The Passionate Foodie

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

The Origins of American Chop Suey (Expanded/Revised)

"Chop suey is really a thick stew typical of Chinese restaurants in the U.S. The ingredients for chop suey are varied, according to different ideas."
San Bernardino Sun (CA), May 10, 1953, Article by Duncan Hines

Sometime during the 1870s or 1880s, Chinese Chop Suey became available in the U.S., quickly spreading from San Francisco to New York City. It was first available in Chinatown neighborhoods, with a proliferation of restaurants serving this dish, and eventually spread out of those neighborhoods and even ended up being prepared by home cooks.

Jump forward now almost one hundred years. For those growing up in New England, especially during the 1960s-1980s, American Chop Suey was ubiquitous, at restaurants, functions, school cafeterias, and at home. The basics of this dish included ground beef, macaroni and tomato sauce, with some variation of other ingredients, such as the addition of onions, peppers, or even Worcestershire sauce. I ate and enjoyed plenty of this hearty dish, which was considered inexpensive and easy to prepare.

It's name seemed odd to me but I didn't question it much. However, after reading a recent article on the history of this dish, which was short on its actual history, questions came to my mind and this time I wanted some answers. What is the actual origin of American chop suey? How and why did it change from the Chinese version? Is it actually a regional New England dish?

Let's begin a little analysis of the term "chop suey." The Chinese words for "chop suey" literally translates as "different pieces" and, in China, it is commonly used to refer to animal "entrails and giblets." In the U.S., "chop suey" became more to refer to a type of "hash" or "odds and ends," and didn't always include entrails and giblets. In general, chop suey became a dish of meat and vegetables in a brown sauce.

The origins of chop suey are murky, and a few different legends have arose as to its invention. Many of the legends claim it was invented in the U.S., one even alleging it was created by a housewife in New York City. There is some evidence that the dish may have origins in China, especially the county of Taishan in the Guangdong Province where most of the early Chinese immigrants originated. The actual origin though isn't relevant to the questions I've posed so I won't delve further into that issue.

Some of the initial chop suey recipes served in California included the use of viscera, being more true to the original intent of the Chinese term. For example, in the Inyo Independent (CA), January 23, 1891, it mentioned: "...chow chop suey, which is a pungent and palatable conception of chicken livers and gizzards, fungi, bamboo buds, bean sprouts, water chestnuts and all manner of savory spices stewed together,..." And in the Los Angeles Herald (CA), June 29, 1904, there is a reference that the chief ingredient of chop suey sauce was pigeon's blood and that the 39 ingredients in this dish included "rice sprouts, onions, chicken discard, chopped pork and punk."

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"It was a terrible accident when John Brown Jr, of Richmond, Va., shopped off his little finger on his left hand when making American Chop-suey."
--The Bismarck Tribune (ND), August 28, 1920

Many of the articles you'll find on the origins of American chop suey use The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink as a main source. That book states: "A likely origin for American chop suey is the recipe for Chop Suey Stew in the 1916 Manual for Army Cooks, an urtext for many institutional foods of the twentieth century. The army recipe could be made with either beef round or pork shoulder, beef stock, barbecue sauce, and salt." It then continues, "All these early recipes leave out soy sauce but suggest serving the stew over rice. More recent recipes simplify the service by dropping the rice and mixing in cooked macaroni, but they tend to restore some amount of soy sauce unless using Italian tomato sauce." Others add that macaroni didn't replace rice until around the 1960s.

My own research though indicates the above isn't accurate. American chop suey originated earlier than 1916 and macaroni was used in numerous recipes much earlier than the 1960s. In addition, American chop suey doesn't seem to have originated in New England either. It was far more prevalent across the country, under that same name, for many years. The true story about its origins is much more complex, and its tendrils extend across the entire U.S.

As the 20th century began, another version of Chinese chop suey started to arise, and it became known as American Chop Suey. Initially, the American version wasn't too significantly different from the Chinese version, but would continue to evolve over time.

The first reference concerning "American Chop Suey" that I located, and which predates the 1916 Manual for Army Cooks, was in The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (NY), November 14, 1902. Henry Kemper, of San Francisco, sent in a recipe to the newspaper for "American Chop Suey." As can be seen, its not too different from Chinese chop suey, and doesn't resemble the version of American Chop Suey we now know.

Someone sought a recipe for American Chop Suey. The Chicago Daily News, February 7, 1903, in the column, “Recipes by Marian Harland,” one of the readers asked Marian for a recipe for American Chop suey but she stated she wasn’t aware of that dish. though that would change within five years.

The Pacific Commercial Advertiser (HI), December 15, 1904, presented recipes for Chinese Chop Suey and American Chop Suey, though it didn't explain why they had different names. The ingredients in the two recipes varied, with the Chinese version made with chicken, pork, onion, dried mushrooms, celery, Chinese potatoes, and Chinese sauce. The American version was made with lean fresh pork shaved small, Chinese potatoes, corn starch, see yon sauce, gee yon sauce, celery, and Chinese mushrooms. Both were cooked in a frying pan and then served with rice.

The slightly two different versions of Chop Suey continued to spread across the country, and the main variation became more evident. For example, the Jersey Journal (NJ), February 9, 1909, quoted the National Food Magazine, “In American chop suey there is much more gravy and it is only slight thickened.” The Washington Herald, October 5, 1913 (D..C) also noted that the difference between the two recipes is mainly the amount of sauce, with the Chinese version having less sauce. The Norwich Bulletin, October 2, 1915 (CT) stated that American chop suey is made the same as Chinese except you add an extra cup of broth when cooking the American version.

As an aside, an intriguing, though racist, article appeared in The Daily Times, October 6, 1905 (Iowa), providing its own explanation for the difference between Chinese and American chop suey. Titled American Way Better, the article detailed a gathering of 293 women, for a cooking demonstration, who came to listen to Carrie Ives Saunders. Saunders told the women that, "...Chinese chop suey was not wholesome for Americans as the Chinese are apt to use opium in its mixing." This was especially a danger to the young and she thought they should be discouraged from going to Chinese chop suey restaurants. Saunders presented her own recipe for American chop suey, "..made from ingredients in American cookery.." and without any opium. It goes without saying that Chinese chop suey wasn't made with opium.

