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"Yum Cha" and New Yorkers                                                                            By Lisa Lee                                        Contents

"Yum Cha", to drink tea, is one of the traditional habits or entertainments of the people of South China, especially Guangdong Province and Hong Kong. “Yum Cha” is not only drinking tea, but is accompanied by many kinds of Dim Sum to eat. I have worked in a Chinese restaurant for a long time. As regards “Yum Cha”, I found that New Yorkers have changed from confusion about it to accepting and now to enjoying it.

In the first half of the last century, New Yorkers knew very well about chop suey, won ton soup (or egg drop soup), egg rolls and chow mein with duck sauce. If they drank tea, they would put a lot of sugar in it. They thought that was genuine Chinese food. They liked it because it was cheap and tasted not bad.

After 1975, many Chinese people immigrated from China and Hong Kong to New York or other cities. The new emigrants have their own styles of life and values. Actually, their ideas and customs have influenced the Chinese community in New York. “Yum Cha” became one of the popular entertainments in Chinatown. New Yorkers were very curious to know what “Yum Cha” is.

From 8 AM to 4 PM is the time for “Yum Cha” in Chinese restaurants. People come with their families, relatives or friends to eat, to drink tea and talk; merchants can confer about business while they are eating Dim Sum and drinking tea. At this time, the restaurant’s hall is noisy and hilarious. When New Yorkers come to “Yum Cha”, some of them dislike it because they feel as if they are eating and drinking in a market, but more New Yorkers think it is natural and free. They feel as comfortable as at home. Moreover, the waiters and waitresses serve you. Some managers or clerks working on Wall Street choose Yum Cha at lunchtime, because it is an appropriate way to relieve their tense nerves. Some people even hold their birthday party or retirement party at Yum Cha time. They think Yum Cha is a wonderful entertainment for their guests.

Chinese people believe that tea can dilute the grease inside the stomach and is good for health. So restaurants have many kinds of tea, such as Ponei, Lung ching, Wulung and flower. New Yorker are used to drinking cold water, soda, beer, or tea with sugar. But now they know the advantage of drinking tea, so more of them change their habits and order tea. They like green teas more than the brown tea, Ponies. Some New Yorkers ask the waiters to teach them the differences among various teas and how to make them taste better, because tea has aroused their interest in Asian eating and drinking.

In the beginning, New Yorkers were confused by so many kinds of Dim Sum. They didn’t know the names and ingredients of each kind. They dared not try and also did not want to waste their money. They needed to ask the waiter or waitress to choose for them. A boss of a Chinese restaurant printed a picture of samples of various Dim Sum and identified them in English, such as Shrimp Har Kow, Pork Shui Mai, Pan Fried Turnip Cake, Stuffed Green Pepper with Shrimp. That is a great help to New Yorkers. Now they are sure what they want. Their big favorites are deep fried food or steamed food. Some can speak fluently in Chinese tones, “ Har Kow, Shui Mai”. Quite unlike Chinese people, New Yorkers are devoted to their favorite Dim Sum and eat heartily. I know a customer at our restaurant who likes to eat Deep Fried Bacon Shrimp Balls (one order has eight balls). Every Saturday at 11 AM he comes to eat two orders of them, because at this time the Bacon Shrimp Balls are fresh and crisp. Once we advised him not eat that much deep fried food. He picked up one ball and said, “It is my beloved.” Then he patted his stomach. “Let it stay here with me.”

For payment, New Yorkers like each person to pay himself of herself, or share the bill together. But Chinese people like to be the payer. Sometimes they fight to be the one to pay the bill. New Yorkers are amazed at the fighting. A New Yorker sighed. “I wish someone would fight to pay my bill.”

Different nations have their own culture, customs, and ways of eating and drinking. People of many nations live in New York. They learn American culture and customs, but also keep their own. New Yorkers are lucky. They have an exceptional chance to benefit from many other nations’ culture and customs, to make their life abundant.

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