Chef Woo Can Cooking Technique/No more Measuring!!!!!!


I understand that in these United States, the freedom to make money is an integral part of Capitalism. Our government allows us to make money according to the statutes that are set before us. But following this system of making money, we lose a lot of the traditions that made this country through our immigrant families that came here for a better life. You all witnessed it by going to Grandma's home and she was spending all day in the kitchen making delicious ethnic cuisines. If you were old enough to realize that they didn't have a recipe book in front of them nor did they have recipes on to tiny pieces of paper. For the most part, they combined ingredients based on taste and whether the dish was visually appealing. That art has long disappeared now except for those that looked at cooking as creating a special dish for our warm stomachs. Those that took the time to watch Grandma combine those ingredients while you appreciated that beautiful aroma has now today turned us into robots of helplessness. What do I mean. The mere mention of the word cooking  is identified with grub hub, door dash, fast food, prepackaged frozen food. Anything that can be made quick and easy to eat. That's cooking today. The idea of buying raw food and combining ingredients and getting your hands involved is totally foreign. Look at us when we go out to eat, 99% of the time we don't even touch the food, rarely do we pick something up like a hot dog o hamburger, traditions that are part of the experience. We just raise our forks and spoons and shovel the food in. Or microwave the food in plastic containers and eat.
Do we really know what a good cut of beef taste like or the true taste of chicken, pork etc... and shrimp? These foods are so overwhelmed with flavoring agents namely salt and sugar, we only identify the texture of the meat.
As Chef Woo Can, I talk to people all over. I understand their plight. They work hard every day following guidelines, procedures and this is the way it must be done. The last thing someone wants is to follow a recipe. Recipes require accurate measurements to make the perfect dish. Great and when all is said and done, why doesn't it taste the way they say it should. Remember, they don't really tell you how it should taste and the profession picture of the dish doesn't help. It's a masterpiece shot.
No wonder then mention of the word cooking is shown like its a foreign matter. Why should we follow a recipe based on who says so?
Chef Woo Can says, create your dish based on your taste, quantity, and flavor. I'll only point out how things should be cut and manage the tenderness. I will give you the ingredients and all you have to do is add a little at a time until the desired taste is achieved. I guarantee the idea of cooking will come back and just to let you know ,once you achieve this ability, your halfway to loving this idea of preparing a great meal according to your standards.
Chefs from all over the world that publishing a cookbook is a money maker. BUT is the cookbook user friendly and do they believe it will create more interest in cooking. I say no. If you buy a cookbook with all the measurements and fancy professional pictures, the cookbook ends up on the shelf.
It's kind of intimidating to choose a accomplished chef with Michelin awards for their restaurant providing their take on recipes. I would venture a thought that I don't measure up to their standards, would you?
So, knowing this dilemma, I will be creating a cookbook that simple easy and no measurements. and no pictures. It will be made for you.

Chef Woo Can at www.chefwoocan.com
#chefwoocantechniquenomeasurements
#chefwoocanunderstandsall yourconcerns     

What is Dim Sum?

You know that without immigrants coming to our beautiful country, we would be pretty boring from a gourmet food standpoint. We have our jobs that take up most of our day and lunch tends to be kinda boring based on the season. Sandwiches, subs, salads and burgers are king. Now with our fast life style, who has time to cook or be creative in the kitchen. It's easier to go to the drive thru, pickup a menu while waiting in those special parking waiting for our take out meals. Carbohydrates rule making us feel full and sugar and salt is king to making everything taste soo good. The days of actually getting our hands involved in cooking is gone. Mixing ingredients to develop a unique flavor is years gone past, EXCEPT DIM SUM. DIM SUM is the ancient art of creating numerous varieties of dumplings and basically creating an art form.
The Chinese have been eating Dim Sum for centuries. The origins of Dim Sum is not exact but there are guesses that it all started in Northern China but slowly evolved by itself in Southern China. Those fortunate to eat Dim Sum were royalty and the rich. In China, eating was an art of tasting various flavors to choose from. Not like gobbling up great food, royalty was very meticulous. Those that made Dim Sum created little art forms and the blending of flavors were so important. It was the best kept secret in China but like everything else, immigrants came to the big cities in American mainly New York and San Francisco where Chinatown's were born. These places were a haven for the Chinese to feel comfortable in a new country. Getting use to American food was definitely foreign to them. Food was the common denominator and Dim Sum was the first things they all loved. During the immigration process, a number of chefs came to America and they used what was available in America. During those lean years in China, the common people were so poor that beef or chicken were rare commodities and reserved for special occasions like weddings. and special holidays like Chinese New Year.
Dim Sum was made fresh as the Chinese love fresh especially when it comes to eating. Remember the idea of refrigeration was foreign to them Every meal was prepared fresh everyday.
Dim Sum was considered  the Chinese version of Breakfast and lunch (brunch). The blnce of Dim Sum required a balance of tea. There are certain teas that go well with Dim Sum, like various wines for chicken or beef or for Italian cuisine or Chinese. The 2 favorite are in phonetic is "Bo Lay" cha (Black tea} or "Gook Fa" cha (Chrysathium tea). Why, the flavor compliments Dim Sum and most importantly, tea has the tanic acid from the leaves especially from Bo Lay tea leaves, the Chrysanthenum tea is more from a flavor flavor standpoint.
Every table has a pot of hot tea. So, by drinking hot tea will basically rinse all the grease from the fried foods and basically clear out your system.
Dim Sum for the Chinese in the traditional sense allows individuals to relax, read th paper and eat a Dim Sum or two.  But the popularity in the big cities is more of how fast you can enjoy Dim Sum since there are lines waiting for a table.
Then through years of population shifting from the big cities, the younger generation settled in suburbia and more immigrants settled I suburbia, now suburbia become a marketing gem by offering authentic Chinese food, older generation have moved in with their kids as an extended family. Then other ethnic restaurants opened bringing with them more immigrants, then major corporations see the potential job opportunities from technical engineers, statisticians and area had huge concentrations of new immigrants offering a skill needed by corporation spreading economic growth and ethnic diversity of foods.
Even still, the majority of foodies may have heard about various ethnic foods or they did try it while visiting friends or relatives in America or tried it when travelling outside of the USA. To those foodies, help has arrived, Chef Woo Can can now accompany you as host for his Dim Sum Food Tour with your friends and family and make you as comfortable entering a authentic Chinese restaurant with tons of Chinese people and probably not speaking English. BUT remember this, when you see a restaurant with lots of Chinese, you know their eating good food. 

By Chef Woo Can at www.chefwoocan.com
​#whatisdimsum, #trydimsum, @chefwoocandimsumfoodtour