The two different versions didn't appear just in recipes, but also in restaurants across the country. The Daily Review, February 6, 1905 (Illinois) and The Neenah Daily Times, September 14, 1905 (Wisconsin) both mentioned American Chop Suey being served at local restaurants. The Daily Arkansas Gazette, July 5, 1908, provided part of a menu from The Imperiale restaurant listing a number of different chop suey dishes, including American Chop Suey. There was also items like Chop Suey Omelet and Chicken Pineapple Chop Suey.

The Grand Rapids Press (MI), April 29, 1908, had an ad for a luncheon offering American chop suey.

In an article primarily about macaroni made in Detroit, the Plain Dealer (OH), May 3, 1908, mentioned briefly, “The same thing is true of chop suey. The American chop suey is so much better than the mixture made in the Orient.”

More restaurants serving American chop suey. The Milwaukee Journal (WI), June 4, 1909, had a Menu for Schuster’s with American chop suey. The Lake County Times (IN), September 23, 1910 mentioned that American chop suey was on the menu of the Majestic Cafe. In the El Paso Herald (TX), November 23, 1910, there was an advertisement for a restaurant that served both Chinese Chop Suey and American Chop Suey. The Elkhart Daily Review (IN), January 3, 1912, mentioned an Chinese American cafe with both Chop Suey and American Chop Suey. There was a similar restaurant advertisement in The Cairo Bulletin (IL), September 22, 1912. The Evening Journal (DE), August 21, 1915 also had an advertisement for an American Chop Suey Restaurant, as did the Grand Forks Herald (ND), December 13, 1916.

As can be seen, American Chop Suey wasn't a regional dish, but rather one seen all across the country, from Hawaii to Connecticut, Texas to North Dakota. However, these versions of American Chop Suey still weren't the version with ground beef, macaroni and tomato sauce dish that would sometime later be claimed to be a New England dish. That is true but my historical examination is just getting started.

Around 1908, recipes for American chop suey started to diverge even more than the Chinese version. In the Chicago Daily News (IL), November 12, 1908, Marian Harland, who in 1905 wasn't aware of American chop suey, now provided two different recipes. The first recipe was less like some of the prior American chop suey recipes, but the second was the larger divergence. And it was the first calling for ground beef, spaghetti and a can of tomatoes, very similar to what is considered the current version in New England of American chop suey. So we see Illinois as one of the originators of this style.

Back in New England, the Boston Herald, November 9, 1909: had a “Postal Recipe for American chop suey” though they called just “Chop Suey” when they presented the actual recipe. It called though for both spaghetti and rice, unless the modern version.

Additional variations of American chop suey recipes, which differed more than just the nature of the sauce, also started to sprout up, only a handful of years after the first American chop suey recipes arrived. For example, The Hartford Herald, October 27, 1909 (CT) listed a recipe that called for a pound of pork shoulder, one pound of veal from the leg, salt, New Orleans molasses, onion, and celery, all served with boiled rice. No soy sauce was included.

In Machias Cookery (Maine, 1909), a cookbook by The Daughters of Machias, there was a recipe which somewhat similar to the prior Boston Herald recipe, calling for both rice and spaghetti. This recipe though added some Worcestershire sauce.

Illinois was a pioneer once again. The Alton Evening Telegraph (IL), August 26, 1910, published a recipe with the first use of macaroni as an ingredient. The rest of the recipe included ground beef, a can of tomatoes, onions, and seasoning. This is clearly the direct ancestor to the current versions of American chop suey, showing it didn't originate in New England.

However, not all the recipes in Illinois were the same. For example, the Daily Illinois State Journal (IL), October 31, 1910, presented a meatless recipe which used rice, and was a bit more similar to the first versions of American chop suey. The New-York Tribune (NY), November 18, 1910, also printed a meatless recipe, with tomatoes, celery, green peppers, onions, and rice.

The Lincoln Journal Star (NE), January 30, 1913 printed a recipe that called for hamburg steak, salt pork, onions, macaroni, and a can of tomatoes. This is the second mention of the use of macaroni, which is most often associated with the New England version, so part of its origin stems from Nebraska too.

A third recipe, using macaroni was published in the Indianapolis Star (IN), June 19, 1913. This dish was also baked in an oven and that catsup was an additional ingredient, as well as a half pound of cheese. So, we now have seen the origins of American chop suey in Illinois, Nebraska, and Indiana. Sure doesn't seem like a regional New England dish to me.

That isn't the end though as the Decatur Herald (IL), September 28, 1913, provided a recipe for American chop suey which called for the use of spaghetti or macaroni, as well as hamburger, onions, canned tomatoes, and suet.

Macaroni in New Jersey. The Jersey Journal (NJ), April 4, 1914, also had a recipe for American chop suey calling for macaroni. Add another non-New England state to the list of originators of this dish. This recipe was repeated in an article in the Sacramento Union (CA), July 7, 1914.

Back in New England, the Boston Globe, December 15, 1914, published a more unusual recipe for American chop suey. First, rather than ground beef, it used chicken or veal. Second, it called for the use of rice, rather than spaghetti or macaroni. Third, and most interestingly, it included the use of chopped English walnuts, which is a rarity in such recipes. Certainly not the beef, pasta, and tomato recipe which would grip New England 40-50 years later.

The use of macaroni in the above recipes predates all of the sources claiming that the change from rice to macaroni didn't occur until the 1950s or 1960s. There wasn't any explanation why these recipes differed so much, like the addition of pasta, from the original American chop suey recipes. However, it's clear that variations and experimentations with the original American chop suey recipe started early.

Illinois, Nebraska, Indiana, New Jersey and California might have been the first states to prepare American chop suey recipe with ground beef, macaroni, and tomatoes, but the idea soon spread to other parts of the countries too. It's also clear that the existence of these recipes, from 1908 to 1914, predate the 1916 Manual for Army Cooks, and are far more likely to have spawned American chop suey as we know it than that Manual.

The Star Tribune (MN), November 21, 1915, had an advertisement for Quality Brand Macaroni, made by F.A. Martoccio Macaroni Co. The ad mentioned that their macaroni worked well as the body in American Chop Suey. Add Minnesota to the number of originators of so-called New England American chop suey.

Add New York and Virginia too. The Buffalo Enquirer (NY), December 4, 1915, published this recipe, which called for macaroni. This was another recipe which was baked. The Daily Telegram (VA), December 7, 1915, printed this same recipe.

