New Yorkers get chance to cook Shanghai foods, appreciate city’s culture

NEW YORK — Joyce Fox, a 64-year-old New Yorker, switched her usual afternoon routine of hanging out with friends and instead attended a culinary class during the Shanghai Food Festival and Tourism Promotion event held from Monday to Wednesday.

For Fox, it was a rare chance to form a closer bond with the unique and spectacular culinary culture that she was really into — and an opportunity to learn about making authentic Shanghai cuisine.

Themed “Eat, Love, Shanghai” and held at Macy’s flagship store in New York, the event featured a free taste of Shanghai’s signature food including xiaolongbao (steamed soup dumplings),

qingtuan (green sticky rice balls) and savory mooncakes, as well as a cooking class during which three Chinese chefs demonstrated how to make the delicacies.

“I’m always amazed at my Chinese friends’ cooking skills. It’s exciting to have a try myself,” said Fox while busy making xiaolongbao.

Though new at the task, Fox folded the dough attentively and snapped a selfie with her first Chinese culinary works after completion.

Describing the experience as “an interesting adventure of exploring a different culture”, Fox said she would like to practice more at home, especially since food generally serves as a natural gateway to the essence of the culture it represents.

Along with Fox were some 20 New Yorkers in the twohour class.

While enjoying the handson experience, they kept asking questions ranging from the recipe for the fillings to the proper way of steaming.

“It’s quite difficult for me to fold it into proper shape. But as a first try, I am satisfied,” said 78-year-old Ira Slutzky, a retired engineer and ardent fan of Chinese food, adding that he has been to China several times and expects to visit Shanghai in the near future.

“Shanghai is a city of rich and unique details, among which food is an integral part,” said Cheng Meihong, deputy director of the Shanghai Tourism Administration, co-organizer of the event.

It is always the right time to visit Shanghai, since the city, nestling between the Yangtze River and the Pacific Ocean, has so much to offer, Cheng said.

Shanghai’s defining characteristics — openness, creativity and tolerance — have helped cultivate its spectacular culinary culture.

In 2016, the Shanghai Tourism Administration and NYC & Company jointly announced that the two cities had formed a city-to-city partnership to promote tourism in both places.

The “Eat, Love, Shanghai” promotion was a key event to mark the second anniversary of the partnership.

“New York is a center of diversified cultures and Shanghai is a great collaborator with us,” said Makiko Matsuda Healy, managing director of Tourism Market Development from NYC & Company.

“The event is beneficial to the enhancement of indepth understanding for both cities, which share a lot in common,” she added.