An excerpt from Asia Minor in honor of my friend returning to China. We had a feast last Sunday and she gave a toast. She called me and the couple we ate with her best friends in Atlanta. And she said I was her best teacher here. This was my Mrs.’s first real Chinese meal and she got a kick out of it.
The couple was a black gentle man with his Chinese wife. There looked to be about a twenty year age difference between them. Kind of reminded me a story I read once. Anyway gentle reader once again here we go.
Big cousin lifts her palm u to her chin and says, “Awww, you two sound so cute together.”
I gaze down the mountainside and reply, “We are. How come no one moves that car down there?”
“I don’t know. It was here when I got here. Guess it’s too hard to get from that spot. It’s not bothering anybody,” slight agitation creeps into Adrienne’s voice.
“No big deal. I was just wondering.” She sounds like she doesn’t want it moved, maybe it symbolizes something. “Have you ever had joong Big Cousin?”
“Can’t say I have. Is it good?”
“It is. Not too long before we took off up eighty-five, we went over to Qi and Tien’s and Jennifer, Dee, and Qi made some. They had a ball. I can hear Dee trash talking Jennifer now.”
“What do you mean.”
“She loves to hit Jen with “Look at Mommy trying to act all Chinese.”
“Jennifer doesn’t know how to make joong?”
“No, she’s good. It locks my bowels if I eat too much so for us it’s a special occasion thing. But I could eat her joong every day. Her grandmother taught her how to make it when she was a little girl. Hers is made with love. You can taste it. This time she taught Dee how to make it. I can’t wait until they get here. You’ll get a big kick out of the two of them.”
“Jennifer’s going to be surprised huh,” Adrienne cracks.
“See there you go. Ah, yeah, I guess she will,” I say with a chuckle. I can hear them cackling while they hooked it up.
“Dee be careful with the rice. Don’t let it turn over. We don’t water in the car.” Jennifer is making sure the bamboo leaves she’s soaked for two days going to make it to Qi and Tien’s without turning over. We usually ride in the car. For this trip we bring the SUV to make sure there’s enough room for the leaves to ride safely in the container of water they rest in.
“Mommy why don’t you let Auntie Qi soak the leaves?”
“I want the dumplings to be exactly like my grandma used to make. I prepare them this way to honor her memory.”
Always inquisitive Dee probes. “You miss her, don’t you?”
Jennifer pushes out a breath. “I do baby. She is my heart. She didn’t care if I couldn’t do math. It didn’t matter to her I didn’t like school. She just loved me. That meant a lot growing up.”
“I love you to Mommy.”
“Thank you, Dee. I know everyone wants things to go fast these days. Sometimes slow is what it takes.”
“Like when you paint.”
“Like when I paint. How do you know that.?”
“I watch you. Mommy, once you start you finish up pretty quick. But you paint like you make joong. You let the picture soak in your mind for a long time first.”
“She’s got you nailed Jen,” I say to Jennifer.
Jen smiles. Then she twists in her seat underneath her shoulder belt and reaches for Dee’s hand. Dat Dere reached out for Mommie and their hands touch. Jennifer’s hands are tiny. Dee’s hands could swallow Jennifer’s up if she chooses to, but she gently presses her fingertips against Jennifer’s making them look almost the same size. “That’s good Dee. Maybe Daddy’s right. He insists you have an artist in you.
“And you’re an artist with joong,” I say to her.
“Thank you,” she replies with a small smile on her face.
“Even if you aren’t Chinese.”
“Dee, can you tell that Daddy will be going home hungry.”
Dat Dere giggles and nods her head.
“You be careful with those leaves young lady” and I pretend to swerve.
“Dad Dee,” Dee giggles some more.
“Hey Big Boy! Watch out.”
I know I’m not in trouble. She doesn’t call me by my full name. When that happens, I know to be on my toes.
We arrive at Qi and Tien’s. Jen insists on carrying the rice in and comes around to get it off the floor next to Dee. Miss Abigail hops out the car and rushes up the walkway to ring the doorbell. Qi opens after a moment and hugs Dee. She wraps her arm around her and says to Jennifer, “I see you have applied your grandmother’s technique to the leaves. I soaked the mushrooms as you instructed. I went to the market yesterday and bought some Chinese sausage.
“Thanks Qi,” Jennifer says to her.
Tien comes to the door. “Why hello Miss Abigail, how are you doing? You going to hang with me today and stay away that Chinese sausage and eat joong the proper way.”
“I don’t think so Uncle Tien. Mommie’s dumplings are amazing with pork stuffing.”
“I’ll convince you one day.” Tien retorts with a smile.
“And when he does, we’ll sneak and go to Burger King afterwards Mr. Vegetarian,” Qi cracks.
Jennifer sets up in the kitchen. She lays out the bamboo leaves for the dumplings. She takes them and lays them out in little xs. She places the rice and mushrooms and bits of meat into the bamboo. Some people use a pressure cooker to speed up the process. Jennifer cooks them in a pit for approximately three and a half hours. Once the dumplings are cooking, we sit and chat.
Qi will fly to New York on Thursday to help Jennifer make sure everything is set up as she wants it. Her opening is Friday, and she is proud Qi will be there. Tien is coming up to join us on Saturday. Dee is looking forward to this. And her New Zealand grandparents will be here soon afterwards. She is basking in this moment.
The joong is excellent. As delicious as any Jennifer Hon original. We pack up to leave not too long after we finish eating. This has been a great visit. Tomorrow we play cards with the sharks at the Thomas abode.