New Sampan Article: Ruby Foo, Chinatown’s First Woman Restaurateur (Part 2)

"The most interesting feature of Chinese life to me was that on board their boats, or sampans, as they are called....Upon these boats live whole families of three and even four generations."
--The Fall River Daily Herald, November 20, 1888

As I mentioned previously, I have a new writing gig, contributing to Sampan, the only bilingual Chinese-English Newspaper in New England. I've previously written three articles for Sampan, including, In Search of the First Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown, Malden’s First Chinese Restaurant, Quincy's First Chinese Restaurants, and Ruby Foo, Chinatown’s First Woman Restaurateur (Part 1). My newest article, the second of two parts, is now available, Ruby Foo, Chinatown’s First Woman Restaurateur (Part 2).

Around 1929, an enterprising and pioneering Chinese woman, Ruby Foo, seized an opportunity, thwarted norms, and opened a Chinese restaurant in Boston’s Chinatown. Her story is fascinating though unfortunately her life was far too short. Despite dying too early, Ruby made a significant impact, and her legacy is and should still be cherished.

This second part of my article discusses the success of Ruby Foo, from Chinese food delivery to expanding her restaurant empire to other parts of the country, from canned Ruby Foo's Den food to her eventual acquisition of a liquor license. Two of her children continued to operate the restaurant after the passing of Ruby Foo, earning accolades from the press for their excellent management of this iconic Chinese restaurant. Ruby's tale is fascinating and her endeavors helped to define and shape Boston's Chinatown.

I'm currently working on a new article for the next issue of Sampan, which will be published next month.

What is a "sampan?" The newspaper's site states, "A sampan is a popular river boat in traditional China. This small but useful vessel, by transporting cargo from large boats to the village ports, creates a channel of communication among villages." And like that type of boat, Sampan delivers news and information all across New England, and "acts a bridge between Asian American community organizations and individuals in the Greater Boston area."

Sampan, which was founded in 1972, is published by the nonprofit Asian American Civic Association, "The newspaper covers topics that are usually overlooked by the mainstream press, such as key immigration legislation, civil rights, housing, education, day-care services and union activities. These issues are crucial to the well-being of Asian immigrants, refugees, low-income families as well as individuals who are not proficient in the English language."

There is plenty of interest in Sampan which will appeal to all types of readers, from restaurant reviews to historical articles, from vital news stories to travel items. In these current days when racism and prejudice against Asians and their restaurants is high, it's more important than ever that accurate information about the Asian community is disseminated and promoted. We need to combat the irrational prejudices that some possess, and support our Asian communities just as we would support any other element of our overall community. We are all important aspects of a whole, and we need to stand together.

Support Sampan!

New Sampan Article: Ruby Foo, Chinatown’s First Woman Restaurateur

"The most interesting feature of Chinese life to me was that on board their boats, or sampans, as they are called....Upon these boats live whole families of three and even four generations."
--The Fall River Daily Herald, November 20, 1888

As I mentioned previously, I have a new writing gig, contributing to Sampan, the only bilingual Chinese-English Newspaper in New England. I've previously written three articles for Sampan, including, In Search of the First Chinese Restaurant in Chinatown, Malden’s First Chinese Restaurant, and Quincy's First Chinese Restaurants. My newest article, the first of two parts, is now available, Ruby Foo, Chinatown’s First Woman Restaurateur.

Around 1929, an enterprising and pioneering Chinese woman, Ruby Foo, seized an opportunity, thwarted norms, and opened a Chinese restaurant in Boston’s Chinatown. Her story is fascinating though unfortunately her life was far too short. Despite dying too early, Ruby made a significant impact, and her legacy is and should still be cherished.

At the time she opened her restaurant, there were about 3000 Chinese men in Chinatown and only 150 Chinese women. And nearly all of those women were home makers so it was revolutionary for Ruby Foo to open her own restaurant in such a male-dominated area. Ruby Foo's Den became immensely popular, especially with celebrities from all over the country. The restaurant also was likely one of the first Chinese spots to offer "take-out" food.

Ruby's tale is fascinating and her endeavors helped to define and shape Boston's Chinatown. I'm currently working on Part 2 of Ruby Foo's story, which should be published in the next issue Sampan, sometime later this month.

