The first dumpling that I ever tasted was made by my Grandma Felicia.  She was a little Polish lady and my Dad says I am most like her.  When I reach for another helping of potatoes or noodles, my husband remarks “That’s my little Polak”.  Her dumplings had a prune inside and she served them with hot butter and cinnamon and sugar. 

Dumplings Previous to Boiling

My second dumpling exposure was when my husband owned a family restaurant.  One of their weekly specials was chicken stew with dumplings which he thinks had an Austrian origin. The technique was really unusual because the raw dumpling dough was dropped right on top of the stew and then covered.  The steam from the stew would cook the dumpling.

The first time I had Chinese dumplings was when my husband and I had just begun our family life.  We took our new born daughter with us for dim sum and I had taken her to the Ladies Room to change her diaper.  When I returned, the table was covered with food, we ate and were back in the car in 10 minutes!  Needless to say, we had to learn the fine art of dim sum dining.   When the kids were still little I would buy dim sum in Chinatown (The Oriental Market on King St.) and take it to the lake for a special dinner.  My son would ask for more of the pork dumplings by saying “Can I have more of those little brains?”

 My Chinese Dumpling recipe in Part 2.

Kath’s quote: “The fricassee with dumplings is made by a Mrs. Miller whose husband has left her four times on account of her disposition and returned four times on account of her cooking and is still there.”- Rex Stout

Share on Facebook