Poet Spotlight:  Li Po (701-762)

In China, Chinese rice wine is closely associated with it’s artists, and in particular China’s poets.  “Poet’s Inspiration” derives it’s name from a long list of poet’s that wrote about it’s many qualities.  Among the best known of the Romantic poets was Li Po (701-762) who was said to be obsessed with wine and women, and between the two, he seemed to prefer writing about wine.  While other poets write of wine as a source of good companionship or as a means of escaping pain and sadness, Li Po regarded it as a source of poetic inspiration.  Lovely women and friendship are two important themes in Li Po’s poetry; some of his most touching poems are those on separation from friends.   Legend has it that Li Po died when he fell drunk from a boat while trying to grasp the reflection of the moon, and he was drowned.

Li Po’s “Quiet Night Thoughts” is the best known of all Chinese poems.   This translation is very close in meaning to the original and it’s easy to understand.  Li Po describes the romantic scene of the night.  The moon reminds him of his home.

Quiet Night Thoughts

(This translation was provided by Arthur Cooper.  Much of the content of this article was provided by the San Jose State University website.)

In China, Chinese rice wine is closely associated with it’s artists, and in particular China’s poets.  “Poet’s Inspiration” derives it’s name from a long list of poet’s that wrote about it’s many qualities.  Among the best known of the Romantic poets was Li Po (701-762) who was said to be obsessed with wine and women, and between the two, he seemed to prefer writing about wine.  While other poets write of wine as a source of good companionship or as a means of escaping pain and sadness, Li Po regarded it as a source of poetic inspiration.  Lovely women and friendship are two important themes in Li Po’s poetry; some of his most touching poems are those on separation from friends.   Legend has it that Li Po died when he fell drunk from a boat while trying to grasp the reflection of the moon, and he was drowned.

Li Po’s “Quiet Night Thoughts” is the best known of all Chinese poems.   This translation is very close in meaning to the original and it’s easy to understand.  Li Po describes the romantic scene of the night.  The moon reminds him of his home.

Quiet Night Thoughts

(This translation was provided by Arthur Cooper.  Much of the content of this article was provided by the San Jose State University website.)

# some garlic, minced (a tablespoon or two?)

# some ginger, grated (a tablespoon?)

# some cooked rice (a generous cup or maybe cup and a half for each person you want to serve)

# many splashes of soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, and Chinese rice wine

# some edamame (a handful or two; frozen work really well); cubed tofu, either plain or smoked/seasoned, would also be great in this

# some green vegetable, coarsely chopped (as much as you want to eat)—I used baby bok choy one night and pea tendrils the other, and I think it would also be great with snow peas, spinach, broccoli, and pretty much any green you find at an Asian farmers market

# 1-2 eggs, beaten with a little water (optional)

# some toasted sesame oil (a teaspoon or less)

via Cook Food.

In 221 B.C. China was unified by Qin Shi Huang, whom prior to unification, was the king of the Chinese state of Qin.  After unification he pronounced himself “Emperor”, (a.k.a. “The Son of Heaven”), and was widely recognized as the “ruler of all under Heaven” (e.g. the world).   There are very few people in the history of the world that could live up to that title, let alone be introduced as such and not break out in laughter.  However, Emperor Qin Shi Huang was all of that, and perhaps more.

Before unification, China was broken into several smaller kingdoms, a period in China’s history referred to as “The Warring States Period”.  There were 7 primary kingdoms, with the state of Qin being one of the largest and most powerful.  Some of the other kings were probably much nicer, but none were nearly as ambitious, and consequently, the brutal and driven King Qin annexed all of the other kingdoms.

The first Emperor (seen in this picture enjoying his favorite brand of Chinese rice wine - Emperor’s Own 8) lead a fascinating life, and undertook massive projects including the Great Wall of China, the city-sized mausoleum guarded by life-sized terracotta warriors, and a huge national road system.  He achieved much of this through tyranny, and bad-assism, killing millions and burning books to ensure stability.

A couple of month’s ago we stumbled across a blog written by Gary “Iron Chevsky” Chevsky.    He had written a wonderful article about his Father-in-law’s love of Chinese rice wine, entitled “Shaoxing Rice Wine – Meet the Yangs“,  which told how his Father-in-law preferred it over other alcoholic beverages, including the fine grape wines from Napa Valley, and other parts of the world.    Being fortunate enough to live in the Bay Area/San Francisco, Gary and his family had good access to many drinking-quality Chinese rice wines, and Gary wrote a second blog that reviewed several different Chinese rice wines, entitled “Shaoxing Rice Wine – Learning the Taste“.