The Bridgeport Evening Farmer (CT), April 1, 1916, a New England newspaper, posted a recipe with both spaghetti and rice, but no macaroni.

The Daily Telegram (WV), April 17, 1916, printed a similar recipe, that called for macaroni and rice, though their recipe included, strangely enough, a pig's heart. Definitely a very different variation of American chop suey.

Another American chop suey recipe, with an odd ingredient in an otherwise more traditional recipe, was printed in multiple newspapers, including The Bridgeport Evening Farmer (CT), April 25, 1916, The Broad Ax (UT), May 20, 1916, and The Columbus Commercial (MS), September 14, 1916. The recipe stated: "Two pounds of veal from the leg or shoulder will be required for the chop suey; cut into cubes and fry lightly in a little butter. Add a tiny bit of onion, two bananas cut in cubes and a small can of button mushrooms sliced. Season highly with salt and pepper and add half a teaspoon of curry powder. When the bananas and mushrooms are brown cover with cold water and simmer for 20 minutes; thicken slightly and serve. The bananas may be omitted and celery substituted if desired." Bananas? This isn't an ingredient though that seemed to stand the test of time as I never found another recipe using it.

The Boston Globe, June 19, 1916, published a recipe, from "New Hampshire Girl," which was closer to the modern version, though rice was still included, and it used spaghetti rather than macaroni.

Finally, macaroni in New England. The Boston Post, November 4, 1916, printed a recipe which included the use of macaroni. The dish was topped by bread crumbs and baked the oven. We've already seen macaroni used in previous American chop suey recipes in Illinois, Nebraska, Indiana, New Jersey, California, Minnesota, New York, Virginia, and West Virginia. It again seems very clear that this style didn't originate in New England.

However, one week later, the Boston Post, November 11, 1916, published another recipe that called for spaghetti rather than macaroni. Plus, this was cooked in the stove rather than baked.

In Michigan, a recipe contest. The Jackson Citizen Patriot (MI), December 8, 1916, noted that its reader, Maud Shafer, won $2 for her recipe for American chop suey. Again, macaroni was used rather than rice or spaghetti.

Another recipe was printed in Boston Globe, February 9, 1918, made with hamburger steak, rice, spaghetti, onions, paprika, curry powder, salt and pepper, but it was baked in the oven. Macaroni in American chop suey recipes in the Boston area were uncommon, with spaghetti taking dominance.

As mentioned earlier, The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink thought that the 1916 Manual for Army Cooks was "A likely origin for American chop suey.." This manual actually has two recipes for "chop suey" and it does not refer to either of them as "American chop suey." One recipe is for a Hash, Chop Suey and the other for a Stew, Chop Suey, both recipes making enough for 60 men. The ingredients for the Hash include fat bacon, onions, ground beef, turnips, corn, chili powder, soup stock and tomatoes. This dish is baked rather than fried stovetop. The recipe certainly doesn't resemble the modern version of American chop suey, and is even different from all the previous recipes that have been printed.

The ingredients for the Stew include meat (unspecified type), onions, celery, barbecue sauce, and beef stock, served with rice. It is cooked on the stovetop. This is similar, except for the barbecue sauce, to previous recipes, but once again isn't similar to the modern version. There isn't any pasta or tomatoes. This recipe doesn't seem to be, by any stretch, the "likely origin" for American chop suey. The recipe already existed for years before the publication of this cookbook, was spread across the country, and doesn't resemble the American chop suey version that used spaghetti or macaroni.

In Boston, they will still printing recipes resembling the original American chop suey that closely resembled the Chinese version. Check out this recipe in the Boston Journal, April 17, 1917, which called for chicken livers and gizzards. The ingredients are very similar to Chinese chop suey, even calling for bean sprouts.

The Boston Herald, January 20, 1918, offered another recipe for America chop suey, but once again with spaghetti, not macaroni.

During the next ten years, plenty of recipes for American chop suey were printed in various newspapers, all over the country, many using chopped/ground meat, pasta and tomatoes/sauce/soup. The Boston Globe, February 26, 1919, mentioned prisoners having a lunch of American chop suey, made from beef, spaghetti and tomato sauce.

The Boston Globe, March 22, 1919 published a recipe made with hamburg steak, macaroni and tomato soup. This was the second mention of a recipe in Massachusetts that used macaroni rather than spaghetti. During the next at least twenty-five years, the Boston Globe would publish a number of other recipes for American chop suey, some calling for spaghetti rather than macaroni, and some calling for both rice and spaghetti.

Recipes using chopped/ground meat, pasta and tomatoes/sauce/soup were definitely not limited to New England. For example, the Evening Public Ledger (PA), October 23, 1917, had a recipe that included chopped flanked beef, onion, spaghetti, and tomato soup. The New-York Tribune, January 20, 1918, printed a recipe, which was obtained from a woman in Reading, Massachusetts, which included chopped meat, onion, spaghetti, and tomato soup.

The Cincinnatti Post (OH), February 27, 1918, offered a recipe calling for spaghetti, which was baked in an oven.

The Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader (PA), February 28, 1918, had a recipe calling for both rice and spaghetti.

Another New York newspaper, the Bronxville Review (NY), October 11, 1918, printed an American chopped suey recipe which asked for chopped beef, onion, celery, spaghetti, tomato puree, and Worcestershire sauce, with salt, pepper, and paprika for seasoning.

The Glasgow Courier (MT), October 18, 1918, published a recipe that used hamburg steak, onions, rice, spaghetti, and tomato soup.

Rice and macaroni were also paired together in a recipe from The Bridgeport Times & Evening Farmer (CT), July 11, 1919, which also included hamburg steak, onions, and a can of tomatoes.

Back in New England, rice and spaghetti also were combined into a chop suey recipe in The Brattleboro Daily Reformer (VT), October 2, 1919, which included hamburg steak, onions, and tomato soup.

In Tennessee, The Chattanooga News (TN), October 9, 1919, gave cooks the option to use either spaghetti or rice, with chopped meat, onion, and can of tomatoes, though this dish was baked in an oven. The Champaign Daily News (IL), October 11, 1919, gave a similar option of spaghetti or rice, with chopped meat, onion, and tomatoes. Spaghetti became the main choice in the Omaha Daily Bee (NE), November 8, 1919, where the recipe called for hamburg steak, onion, spaghetti, and tomato soup.

