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14 The IFP · Halton Hills, Thursday, January 12, 2012 Spinach Soup Serves 10 What's Cookin': An introduction to dim sum eating It's time to go out for dim sum! Dim sum is a type of Chinese food, small bites of food, often steamed or fried, and served in bamboo steamers or on small plates. Most fun of all, in many dim sum restaurants, the servers load up carts and drive the little carts around the restaurant, from table to table, calling out what is on their cart. It's completely charming. You can decide to take the item or not, once you have seen it. If you take it, then the server simply adds that food item to your bill. This is a winter tradition for my family. We head out once or twice each winter to one of our favorite dim sum restaurants for a feast! The first time you go for dim sum, it is helpful, though not mandatory to go with someone who has been there before and can guide you through the choices. Many of the staff I have encountered over the years speak limited English-- so you have to be able to spot the items you want. You also have to be willing to try a couple of duds to end up with some real Ingredients · 2 tbsp butter · 4 shallots, sliced · 1/2 Spanish onion, diced · 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock · 5 small russet potatoes, peeled and chopped · 1 box baby spinach (11oz) · 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg · 1/2 cup cream (5%, 10%, 18% or 35% --optional) · salt and pepper to taste Lori Gysel & Gerry Kentner winners. Each dim sum plate has only one food item on it, but there may be 2-4 pieces of the same item. You can order a la carte as well, even if the restaurant is serving with the cart format. If you choose one of the cart-style dim sum restaurants, you must go when they are very busy, so that the carts are continuously loaded with fresh hot food. Nothing worse than cold, congealing dumplings! In case you decide to go on your own, and you're not sure what to order, here are a few of my favourites, that I highly recommend: Ha gaau (pronounced har gow) -- this is a delicate shrimp dumpling in a translucent wrapper, served steamed. Char siu baau (pronounced chess sue bow) -- fantastic fluffly white bun Method 1. Melt butter in a large pot. Add shallots and onion, sauté until translucent, but not browned. 2. Add stock and potatoes. Simmer 20 minutes. 3. Add spinach and nutmeg. Simmer 10 minutes. 4. Let soup cool slightly, then puree till smooth with an immersion blender. 5. Add cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook's note: if you are using, 5%, 10%, 18% cream in the soup, do not heat the soup to boiling after adding, or the cream will split. If you wish to reheat to boiling, use 35% cream and you will not have this problem. Also note, the cream is optional, you can choose to leave it out. filled with steaming barbeque pork in a sweet sauce. My absolute favorite! Shaomai (pronounced shu my) -- wonton wrappers jam packed with flavourful pork and shrimp then steamed. Often topped with crab roe. Lo mai gai (have no idea how to pronounce it, I only know what it looks like) -- this is sticky rice with some meat tidbits wrapped in a lotus leaf and steamed. You'll recognize the green lotus leaf package when you see it. You do not eat the leaf and the rice inside is rich, don't order too much! Those are four of the most popular ones, so you shouldn't have trouble finding them at any dim sum restaurants. By the way, we eat dim sum exclusively in Toronto. Although we've tried a couple in Mississauga before, nobody does it like Chinatown in my opinion (although I've never tried north or east, so who knows)! Have fun and keep cooking! Send questions and comments to Lori and Gerry at whatscooking@theifp.ca CHURCHES & TEMPLES GEORGETOWN CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH welcomes you! Lead Pastor: Rev. Gary vanLeeuwen Youth Pastor: Brian DeBoer Sunday Worship Services: 10:00 am & 6:00 pm www.gcrc.on.ca Happy 90th Birthday Ed Tellier 11611 Trafalgar Road (north of Maple Avenue) 905-877-4322 :\UKH` >VYZOPW H[ ! HT 5\YZLY` HUK 1Y >VYZOPW MVY JOPSKYLU 4HPU :[YLL[ ZV\[O VM 4HWSL ^^^[VNL[OLYH[NHJJVT KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH God's Word for Today's World. www.knoxgeorgetown.ca REV. DR. JAMES COOPER 116 Main St. S., Georgetown, ON 905-877-7585 Chair-lift access available. 'Sunday's Cool' youth ministry program for ages 4 & up. With Love From All of Your Family Please join us at an OPEN HOUSE Sunday, January 15th, 2012 At Gellert Community Centre 10241-8th Line, Georgetown (between Argyll Rd. and 10th Side Rd.) From 2-4 pm Best Wishes Only Please! YOU ARE INVITED TO AN OPEN HOUSE TO JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION OF Service Dial-in: 905-702-1629 SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES: 11:00 A.M. SUNDAY SERVICES · Lord's Supper 10 A.M. · Ministry Meeting 11:00 A.M. · Fellowship Lunch 12:00 P.M. · Ministry Meeting 1:00 P.M. Meeting In: Georgetown Seniors Centre Address: 318 Guelph Street Phone: 905-873-1005 Website: www.haltonhillsbiblechapel.com NOTICE OF MEETING 2012 BUDGET MEETING (Operating) Budget Committee will be commencing Operating Budget deliberations on Monday, January 16, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. Please note all delegations for Operating matters will be heard on Monday, January 16, 2012 . Accordingly, if you wish to address Budget Committee, please register by 12 noon on Friday, January 13, 2012 with Corporate Services ­ Clerk's Division at (905) 873-2601, ext. 2333. 4 A Non-Denominational Ministry Halton Community Church Acton SUNDAYS at 11 am A New Church - A New Beginning with Rev. K. William George At the Acton Town Hall Side Entrance 2nd Floor, 19 Willow St. N Acton All are welcome Call 905-873-0586 / 647-618-2714 / www.haltonworship.com JOYCE HARDMAN'S 80TH BIRTHDAY!! You are cordially invited to help us celebrate Bahai' Faith Baha'is believe that there is only one God, that all the world's religions represent one changeless and eternal Faith of God. Join us for an evening of prayers, fellowship and music. Monday, January 16 at 7:30 p.m. 20 Donaghedy Drive, Georgetown Phone 905-873-0661 www.baha'i.org JUNE GILSON's 80th Birthday Saturday, January 14, 2012 3 to 5 p.m. Georgetown Seniors Centre 316 Guelph Street (Indoor Mall) BEST WISHES ONLY Saturday January 14th, 2012 between the hours of 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm at 32 Churchill Crescent Georgetown, Ontario L7G 2N1 RSVP Patti Styles 905-331-7834 email styles@cogeco.ca 1 Halton Hills Dr., Halton Hills, ON L7G 5G2 Tel.: 905-873-2600 Fax: 905-873-2347