Gary obviously has a passion for good food and wine, and this background allowed him to write one of the best English descriptions of the taste of Chinese rice wine that I’ve come across.   Here is how Gary described Chinese rice wine in his blog:

“Let me see. Amber in color, Shaoxing is officially a yellow rice wine (huangjiu) – its best and most ancient example in the whole of China. Viscous on the palate, savory, nutty, mushroomy, olives, tree bark, the oxidized flavor reminiscent of Sherry…. 15-18% alcohol, strong, perhaps overpowering, yet by Chinese drinking standards, this is a low-alcohol drink (compared to baijiu liquor), of great gastronomic as well as medicinal value, driving cold energy out of your body in winter months, soothing blood, stomach, and nerves.”

I commented on Gary’s post, which eventually lead to us sending him a bottle of Poet’s Inspiration, Emperor’s Own 8 and Emperor’s Own 10 for his evaluation.  As expected, he told me that he couldn’t promise a favorable review, but that he and his family would put it through a taste test on one of their upcoming family gatherings.  True to his word, he and his wife recently traveled to Vancouver, Canada,  and had dinner with his in-laws who are apparently from the Zhejiang province, near Shaoxing.  Here are a few excerpts from his post:

• Yet there are not many places in North America, physical or online, where one can buy quality Shaoxing wine. Unless you live in a city with a large Chinatown or a Chinese supermarket like Ranch 99, you are out of luck.
• Relative to the cheaper stuff sold at various asian markets that I reviewed previously, these are quite premium – $20, $30, and $40 respectively, and they come in beautiful jars.
• The least expensive of the bunch – Poet’s Inspiration, named after Lu You, a 12th century warrior poet born in Shaoxing – a 5 year aged wine was eye-opening and my all-time favorite among any Shaoxing wines I’d ever tried. It was light, subtle and elegant, and the best match for the food. The night before, we had it with Maya’s (mom-in-law’s) amazing 5-spice pork shoulder (shown below), and the 5-spice + pork + wine definitely worked!
• The two more expensive wines – Emperor’s Own 8 and 10, were darker in color, thicker in texture, and stronger in taste, and perhaps suited a Chinese palate better, but not mine. Although Baya was initially taken aback by the unfamiliar lightness of the Poet’s Inspiration, he eventually appreciated it. His favorite though was the 10 year aged.
• Our family reunion was all-the-better, more focused and more relaxed by the fascinating Shaoxing wine. And although we did not find the world’s greatest food & Shaoxing wine match, we were so happy to try!

Our thanks to Gary and his family for their review!

Every year, about this time, men across the country scramble to think of something creative to give to the Mothers that have been important in their lives. ..usually something beautiful, sweet or expensive.   This year try sending her something beautiful, 16% alcohol by volume, and reasonably priced?!

Give her a bottle of Poet’s Inspiration which comes in a beautiful, bluish green ceramic bottle.   The warmed rice wine will warm her heart, and when the rice wine is gone, she can use the bottle as a small vase, or knick-knack that will always remind her of your thoughtfulness.

If you would like, we’ll gift wrap it for you and include a personal note for free.  Let your Mother know that you thought this Mother’s Day gift out.

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 9th.

White-Cooked Chicken with Soy and Ginger Dressing

1 x 1.8kg chicken

2 tbsp peanut or other flavourless oil

coriander leaves to serve

freshly ground white pepper to serve

for the master stock

6 litres cold water

750ml shao hsing wine (Chinese rice wine)

8 spring onions, trimmed and cut in half

12 garlic cloves, bruised

1 1/2 cups sliced ginger

1/3 cup salt flakes

for the soy and ginger dressing

1/4 cup light soy sauce

2tbsp white master stock

1 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp caster sugar

2 spring onions, sliced diagonally

1 tbsp grated ginger

For the master stock, pop everything into a large pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash and remove any excess fat on the chicken. When the stock has had it's 40 minutes add the chicken, breast side down, ensuring it is completely submerged. Do not allow the stock to boil nor simmer, just leave the chicken poach gently for 18 minutes.

Turn off the heat, cover and leave the chicken to sit, cooking and cooling at once, in the broth for 3 hours.

Gently remove the chicken from the broth. Leave it to cool. Cut it up either in the Chinese fashion, or into serving portions in a more western manner.

To make the dressing, simply combine the soy sauce, stock, sesame oil, sugar, spring onions and ginger in a heat proof bowl.

Heat the oil in a small frying pan until hot, and then carefully pour over the dressing.

To serve, pour the dressing over the chicken, grind over some white pepper and garnish with the coriander leaves.

