fly with taste

Sixty years ago, Nanyang was described as a prosperous and rich land while China was under the horrible shadow of war and armies. Everybody was so fear that they don’t know whether they could survive. A strong sense in everybody's mind, "I shall leave.” Grandma Cheung said, “Boarding without any destination, I give the ticket to the shipman. Since then, I start my new life journey”

Living in New Zealand for over sixty years, she owns a small restaurant in Christchurch, serving people Chinese food and Cantonese dim sum. Now the small dining hall is managed by her older son and she decides to come back China, showing her descendants where their origin is.

In March, 2011, Cheung came back Guangdong, China. I accompanied them to go back to their village. When we arrived at one of her relative’s home, I was so amazed that Grandma Cheung wanted to prepare something for us. She bought glutinous rice flour and roasted pork, peanut in the local market. While she was rolling the rice dough, she told us her childhood story and the reason why she wants to make Yao Kowk (fried dumplings) as our high tea dim sum. Making Yao Kowk needs a long time to prepare. Grandma Cheung sees the making procedure as a way to communicate with her family. She said glutinous rice flour had its own meaning. Old Cantonese regarded it as a special food ingredient to tighten their family ties since the attribute of flour is glutinous. "Every traditional dim sum in China has special meaning and stories behind it.” she said.

I am so touched that grandma Cheung still has love in her homeland and never forget the flavor of Cantonese food. Grandma Cheung is just like a story book, telling us how to love food and love our family. Life without food will become dull. Food without culture is purely a source of body energy. If food combines with culture and familial affection, it becomes a tasty cuisine.