meaning "bits and pieces" composed of meat/fish, cabbage, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, and other ingredients familiar to the Chinese (with the exception of celery) bound together in a sauce, often consisting of soy sauce and molasses

Chow Mein: the above over crunchy, brown noodles.

Sweet and sour pork: unknown to the Chinese who tend not to mix these flavors. The heavy use of molasses might account for its popularity among Americans.

Egg rolls: a variant of the well-known Spring Roll, but this deep-fried version, full of cabbage to save money, seems to be an American innovation. Ms Moy informed us that peanut butter is often a secret ingredient. The derivation of the accompanying duck sauce (and its name) remains a mystery.

Fried rice: A concoction known to most Chinese households as a quick and inexpensive way to deal with leftovers.

Egg foo-yung: The Chinese are fond of egg dishes but not served in this way -- fried inside a ladle immersed in hot oil to preserve its shape, and accompanied with a brown sauce.

The final irony was that with the introduction of real Chinese cooking in urban areas and the increased sophistication of American tastes these dishes are rapidly disappearing from menus, and the "traditional" Chinese restaurant, ubiquitous in midcentury America, is likely to become extinct. In fact, the panelists inquired whether anyone in the audience knew of such a classic Chinese-American restaurant -- under the same family ownership for the last 30 years or so -- for the purpose of collecting memorabilia for the museum.

If anyone reading this report knows of such a restaurant still in operation in Chicago or the Midwest please contact Ms. Moy at the Chinese Ameican Museum of Chicago by email:

office@ccamuseum.org & webmaster@ccamuseum.org



The pa

Hi,

For someone who didn't take notes, you certainly listened carefully and retained a lot.

I have been in contact with the Chinese American Museum regarding potential programs for the Chicago Foodways Roundtable, which I am program chair. Your information is a great endorsement I should ask them to speak to my group.

One of my closest friends makes a very good homemade eggroll using bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots and pork or chicken. She and her husband claim the use of cabbage in restaurants is due to the retention of texture after freezing. While bean sprouts will wilt severely when frozen. I would also imagine the cabbage was available when bean sprouts and bamboo shoots were not in an earlier period.

I know of at least 2-3 Chinese restaurants which serve the classic American Chinese food down to the peanut butter in the egg rolls.

Thank you so kindly for going and spending the time reporting back.

Regards,