This was similar to a recipe in The Bridgeport Times & Evening Farmer (CT), February 13, 1920, except this recipe also included bacon slices.

Besides bacon, sometimes the recipes for American chop suey added other intriguing ingredients. The New-York Tribune, March 7, 1920, published a recipe with chopped flank beef, onion, macaroni, tomato soup, paprika, and slices of bologna sausage.

The Rock Island Argus & Daily Union (IL), August 13, 1920, recipe was more old-school, requiring pork, veal, chicken or lean beef, celery, onion, molasses or brown sugar, corn starch, soy sauce, mushrooms, and rice. This indicated that the original version of American chop suey was still popular in some areas.

The New Mexico State Record (NM). June 3, 1921, Middletown Transcript (DE), June 04, 1921, The Citizen-Republican (SD), June 9, 1921, and The Connecticut Labor News (CT), June 17, 1921, all published the same recipe, which required diced round steak, sausage links, onions, spaghetti, tomatoes, and salt, pepper, paprika, and sugar as seasonings. Throughout the rest of the 1920s, you'd find many similar American chop suey recipes across the country, many including beef, pasta and tomatoes.

The Denver Rocky Mountain News (CO), August 6, 1921, held a Chop Suey Recipe contest, and a couple of the winners provided American Chop Suey recipes. The above is the Eighth Prize recipe, calling for macaroni and being baked in the oven.

The Tenth Prize recipe though called for spaghetti and it was prepared stove-top.

It was also during this time period that American chop suey started to spread to other parts of the world. For example, The New York Herald, September 11, 1921, noted that a restaurant, called American Chop Suey, had opened in Tokyo. The Tonopah Daily Bonanza (NV), December 17, 1921, also reported that an American soldier had recently opened a cafe in Germany serving chop suey, though it seemed it was more similar to Chinese chop suey.

The Middletown Transcript (DE), February 18, 1922, provided a recipe without the use of ground beef, though there was some pork fat to what was other a meatless recipe.

The Daily Advocate (CT), June 3, 1922, offered a recipe, cooked stove-top, with macaroni.

The Plain Dealer (OH), June 13, 1924, also offered a chop suey recipe with macaroni, but called for pork sausage rather than ground beef.

An Australian newspaper, The Voice of the North, January 10, 1924, printed an American chop suey recipe that called for bacon slices, chopped beef, onion, spaghetti or macaroni, salt, pepper, and soy sauce. No tomato products were used in this recipe, but otherwise it was similar to the modern version of American chop suey.

The Detroit Times (MI), November 10, 1930, published a recipe, which was baked in an oven, used macaroni, and was covered by buttered crumbs.

The Maryland Independent (MD), February 27, 1931, returned to the original style of American chop suey, more similar to the Chinese version, and served it with "buttered rice crispies."

Jumping ahead about thirteen years, the Boston Globe, April 5, 1943, returned to more of an original American chop suey with a recipe provided by Mildred Carlson. Her recipe called for pork, onions, rice, bouillon cubes, green peppers celery, and soy sauce. The Globe though would soon return to publishing more modern versions of the recipe. In their January 26, 1944 issue, there was a large advertisement from Mueller's Elbow Macaroni which included a recipe for American chop suey. The ingredients included ground beef, onions, can of tomatoes, butter and Mueller's Elbow Macaroni. The advertisement also told consumers that they could save $2 every week on their grocery bill and help solve the meat rationing problem by adding their macaroni to their menu instead of expensive meats.

In the San Bernardino Sun (CA), May 10, 1953, in an article by Duncan Hines (yes, that Duncan Hines!), he writes that "American chop suey can mean any type of stew with rice or noodles." He then details the recipe for American chop suey used at the Hearth Tea Room in Kansas. "Here is the dish The Hearth Tea Room serves as American chop suey. In 2 tablespoons shortening brown 2 cups diced celery, and 1 cup diced onions. Add 2 pounds lean ground meat, 1 No. 2 can tomatoes, 4 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 teaspoons salt. Let cook for 2 or 3 hours in tightly covered vessel. Cook 1/4 pound fine noodles. Add to the above along with 1 cup shaved cheese. pour into casserole dish and let brown in 350 F oven--it takes 20 to 30 minutes." More evidence that American chop suey isn't a regional New England dish.

In the Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA), July 24, 1957, a troop of Girl Scouts, while on a hike, prepared American Chop Suey over an outdoor fire. This one-pot dish, for which they provided the recipe, was prepared with hamburg, spaghetti, tomato sauce, onion and green pepper. It seems Californians were still making so-called "New England style" American chop suey even during the 1950s.

From the 1960s through the 1980s, American chop suey became very prevalent in the New England region, and it seemed to have dwindled in popularity in other regions, or the name of the dish changed to something else. Thus, as time passed, the incorrect belief that American chop suey, with beef, macaroni and tomatoes, was only a New England phenomenon took hold.

The origin of the dish, using macaroni rather than rice or spaghetti, actually extends back, at least, to Illinois in 1910, Nebraska & Indiana in 1913, New Jersey & California in 1914, Minnesota, New York & Virginia in 1915, and West Virginia in 1916. The first use of macaroni in an American chop suey recipe in New England wasn't until November 1916. Thus, it certainly isn't a "regional" New England dish. It's actually a dish that has spanned the entire country, though in more modern times, it might have been most popular in New England.

The history of American chop suey has become more clear, but there is still work that can be done to further explore and enlighten its intriguing history.

Chop suey is "...is an Irish stew translated into Chinese for purely occidental degustation."
--Mariposa Gazette, November 26, 1904

Monday, April 13, 2020

A History of Boston's Chinatown and Its Restaurants: The Tale of Mary Yick (Part 8)

From restaurant owner to blackjack dealer, from Tiki to discrimination. Like Ruby Foo and Anita Chue, Mary Yick was another pioneering women in the Chinatown restaurant industry, owning the Tiki Hut restaurant on Tyler Street. Unfortunately, there was much less available information about Mary Yick than the other two women, so this article is much shorter than the previous two.

Mary Yick was born on November 3, 1933, and made her first appearance in a local newspaper in November 1939. At age 6, she and two other young Chinese girls, were photographed walking in a parade in Chinatown, part of the first rice bowl party for war relief work in China. This was one of the largest celebrations in Chinatown at the time, garnering about 30,000 visitors.