What is a "sampan?" The newspaper's site states, "A sampan is a popular river boat in traditional China. This small but useful vessel, by transporting cargo from large boats to the village ports, creates a channel of communication among villages." And like that type of boat, Sampan delivers news and information all across New England, and "acts a bridge between Asian American community organizations and individuals in the Greater Boston area."

Sampan, which was founded in 1972, is published by the nonprofit Asian American Civic Association, "The newspaper covers topics that are usually overlooked by the mainstream press, such as key immigration legislation, civil rights, housing, education, day-care services and union activities. These issues are crucial to the well-being of Asian immigrants, refugees, low-income families as well as individuals who are not proficient in the English language."

There is plenty of interest in Sampan which will appeal to all types of readers, from restaurant reviews to historical articles, from vital news stories to travel items. In these current days when racism and prejudice against Asians and their restaurants is high, it's more important than ever that accurate information about the Asian community is disseminated and promoted. We need to combat the irrational prejudices that some possess, and support our Asian communities just as we would support any other element of our overall community. We are all important aspects of a whole, and we need to stand together.

Support Sampan!

Marcus Samuelsson: Yes, Chef

I have most often seen Chef Marcus Samuelsson in culinary competitions, either as a contestant or judge, on shows such as Chopped, The Next Iron Chef, Top Chef and more. I greatly enjoyed dining at one of his previous restaurants, Aquavit, in New York City. And recently, I had the opportunity to meet him in person and to hear him discuss his new book, Yes, Chef.

I received an invitation from KitchnTable to attend a small, private event they were sponsoring at 3 Scoops Cafe in Brighton. There would be a light lunch, a short presentation from Chef Samuelsson, and a brief Q&A period, after which he would sign copies of his book.

The "soul food fusion" lunch was created and prepared by Wheeler del Torro, and included: Watermelon salad with feta, Spicy vegan tacos, Collard greens, Mac & Cheese, and Chocolate covered ice cream bon bons. A very nice lunch, which was accompanied by Champagne and water.

Above is an approximately ten minute video of the majority of Chef Samuelsson's talk, and his topics range far and wide. Of course he discusses his new book, which is a memoir, but also discusses the profession of cooking, matters of race, community, the problems of inner cities, and much more. It took him about five years to write this book and it is a description of his journey through life, noting that a black man's journey is different. He stated that "getting to know yourself" is essential to becoming the chef you desire to be, and he feels he knows himself well. The tragedy of 9/11 struck Chef Sameulsson hard, causing him to make a deeper commitment to his craft as well as New York City. He also discussed how Harlem is representative of many inner cities, which often have difficulty in acquiring fresh produce year round.

One of the fascinating stories he related dealt with his Swedish grandparents, who had lived about 20 miles from each other, one by the sea and the other inland. Though many people might assume they both prepared a similar Swedish cuisine, that was far from the case. That short distance actually played a significant role in their usual diets. For the one on the coast, fresh fish was paramount and common, while the one inland rarely had fish, and had to work much more with vegetables and such, more of a diet of poverty. Sometimes small details can have a huge impact.

Chef Samuelsson was quite reflective and philosophical, as well as charismatic. Despite the time constraints, he still wanted to be able to answer many of our questions. He noted that he is not contemplating any future projects at this time, simply living in the immediate moment. After devoting all those years to his book, it is time now for a bit of relaxation, before moving onto something else. But he indicated that any potential future plans would most likely involve Harlem.

I now have a copy of his new book and plan to read it soon, to learn more of Chef Samuelsson's interesting journey through life. Check out the video, and maybe it will motivate you to purchase his book.

The Fruit Hunters: A Fascinating Read

"Every time we eat a fruit, we're tasting forgotten histories." (p.11)

It seems that many people choose to ignore the Introduction at the start of books. They want to get right into the heart of the story and often feel the introduction will be boring, uninformative or repetitive. That can be a mistake though as some introductions are very worthy. The Introduction to this book is not to be missed.

The Fruit Hunters: A Story of Nature, Adventure, Commerce and Obsession by Adam Leith Gollner (Renouf Publishing Company, Ltd, March 2009, $19.95) is a trade-sized paperback of 280 pages. Adam has written for several magazines, is the former editor of Vice Magazine, and is a musician. This is his first book and I hope not his last. The book is an eclectic blend of plentiful and fascinating information about many aspects of fruit. It also is deserving of my highest recommendation.

