According to the Chinese calendar, this Thursday officially kicked of The Year of the Rat.
The only thing that would be more appropriate for Chinese food lovin' New Yorkers would be if it were The Year of the Pigeon.
All that aside, New Yorkers admittedly have great affection for Chinese fare, even Americanized versions such as Chop Suey, General Tso's Chicken and alike. I don't think you can pass a block in this city without hitting a Chinese take-out joint.
Of course New Yorkers aren't alone in their love of Chinese food. (I'm sure the Chinese themselves are pretty fond of the stuff, although I understand that McDonald's is a big hit in Beijing.)
There are bustling Chinatowns in cities across the U.S., from Philly to Chicago to San Francisco. And, in fact, I was downright impressed with The Chicago Tribune's take on The Year of the Rat, with an in-depth feature package on Chinese noodles. From cultural and historical perspective to a handy glossary on oodles of noodles to a how-to video on making Egg Noodles with Asian Bolognese, they celebrated the importance of the noodle in Chinese cuisine.
Apparently, in Chinese culture, noodles represent long life. The longer the noodle, the longer the life.
So, this year, forget about the Dannon and go for the Dan-Dan!
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