In October 1943: Mary, and 3 other Chinese children, were photographed as they distributed pedestrian safety booklets on the Traffic Day of Boston’s Smash the 7th Column Campaign. The 7th column referred to "carelessness" and this campaign was intended to reduce accidental death and injury. Mary's involvement in these community causes echoes Anita Chue's own involvement when she was young.

When Mary was 17 years old, in October 1951, she was once again shown in a photograph in a local newspaper. Mary and eight other young Chinese women were shown in their costumes as hostesses during the dedication ceremonies for the new headquarters and community building of the Chinese Merchants Association at Kneeland and Hudson streets.

Once again, in April 1956, Mary made the newspapers, in a photograph and news article. The article discussed Otto Mammon who owned the Polynesian Village at Hotel Somerset. Otto came to Boston from San Francisco, and stated, “Our Polynesian and Cantonese food suits the Boston palate.” At his restaurant, they had huts which were replicas of those of Sumatra, Bali and Java. They also had solid wood table tops of rare Hawaiian Monkey Pod trees. In addition, the article published two recipes from Otto's recipe, including Lobster Pina and Flaming Polynesian Steak. In the accompanying photograph, Otto was shown teaching Mary Yick how to handle a lobster.

I couldn't determine whether Mary worked at the Polynesian Village or not, but it seems reasonable considering she would later open her own Cantonese and Polynesian restaurant. She might have learned some of her craft from Otto. Mary also might have worked at other Chinese restaurants in Chinatown though I couldn't anything to substantiate that possibility.

Lanai, Inc. was established in July 1961, and in October it was noted that they were seeking the transfer of a liquor license from Wong-Eng, Inc. Managed by Jean A. DiNapoli, Lanai, Inc. was taking over the location at 10 Tyler Street and establishing a restaurant. A year later though, in November 1961, there was a legal notice noting that Mary Yick, who was now the manager of Lanai, Inc. was seeking a liquor license for The Tiki Hut at 10 Tyler Street.

It's unclear the connection between DiNapoli and Yick, and whether Yick was involved in Lanai, Inc. prior to November 1961. What we do know, is that this was the establishment of Yick's famed restaurant, The Tiki Hut.

One of the first newspaper references to the Tiki Hut wasn't until September 13, 1963, noting that the Tiki Hut was a cocktail lounge, specializing in creative Cantonese cuisine. It was also mentioned that Hostess Mary Yick was “one of Boston nicest people.” Another article, in March 1965, recommended that you order a Tiki Tornado at the Tiki Hut, joking that, “Two of these, and even your wife looks like a friend.”

In November 1965, Suffolk Downs, the former horse racing track, held an event honoring its American-Chinese neighbors and the chairman of the event was Mary Yick.

An article in February 1970, noted how “The Tiki Hut is a favorite after-show stop for many theatrical people when they’re in town.” The article mentioned how Pearl Baily, her husband, drummer Louis Bellson, co-star Cab Calloway, and other cast members of “Hello Dolly” dined at The Tiki Hut. Many theatrical celebrities dined at the restaurant when they were in town, and some of those regulars included David Merrick, Angela Lansbury, and Shakespearean actor Nicol Williamson.

Like Ruby Foo's Den and the Cathay House, the Tiki Hut was a favorite of the stage and screen celebrities, as well as stars from the local sport teams, from the Celtics to the Bruins. It was even noted in an article in February 1971, that on the theatrical circuit, Mary Yick was affectionately known as “The Dragon Lady.”

Unfortunately, Mary and the Tiki Hut ran into a serious problem in mid-1971. The Boston Globe, June 2, 1971, noted that “Mary is the only remaining on-site female entrepreneur of a restaurant-lounge in Chinatown.” Ruby Foo had passed away twenty years before and Anita Chue no longer owned any restaurants. Mary was facing a possible ouster from her 10 Tyler Street location. The owner of the premises, the Lee On Dong Association, was attempting to conduct an “auction in the Chinese tradition of her lease.” Fortunately, Mary was able to secure an injunction to halt the auction until the owners could come forward and justify themselves to the court.

In her petition, Mary stated there had been an “alleged violation of her civil rights on the basis of discrimination because of her sex.” She was “Alleging a concerted course of action against women business functionaries in the restaurant field." Her petition also claimed that Anita Chue, of Anita Chue’s restaurant in Brookline, had been removed from that restaurant by persons common to the group attempting to oust her. Mary also claimed those same individuals were responsible for ousting the female owner of the Bo Shek, a Chinatown coffee house on Beach Street. Finally, the petition noted that, “Traditionally, Chinese mores dictate that Chinese females are inferior to Chinese males, and that Chinese females should not be entrepreneurs or occupy any position other than that which calls for menial or household work.”

Mary and the Tiki Hut lasted only another year, though at least it seemed the lease ouster had been prevented, when in November 1972, she transferred the liquor license to Mai Lai Inc., managed by Kwok Man Yu, who would operate a restaurant at the same address. The Boston Globe, December 1, 1972, noted this loss in an article titled, “Chinatown loses its last Dragon Lady.” It referred to Mary Yick “of the lyrical voice and quick quips that (gently but plainly) put down amorous customers.” The article also stated, “Her departure ends, at least for the time, a tradition begun by the legendary Ruby Foo and later Anita Chue.”

After taking several trips to various parts of the world, Mary planned to move to Las Vegas, and an article from January 1981, noted that Mary was now a blackjack dealer at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. Sadly, Mary passed away in Pleasanton, California, on July 14, 2013.

Once again, we have a Chinese woman who left a strong legacy in Chinatown. Like Ruby Foo and Anita Chue, Mary Yick was an intelligent, charming and savvy business woman who became a success in the restaurant industry, and introduced many people to the wonders of Chinese cuisine, especially Cantonese. Her restaurant career ended too shortly, potentially due to discrimination, because she was a woman. A tragedy in its own right.