This book hooked me from the start, the Introduction providing an intriguing beginning on the discussion of fruit. Adam is a skilled writer, presenting one interesting fact after another about the wide world of fruit. His writing style is compelling, making for an easy and satisfying read. The book also motivated me to seek out more information about fruit, especially some of the items that Adam mentioned.

I was unaware of the multitude of fruits that are eaten all around the world, yet rarely, if ever, make it to the U.S. There are about 70-80,000 edible fruits around the world. The exotic fruits sound so enticing, so delicious, that I hope more and more of those fruits end up on our shores and into our markets and stores. Just some of their names are so evocative: zombi apples, Congo goobers, bastard cherries, num-nums, pincushion fruit, emu apple, and sword fruits.

The book begins defining "fruit", noting how the term can be defined differently dependent on context. Technically, a fruit is any plant part containing a seed. This greatly expands what we might commonly consider to be fruits. For example, green peppers, cucumbers and corn are all technically fruit, not that most people though would consider them so.

From that first chapter, Adam travels across the world, visiting numerous countries and meeting lots of people involved with fruit. The book includes a brief history of fruit consumption, fruit hunters/explorers, fruitarians (who only eat fruit), fruit smugglers, how fruits come to market, genetic engineering, fruit wholesalers, conservation measures and even a cult that seeks immortality through fruit. Throughout this comprehensive journey, Adam peppers the book with a plethora of fascinating facts and anecdotes.

I could write dozens of posts about all of the matters which intrigued me. And I might write and expand upon some of those items in the future. For example, did you know that Durian flavored condoms are popular in Indonesia? Do you know the term "scrumping?" It refers to stealing apples from someone else's trees. Were you aware that certain wasps spend almost their entire lives inside of figs? Did you know that in the first half of the 20th century that more oranges were eaten than any other fresh fruit?

If you want an excellent read, one that will keep you interested from start to finish, then check out this book. And you will be seeing more about fruit on my blog in the near future.

The King of Vodka: Pyotr Smirnov

Vodka has a solid place in Russian history, and vodka has also become very popular all over the world. There is a flood of artisan vodkas on the market, including many flavored ones. For a long time, Smirnoff was probably the most well known vodka in the U.S.

Yet what is the history of Smirnoff? How did it transform from a small Moscow distillery to eventually being produced in the U.S.? These and many more questions are answered in a new book about Pyotr Smirnov, creator of Smirnov vodka.

The King of Vodka: The Story of Pyotr Smirnov and the Upheaval of an Empire was written by Linda Himelstein (HarperCollins Publishers, May 2009, 419 pages, $29.99). Linda is a long time journlist who has written for publications including The Wall Street Journal and Business Week.

The King of Vodka presents a biography and history of Pyotr Arsenievich Smirnov and the vodka company he created, extending from the early 19th century through today. It is a fascinating story, how a serf (roughly equivalent to a slave) became a very wealthy man through sales of vodka. Through Pyotr's story, we also see some of the history of Russia, the significant changes that occurred during the 19th century. Pyotr was a determined man, an ingenious entrepreneur who succeeded well and whose legacy continues to this day.

I learned much from this book, finding many compelling tidbits of information.

• By the late 1850s, 46% of the Russian government's revenue came from taxes on vodka! Without vodka, the state would probably have been bankrupt. Obviously, the government needed its people to drink vodka, and plenty of it. Could you imagine if the U.S. government derived almost half of their revenue from alcohol?
• On February 19, 1861, Aleksander II abolished serfdom, thus granting civil rights to another 40% of the Russian population. He also now allowed anyone to produce and sell vodka. Thee two significant items allowed Pyotr to thrive, to eventually become a king of vodka.
• After these two changes, vodka prices dropped by 65%, quality increased, and the number of pubs increased from 78,000 to over 265,000.
• Pyotr, like many other Russian vodka makers, produced a line of flavored vodkas. So flavored vodkas are certainly not a new invention. Anise vodka was one of the most ppular flavors.

The book discusses what happens to Pyotr's company once he dies, and how his descendants tried to keep the company thriving. Pyotr stands out though in the book as the most intriguing character in this story. It is well worth a read and I am sure you will find the story as fascinating as I did.