When it comes to entertaining at home, my dear friend Angela Chang just can’t stop cooking. She and her husband Humphrey are energetic hosts, and when they recently had a large group over for a mid-summer picnic, it was like Chinese New Year in July. I say that because the dinners they throw around the Lunar New Year (in late January or February) are known for having close to 20 dishes on the table (and maybe more), and the same held true at the picnic.
From lotus meat balls to pickled chayote to braised tofu with shrimp to grilled meats, we ate it all. Most of the recipes were from Angela’s cookbooks, “the Intriguing World of Chinese Home Entertaining” and “The Intriguing World of Chinese Home Cooking,” or are new recipes in development. (To see her discuss the latter book, tune into a video she recently made for YouTube.)
Guests also brought notable additions to the meal: tangy purslane salad (from fellow food journalist Pat Tanner), delicate dumplings, handmade marzipan fruits (yes, really!), and a couple of summery desserts featuring peaches and blueberries. These were all quickly gone too. See you next year!
NJ SPICE 