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My Research Resources for this article included:
Boston Globe: April 8, 1956; February 8, 1965; November 14, 1965; November 30, 1965; February 13, 1970; August 3, 1970; February 3, 1971; June 2, 1971; November 3, 1972; December 1, 1972
Boston Herald: November 19, 1939; March 2, 1965; January 12, 1981
Boston Record American: November 11, 1961; November 21, 1962;
Boston Traveler: October 8, 1943; October 3, 1951; May 31, 1955; September 13, 1963;

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You might also be interested in my other related historical articles about Chinatown, its restaurants, and related Chinese cuisine matters:

A History of Boston's Chinatown and Its Restaurants:

Check out Part 1, covering the 18th & 19th centuries
Check out Part 2, covering the years 1901-1920
Check out Part 3, covering the 1920s.

Check out Part 4, covering 1930-1959

Check out Part 5, covering the 1960s
Check out Part 6, the tale of Ruby Foo.

Check out Part 7, the tale of Anita Chue
Check out Part 9, a Deeper Look into Two Restaurants

Check out Part 10: Sam Wah Kee: From Chinatown's Most Wealthy Merchant to Wanted Fugitive

Check out Part 11: An Early History of Chinese Herbalists in Boston

Check out Part 12: Dr. Ensang Chang: Boston's First Chinese Licensed Physician

Check out Part 13: A Historic Look at Chinese New Year in Boston (1870-1890)

Check out Part 14: An Early History of Christmas in Chinatown

Check out Part 15: Chinatown, Little Syria & Its Restaurants

Check out Part 16: The Chinese Shoe Makers of North Adams

And also see my Compilation Post, with links to my additional articles about Chinese restaurants, outside Boston and in Connecticut, as well as a number of related matters.

(Update as of September 15, 2020: Lillian Lee, Mary's older sister, recently contacted me, providing a few more details about the life of Mary Yick).

Friday, April 10, 2020

A History of Boston's Chinatown and Its Restaurants: The Tale of Anita Chue (Part 7)

On January 6, 1945, as World War II continued to rage on, Gordon and Anita Chue opened the Cathay House in Boston's Chinatown. The restaurant became immensely successful, being considered not only one of the best Chinese restaurants in Boston, but one of the best in the country. Like their contemporary, Ruby Foo's Den, they were popular with celebrities and much of their success was due to Anita. And as I told the tale of Ruby Foo, now I'll tell the tale of Anita Chue, another fascinating woman who made a significant impact in Chinatown, Boston, Brookline, and elsewhere.

Let me begin with some caveats. The sources I used concerning the life of Anita Chue lacked a number of personal details, especially concerning Anita's early business life prior to opening the Cathay House. In addition, there are other aspects of her life where the sources lacked more specific information. However, what I have compiled here makes for an intriguing tale, and Anita's life was nearly free of scandal. She was beloved by many and I'm surprised no one previously has written an extended story of her life.

Anita Chue was born as Anita Chin on July 23, 1918, apparently in Boston's Chinatown, though there was little information about her parents except that her father was allegedly a noted chef, so she probably grew up with familiarity with the restaurant industry. From an early age, Anita was also involved in causes to help her community, which would continue into her adulthood as she would eventually be well-known for supporting various charitable causes.

In June 1928, Anita was mentioned in a local newspaper, along with a photo, as being part of the Junior Red Cross, which had celebrated its 10th anniversary. Four years later, in April 1932, there was an article and photograph of Anita as she and ten other Chinese girls from Chinatown had formed the first Chinese council of the Girl Scouts in Boston. Later that year, in December, another article mentioned how these Chinese Girl Scouts were now meeting once a week at 35 Tyler Street, the workshop of the Boston Tuberculosis Association, for a home nursing course. “These Chinese girls are very much interested in the improvement in their home conditions and strive to learn all they can of the new education in modern hygiene.”

In April 1933, the fourteen Chinese Girl Scouts, aged 13-19 years old, graduated from the home hygiene nursing course, which had been the first ever held in New England, and maybe even the country. At the graduation ceremony, Anita Chin gave a short address on the life of Florence Nightingale. Later that year, in August, the Boston Tuberculosis Association held a block party. For the last four years, they would choose "an unsanitary or dreary back alley in the South End" and help clean and renovate it. Afterwards, they would hold a party there in the refurnished street. An article provided a photo of Anita Chin and Majorie Wong serving tea at the block party.

When Anita was 15 years old, in March 1934, the Chinese Merchants Association of Boston's Chinatown sponsored a Chinese festival, in efforts to raise money for the Emergency Relief Campaign of 1934. During the festival, a number of young girls, including Anita, dressed in Chinese costumes and went among the merchants and private homes to collect money for the Campaign, giving red poppies to all of the donors.

During the next ten years, there was little information available about Anita. At some point, she got married to Gordon Chue, who was born around 1902, and they lived at 60 Harvard Street. Gordon, a native of British Columbia and the son of a former chef on the Canadian Pacific Railways, lived in Chicago for several years until coming to Boston around 1937. Prior to 1945, they both worked at an unidentified Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. Anita was a cashier while Gordon was a "boss-man," which probably meant a manager. They eventually decided to go out on their own, and start a Chinese restaurant.

We do know that Anita and Gordon had a daughter, Winifred, born around 1938. It was noted that, in June 1955, Winifred would soon graduate from Girls Latin School, and had been accepted by Jackson College. In May 1956, Winifred then married Kenneth Chin, and it was mentioned that they were going to live in Boston. And in September 1956, Winifred had a child, making Anita a grandmother. At some point later, Winfired had a second child as well.

Gordon and Anita opened the Cathay House on January 6, 1945, and there's evidence that it might have first opened on Kneeland Street. However, at least by September 1945, it was relocated to 70 Beach Street, where it was opened from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m., though other advertisements soon after indicated that it was only open until 3 a.m. By December 1951, a Boston newspaper stated, “Anita Chue, Cathay House, and Doris Food, Ruby Foo’s Den, two of the youngest in the restaurant business, head the largest Chinese spots in New England.”

During these years, in the newspapers, Gordon often seemed to take a back seat to his wife concerning the restaurant. For example, the Boston American, June 9, 1952, noted, “Anita Chue is one of the big reasons for the popularity of the Cathay House.” Anita was a prominent face at the restaurant, greeting the guests, helping provide recommendations of dishes, and being a gracious and charming hostess. And as the years went on, her popularity only grew and grew.

