Christmas in New York- Part 1

My trip to NYC was incredible. Because of the holidays I have so much to share with you, but just so little time. Because my NYC trip was so incredible and fun, I must share it in 3 parts. I will do the trip in three parts, but I’m actually going to share my last day first. We did something different and really special on the last day, which I thought would be perfect to share on the blog. We did a Food and Culture Walking Tour of Chinatown. I have been to Chinatown in New York City before, but never really learned much about it. We all think of Chinese food as General Tso’s, Fried Rice, and Moo Shu Pork, but that is not real authentic Chinese Food. We learned about the food, the culture, the medicine, and the history of this amazing town. The tour was put on by Foods of New York Tours. We have done another tour with them once before of Greenwich Village which was so much fun so we decided to do another one. I highly recommend participating in one of their tours next time you are in New York City. They allow you to learn so much about a certain area and experience the wonderful foods of that area. What’s even better is that the price is unbeatable. You must check them out! Our tour guide, Rahim, was incredible. He was knowledgeable, outgoing, and very passionate about what he was telling us. He took us all over the town to try different traditional Chinese Foods. We started at Dim Sum Go Go.

Here we tried original Dim Sum which is dumplings filled with everything from fish, to duck, to chicken, to vegetables. Each one had it’s own unique taste, and each one was delicious by itself, or you could dip it into one of the three sauces they give to you. The dumplings are made with a very thin dough that is almost translucent and steamed to perfection. While we were there we learned about Chinese etiquette and the use of green tea at each meal.

We also tried a steamed roasted pork bun, which was INCREDIBLE. These little bites of heaven were literally magical. They made my mouth sing with delight. Just writing about them makes me want another one right now. The flavors of the pork inside this very fluffy, almost marshmallow type dough were just incredible.

After the first restaurant we walked around the city learning a little more about the culture, and then headed to The Peking Duck House.

This is where we tried one of the most famous Chinese dishes. The chef demonstrated in front of us how they slice the duck, and then how to eat the duck.

First you start with a very thin tortilla, spread on a small amount of special sauce that is slightly sweet, and top with a few slices of duck followed by some celery and spring onion. The combination is to die for. The duck is moist and succulent, and pairs perfectly with the sauce. The vegetables add the little bit of crunch to round out the dish. Seriously good stuff.

We walked a little more, stopped in a medicine store, and learned about the very unique medicines the Chinese swear by.

Of course I noticed the Goji Berries. Tons and Tons of Goji Berries.

And lots of other snacks.

Next stop was Nice Green Bo Restaurant where we tried scallion pancakes, which is usually a side dish to a main dish. I’ve never tried anything like it, but it was really good. Light and fluffy on the inside, a little crispy on the outside, and just the slightest taste of scallion. Very comforting, and I could see how it would pair well with any sauces that might be in the main dish. Really yummy.

Then we stopped by a place where most of the restaurants buy their meat. Here we tried traditional Cantonese pork. It was good, but not one of my favorites. It was a little chewier than I like.

Our last stop was in front of a tea house where we tried a Chinese dessert. You don’t normally think of the Chinese being known for their desserts, but they are actually really good! We tried a Swiss roll which was soft, moist, and not really sweet, but it was filled with a dark chocolate ganache in the middle which just knocked my socks off.

After the dessert we headed into the tea house for a refreshing cup of naturally sweet plum green tea.

Of course I purchased some because it was so good. This was an amazing tour, and I can’t speak highly enough about it. We had an amazing tour guide, amazing food, and enjoyed ourselves immensely! Such an awesome day.

Later that night we stopped at my Aunts house on the way home, and she had her house decorated so nicely for Christmas.

I couldn’t help but love her little outdoor freezer for the drinks. We had about 2 feet of snow while I was in New York, so she put it to good use.

Here is a little spread of our delicious dinner. This is what I call Traditional American Food!

We started with Maryland Crab Soup

Our dinner consisted of Honey Baked Ham, Veggies, Macaroni and Cheese, and a delicious pineapple casserole.

I paired my meal with Las Perdices Viognier. I really like Viognier with ham because it has notes of apricot, honey, and is a more fruit forward wine. It goes really well with honey baked ham.

And of course we brought back some beautiful Chinese desserts which were great.

Such an amazing day with my family. One I will never forget. I can’t wait to share more of my trip with you. And like I said-check out these NYC food tours-they are worth it!!!

Tagged as: broccoli, cantonese pork, Chinatown, Chinese dumplings, Chinese Food Tour, Dim Sum Go Go, Foods of New York Tours, Honey Baked Ham, Las Perdices Viognier, macaroni and cheese, Maryland crab soup, New York City, Peking Duck House, pineapple casserole, roasted pork bun, scallion pancakes