All of the usual places that Caucasians go to buy Asian foodstuffs i.e. your regular Market, they were all out of Duck Sauce. Really. Every Giant Eagle and local market in a 10 mile radius.
I had to find an Asian Market and go there for my Duck Sauce. You know the stuff that I am not sure they even use in Asian Countries. That stuff. I love it, I will confess. If I am making egg rolls, we will have the duck sauce and if we are having the Thai Pizza? We NEED the Duck Sauce.
Ev and I pulled up, got out of the truck and went in. We walked right into one of those great little places that are an extension of the owner's home country. There was an older Asian gentleman ( I think he was Chinese) at the counter watching a program on a tiny tv, the program was also Chinese I think. Well, we cruised the dimly lit aisles and I passed what was the coolest assortment of Asian ingredients I have seen compiled outside of China. I passed all of these up, not having a clue what most of it was or how to use it.
I went right to the Duck Sauce, snatched up a bottle and walked to the counter.
The fellow there, kept one eye on his program. Until he noticed Ev. Then he looked at her and looked at me. Looked again at her, smiled a bit, looked at me with a question on his face.
I felt a bit ashamed of my duck sauce. I wanted to hide.
There I was with my Chinese Daughter buying duck sauce from a Chinese Man and realizing that Duck Sauce was the epitome of my Asian cooking. ***
My point here is this. How can I teach any real thing about Chinese Culture to my children?
I will do what I can but, mostly I have to face the fact that they are Americans who look Chinese because they were born in China.
This is what I have to help them with. That difference in experience versus appearance.
Not an easy thing to do.
*** Now once or twice a year I DO make egg rolls from scratch. No kidding I even buy Napa Cabbage. Also I have a rice cooker. So maybe Duck Sauce is not the "epitome" of my Chinese cooking but it is pretty darn close. Oh! Also I make a killer Shrimp Fried Rice.
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