In a newspaper advertisement in November 1952, Cathay House noted that they offered a special container for take-out food. This very likely referred to the familiar white cartons with wire handles that are ubiquitous now in Chinese restaurants. A couple other Chinatown restaurants at this time used similar containers. The Boston American, March 22, 1954, noted, "Boston's Chinatown, a distinctive area, where the finest Oriental food is the rule rather than the exception. You can't go wrong visiting any of the following places; The Cathay House, Anita and Gordon Chue, managers; Ruby Foo's Den, Doris and Earl Foo, managers; The House of Wong with George Wong; The China House, Jimmy Chin, manager; and Bob Lee's Lantern House."

The Boston Daily Record, January 6, 1955, published an article, titled When Is A Good Time To Start a Business?, though it seemed more a promotion for advertising in the newspaper. Gordon and Anita Chue, and their Cathay House, were the focus of the article, noting how they start advertising in the Record-American from the start, which helped their business take off. Today, it's alleged they now do more business, have more customers, and earn more money than all their competitors. Though it's obvious their restaurant was successful, we can't rely on this "article" alone to support they were the most successful restaurant in Chinatown.

In 1956, there were approximately 20 Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, and the famed Ruby Foo's Den, a favorite of many celebrities, would close in 1957. The Cathay House was also a famed stop for many celebrities, such as Ethel Merman, Fernando Lamas, Jerry Vale, Nat King Cole, Buddy Rich, Steve Brody, Sylvia Simms, and many more. Local sports figures also frequented the restaurant. The Cathay House was becoming known all across the country, garnering much media attention.

Esquire Magazine, December 1958, stated that Cathay House was one of the best Cantonese restaurant in the entire country. It also noted, “But what makes the establishment even more beguiling is Mrs. Chue herself. A dutiful attendant at all theatre openings, a regular patron of such places as the Ritz, Joseph’s, and Storyville, and, with her husband, one of the city’s most charitable residents, she is possibly the best-liked in Boston. Her personality, fully as much as the remarkable cuisine, has made the Cathay House the only interesting late-hour spot in town.” We can see how Anita and her husband patronized many charitable causes, and were huge theater fans, which led to Anita's friendships with many celebrities. And it was her powerful magnetism which was a potent force in the success of Cathay House.

In a short interview in the Boston Globe, February 19, 1959, Anita Chue commented on the popularity of Chinese cuisine. “Before World War II many people had never tasted it, but now everyone has become Chinese food conscious—it’s gone suburban, just like department stores.” She then commented on the menu at Cathay House, stating, “We have about 200 dishes on the menu but three times that many can be prepared. In fact, about half of our customers ask for dishes that aren’t even on the menu. The most popular dishes, are lobster Cantonese style and the appetizers such as barbecued spare ribs and pork strips.” How many Chinese restaurants do you know now that serve lots of dishes that aren't on the menu?

One of the charitable causes that Anita Chue supported was the Heart Fund, which provided financial support to life-saving research programs in heart and circulation. Anita served as a district chairman, raising funds in Chinatown. This hearkens back to the early work she did as a teenager, supporting health causes in Chinatown.

A bit of bad news for Anita and her family. In April 13, burglars broken into their home on Harvard Street and removed their safe from a closet on the second floor. The burglars stole two pieces of imperial jade, an imperial jade brooch with 20 diamonds, a ladies diamond watch, a ladies diamond ring, a silver blue mink stole, and several hundred dollars. The total value of everything was about $50,000. It doesn't seem that the burglars were ever apprehended.

What might surprise people nowadays is that the Cathay House achieved its great success at this time without a liquor license. It would be extremely difficult for any large restaurant today to survive and thrive without a liquor license. However, the Cathay House, Inc. eventually acquired a liquor license in 1961, purchasing the license from another entity. This would make the restaurant even more popular.

Curious mysterious rumors arose. Around the summer, and maybe spring, of 1962, a local newspaper reported, with vague details, that a number of false and malicious rumors had been spread about the Cathay House, and that the restaurant had also received a number of malicious telephone calls. It seemed this was an effort to destroy the restaurant, but fortunately failed. I couldn't found out the nature of the false rumors, or who was responsible. And the fact that only a single newspaper reported on these matters may lead to the conclusion that the rumors weren't taken seriously by the vast majority of the public. And the reporting newspaper was quite clear that there was no valid basis to any of the negative rumors.

A fascinating article appeared in the Boston Globe, September 3, 1962, titled, “Here’s How To Cook in Chinese.” Anita Chue provided advice on Chinese cuisine, as well as giving information about the dishes prepared at her restaurant. She mentioned that “In Chinese cooking eye appeal is important.” She provided some specific examples of dishes made at the Cathay House, noting that “Pure food coloring gives barbecued spareribs their rich red color. My husband, Gordon, did it first, Now everybody adds red coloring to pork marinade.” As for cooking rice, she also stated, “”We use long grain rice, first washing the rice in a strainer, with cold running water.” Then, she mentioned, “We cook fresh beans (green) quickly---with a speck of water and salad oil. The color stays green and Chinese vegetables say ‘crunch’ to the ear.”

Anita also spoke about her wishes for the Boston restaurant community. “My fondest hope is to introduce Chinese Tea Time to Boston. We have platters of fragrant meat-filled pastry, egg rolls, salty buns containing hot spiced meat, butterfly shrimp. Delicacies served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.n. with cups and cups of delicious hot tea.” This sounds like Dim Sum! She added, “Chinese Tea Time is my favorite relaxation in New York. I should like to add this joy to Boston.” The article also printed several recipes from Anita, including Chinese Boiled rice, Chinese-Style Green Beans, Fried Rice with Ham, and Winter Melon Soup.

Anita decided to open a second restaurant, one in Brookline, as it was thought to be more accessible to suburban fans of the Cathay House. Around September 1962, she formed Anita Chue, Inc. with two partners, including Celtics coach Arnold (Red) Auerbach and Attorney Maxwell Rabb. Red was likely a regular at the Cathay House and formed a friendship with Anita. In the corporation, Anita, the President and Treasurer, owned 78 voting shares, while Red and Maxwell earn owned 36. It was also noted, that at some point, Red brought in Lynn Patrick, the Bruins general manager, as a shareholder so he probably gave him some of his 36 shares.

The new restaurant, which would be named Anita's Chue's Restaurant, was located at 1366 Beacon Street in Coolidge Corner, Brookline. They obtained a liquor license, though the Brookline Board of Selectmen rejected their petition for a "food bar," noting that their liquor license was for table service only. The restaurant, with a capacity of about 200 guests, would serve the same menu as at the Cathay House. It would also have a private banquet room and would offer take-out and even delivery.