Serves 4-6

via “The Claytons Blog”: More pure food.

by Kroocrew

(Edibly Asian)

A northern Chinese meal for people on the move, popular in Singapore, made with pork, green onions, mushrooms and scrambled eggs rolled into small, thin pancakes.

Ingredients:

* 2 Tbsp soy sauce

* 2 Tbsp rice wine or sake

* 1 tsp dark sesame oil

* 2 tsp cornstarch

* 700 gm (~1 ½ lb) boneless pork loin, trimmed and cut into 1 x 1/4-inch strips

* 10 dried shiitake mushrooms

* 120 ml (1/2 cup) sliced green onions (~2.5 cm or 1 in)

* 3 Tbsp minced garlic (about 12 cloves)

* 2 Tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger

* 60 ml (1/4 cup) dried wood ear mushrooms (about 1/4 ounce)

* 3 Tbsp rice wine or sake

* 3 Tbsp soy sauce

* 1/2 tsp cornstarch

* 1/2 tsp sugar

* 1/4 tsp black pepper

* 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided

* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

* 720 ml (3 cups) thinly sliced napa (Chinese) cabbage stalks

* 960 ml (4 cups) thinly sliced napa (Chinese) cabbage leaves

* 2 Tbsp rice wine or sake

* 120 ml (1/2 cup) of hoisin sauce

* 1 Tbsp soy sauce

* 16 Mandarin crepes, recipe follows

Method:

Combine the 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp rice wine or sake, 1 tsp dark sesame oil and 2 tsp cornstarch in a zip-top plastic bag. Add pork; seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally. Remove pork from bag; discard marinade.

Combine boiling water and dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl; cover and let stand 20 minutes. Drain; discard mushroom stems, and thinly slice mushroom caps. Combine sliced mushroom caps, green onions, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl; set aside.

Combine boiling water and wood ear mushrooms in a bowl; cover and let stand 20 minutes. Drain; cut mushrooms into thin slices. Set aside.

Combine 3 Tbsp rice wine and next 4 ingredients (3 Tbsp rice wine through black pepper) in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Set aside.

Heat 1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add pork, and stir-fry 3 minutes. Remove pork from pan.

Add 1 1/2 tsps vegetable oil to pan. Add eggs; stir-fry 30 seconds or until soft-scrambled. Add shiitake mushroom mixture; stir-fry 1 1/2 minutes. Add cabbage stalks; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the wood ear mushrooms, cabbage leaves, and 2 Tbsp rice wine; stir-fry 1 minute. Add pork and cornstarch mixture; stir-fry 2 minutes or until sauce is thick. Place pork mixture on a platter.

Combine hoisin sauce and 1 Tbsp soy sauce. Spread about 1 1/2 tsps hoisin sauce mixture on uncooked surface of each Mandarin Pancake. Place about 1/2 cup pork mixture onto the pancake and roll the assembled pancake. Serve in the hand.

Mandarin Crepes

Ingredients:

* 2 cups all-purpose flour

* 3/4 cup boiling water

* 2 tablespoons sesame oil

Method:

Place flour in bowl and make a well in center. Pour in boiling water; stir with wooden spoon until dough looks like lumpy meal. Press into a ball.

Knead dough until smooth and satiny on lightly floured work surface, about 5 minutes. Cover with clean towel and let rest 30 minutes.

Roll dough into 10-inch long log. Cut into 10 equal pieces; keep covered. Cut each piece of dough in half. Roll each half into a ball; flatten slightly. Roll each piece into a 3-inch circle on lightly floured work surface. Brush top of each with a small amount of sesame oil. Stack dough circles together, oil-side in.

Roll the pair together into a 6- to 7-inch circle. Repeat for remaining pieces of dough.

How to make the crepes:

Heat non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Cook crepes, 1 pair at a time, turning every 30 seconds, until they are flecked with brown and feel dry, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from pan and separate into 2 pieces while still hot.

Stack on plate and keep covered while you cook remaining crepes. The crepes freeze well and can be refreshed by steaming.

via Moo Shu Pork in Mandarin Crepes.

via Rice Wine-Oyster Sauce Recipe – Delish.com.

And just like her grandma, Lo will continue the tradition of grandmother passing to granddaughter the intricacies of an ancient cuisine by emphasizing technique and a dedication to the authentic, not just in cooking but in all things. And run for the hills if you mention the word, “shortcut.” (Can you say, “accept no substitutes? like Sherry for Chinese Rice Wine? —ed) Unless you’re family, then you’re forgiven. Because family is the only thing Lo loves more than food. I know this because Elliott, “Siu Siu,” is my daughter and Eileen Yin-Fei Lo is my mother.

Happy Mother’s Day.

via FOXNews.com – The ‘Godmother’ of Chinese Cuisine.