Dim Sum

Dim sum. No this is not the sound you would hear from a drummer in a marching band or a parade brigade down the streets on New Year's Day. Similar to Mexican Tapas, dim sum is the Chinese culinary tradition of bite-sized appetizers. Literally translated, "to touch the heart," dim sum has become a Chinese family custom popular in many countries and cities outside of China.

Originally a Cantonese custom, dim sum was associated with Chinese tea drinking. Tea houses were created in China for weary travelers to stop and rest or for farmers to go in the afternoon after a long day's work. Eventually snacks started to accompany the tea when it became known that tea helps aid in digestion and cleans the palate. Dim Sum originated in the United States in the 19th century as a result of Chinese immigrants. It is rumored the Chinese came up with the term "brunch" when dim sum combined breakfast and lunch. If this is indeed true then I am not complaining and am appreciative of these intricate delicacies.

If you are unfamiliar with Chinese dim sum then it is important to know how it is served. Instead of ordering off a menu, steaming carts of dim sum are pushed in between tables. When something tickles your fancy you simply alert the person pushing the cart you would like a little appetizer. Typically one order of dim sum comes with three to four appetizers. A stamp or check mark of some sort is placed on your bill that sits at your table. You then proceed with the family style meal.

One of the highlights of a dim sum meal is the variety of different foods your palate encounters. Most of the dishes are either steamed or fried, and it mixes the sweet with the savory. Popular dishes include steamed shrimp dumplings (har qau) and steamed pork dumplings (siu mai). If you are adventuresome, or traditional like my grandma, you can try more exotic dishes including chicken feet or snails. The meal finishes with a touch of desert including custard tarts or sponge cake.

My next dim sum encounter will not be until I visit Chinatown in California this upcoming December. Until then I guess I will have to settle for traditional American brunch.