However, as this new endeavor was getting established, tragedy struck, and Gorden Chue died at his home in November 1962. No cause of death was provided.

Obviously this was a difficult time for Anita, but likely with the support of her family and friends, she went forward with her plans and Anita Shue's Restaurant opened in December, with hours of 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. You can also check out their menu online here. Like the Cathay House, they likely created plenty of dishes that weren't on the menu too.

The Boston Globe, September 29, 1963, provided a review of Anita Chue’s Restaurant, mentioning the menu was imposing, with its pages of selection, and that it was “noted for all food being made fresh to order.” It was also stated that, “Food here is cooked Cantonese style from age-old recipes, many stemming from the Ming Dynasty. Tasty, spicy, glamorous in name and content, these dishes capture the authentic atmosphere of ancient China.” The article also noted that about 75% of her customers were regulars. They catered private functions, where the most popular dishes were roast suckling pig and roast capon with all the Chinese fixings. Their “take-home orders” were very popular too, and they had even sent food to the West Coast.

In addition, it was mentioned that the restaurant had 6 chefs, though only their first names were provided, including Raymond, Wallace, John, Ping, Arthur and Lee. Some of the dishes on their menu included chop suey, chow mein, lung fon gee (chef’s special of chicken and lobster meat), and hoe seen platter (chunks of lobster meat, scallops, jumbo shrimp, crab meat, oysters with Chinese veggies and oyster sauce).

The Boston Herald, October 6, 1963, also wrote about this new restaurant, quoting Anita, "Dining is always a varied adventure that provides fun, excitement and pleasure. Each of our famous traditional specialties is prepared from cherished recipes by master chefs.” She continued, “Many of these recipes stem from the Ming Dynasty, and truly capture the authentic atmosphere of ancient China.” The article stated Anita was known as “The Queen of Chinese Cuisine” and that Cathay House had won acclaim in national magazines, television and radio. Their gourmet menu selections included steamfish (seasonal), stuffed lobster Cantonese style, ho you gai poo with fried wonton, ho you gai poo with noodles, Anita Chue’s Shrimp special, hoi seen platter, Anita Chue’s chicken roll, steak kew, and lobster in wine sauce.

Despite these raves, the next few years would see some turmoil for Anita Chue and her restaurants. First, in May 1964, Nan Wah, Inc., the owners of the Cathayan restaurant on Harvard Street in Coolidge Corner, purchased the liquor license for Anita Chue's. The new manager would be Mrs. Lillian Lee. Anita was still associated with the restaurant, though the exact connection was vague.

And in July 1966, Anita left the restaurant, claiming she had a difference of opinion with the new owners over the operation of the restaurant. It was then noted that Anita was newly affiliated with the Back Bay Health Club in the Sheraton Boston. However, Mary Yick, the owner of the Tiki Hut in Chinatown, alleged that Anita had been pushed out by the new male owners, a case of discrimination because she was a woman.

Prior to leaving her restaurant, Anita ended up in the news tangentially. Anita Chue Inc. owed some back taxes and the matter was being handled by her attorney, Bernard Dwork of Newton. Two local IRS agents told Attorney Dwork that they could resolve the tax issues for a bribe of $3,000. Dwork contacted the Treasury Department, who have him marked money to give to the two IRS agents, Lawrence Chandler and John Harris. Once he did so, the IRS agents were arrested for solicitation and accepting a bribe.

At some point, possibly in 1966 or early 1967, Anita apparently sold the Cathay House to Jim Wong. And it then was noted that in March 1967, Anita Shue’s Restaurant was now being operated by Henry Oi, who also operated the South Seas and the Hawaiian restaurants. During these years, Anita, herself, was also working at different Chinese restaurants, with a note, that as of September 1966, she might soon be working at the Polynesian Village in the Hotel Somerset. And she would continue to move from restaurant to restaurant over the next almost fifteen years.

For example, February 1974, she was working at The Mai Tai in Randolph while in August 1977, she was at the Golden Temple in Brookline, and in October 1978, she could be found at The China Pavilion in Weymouth. She worked at several others places, though not the names of all of them weren't mentioned in the newspapers.

Anita Chue died on June 15, 2004, in Norwood, at age 85. A legend had passed on, leaving a powerful legacy in Chinatown. Like Ruby Foo, Anita was an intelligent, charming and savvy business woman who became a success in the restaurant industry, and introduced many people to the wonders of Chinese cuisine, especially Cantonese.

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My Research Resources for this article included:
Boston American: June 9, 1952; March 22, 1954; July 26, 1954; October 27, 1958; February 14, 1961; July 14, 1962; August 6, 1962; September 14, 1962; December 8, 1962; January 8, 1965
Boston Daily Record: December 7, 1951; November 10, 1952; January 6, 1955; June 8, 1955; May 11, 1956; September 11, 1956; September 17, 1956; November 19, 1956; February 25, 1960; April 14, 1960; September 23, 1961
Boston Globe: April 19, 1932; December 13, 1932; April 21, 1933; August 31, 1933; March 19, 1934; February 5, 1945; September 17, 1945; February 19, 1959; June 20, 1961; September 6, 1961; September 3, 1962; September 11, 1962; October 30, 1962; September 29, 1963; March 8, 1964; May 14, 1964
Boston Herald: June 17, 1928; October 30, 1945; November 21, 1962; November 22, 1962; October 6, 1963; September 12, 1966; March 12, 1967; March 24, 1967; February 10, 1974; August 14, 1977; October 19, 1978; January 14, 1980
Boston Traveler: April 13, 1960; July 28, 1966
Esquire Magazine: December 1958

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You might also be interested in my other related historical articles about Chinatown, its restaurants, and related Chinese cuisine matters:

A History of Boston's Chinatown and Its Restaurants:

Check out Part 1, covering the 18th & 19th centuries
Check out Part 2, covering the years 1901-1920
Check out Part 3, covering the 1920s.

Check out Part 4, covering 1930-1959

Check out Part 5, covering the 1960s
Check out Part 6, the tale of Ruby Foo.
Check out Part 8, the tale of Mary Yick
Check out Part 9, a Deeper Look into Two Restaurants