March 15, 2024 | Vol. 53, Issue 5

The only bilingual Chinese-English Newspaper in New England

Food

Laurence Louie is Making Big Waves as a Chef at Rubato

Sampan went to Rubato, a Hong Kong style café, in Quincy to speak with Chef and co-owner Laurence Louie about his busy year as a Chopped champion, being a James Beard semifinalist, winning both Bon Appétit and Eater Boston’s Best New Restaurants awards in 2023, as well as being an expectant father. Of the items that we tried, the real stand out was Rubato’s signature dish—the fried chicken bolo bao. It was the perfect blend of succulent, perfectly cooked, fried […]

Four Season(ings): Celebrity Chefs Share Flavors of Lunar New Year

Ming Tsai, Romy Dorotan, Tru Lang, and Ming Cao Serve Up Holiday Memories, Favorite Dishes The Lunar New Year kicks off Feb. 10. It’s the Year of the Dragon, which will mark continued power, nobility, honor, luck, and success, according to the traditional Chinese zodiac. The dragon is the fifth of the twelve year cycle of animals — Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Festivities in Boston and around the world will feature family, […]

Are Food Additives Bad for You?

Potassium bromate, propylparaben, brominated vegetable oil, and red dye number 3: no, this is not a list of materials for an organic chemistry experiment. Instead it’s a group of food additives that will be banned as part of the California Food Safety Act, which California Governor Gavin Newsom signed in October. The legislation won’t go into effect until January of 2027, but it’s made nationwide news – after all, these are common food additives present in everything from fruit cups […]

Food Resources In Boston Not Enough to Feed Everyone

Food insecurity is currently one of the biggest problems for America’s poor. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, an astonishing 12.8% of U.S households were food insecure in 2022, meaning that they had a difficulty in providing an adequate amount for all family members due to a lack of resources. This equates to over 44 million people in the United States that went hungry, including 13 million children. Food insecurity rates vary significantly across the country, but in all […]

Founder, Chef of Quincy’s First Japanese Restaurant Reflect on ‘Dream’ Come True

In 1998, Quincy saw the opening of its first Japanese restaurant – Fuji, marking the start of JP Fuji Group’s unprecedented growth and success in Boston’s competitive restaurant scene. As it celebrates its 25th anniversary, Sampan met with Jimmy Liang, the founder and his partner and Executive Head Chef of Sushi, Ming Cao. Jimmy shared how he was first introduced to the art of sushi. “At 14,” he said, “I met my Sensei (teacher) who taught me sushi-making for a […]

Food and Memories at Lunar New Year Time

China: Family Reunion Delight Sumiao Chen is the Founder and Co-owner of Sumiao Hunan Kitchen in Kendal Square Cambridge MA. In this role, she has successfully led the development and implementation of its strategic vision as well as management of operation in the last three years. Sumiao was born and raised in Changsha, Hunan, China. She comes from a family of artisans; her father was a famous local painter and calligrapher and her mother was a singer and has owned a […]

Ultraprocessed Foods Linked to Cancer: An Interview with Tufts University’s Dr. Fang Fang Zhang

Last month, a study published in the medical journal The BMJ (a weekly peer-reviewed medical journal published by the British Medical Association) connected the consumption of ultraprocessed foods to a higher risk for colorectal cancer. Dr. Fang Fang Zhang, a researcher at the Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, led this project, focusing specifically on the effects of ultraprocessed diets on cancer risk through a large cohort study over 28 years. A key finding in her study […]

Sharing Mooncakes and Love at Mid-Autumn Festival  

There are different shapes of mooncakes with different stuffings and skins. Usually, the skin is made of wheat powder, but now there are also ice skins made of sticky rice powder. The stuffing of mooncakes varies depending on the cities and provinces: Beijing style, Jiangsu style, Ningbo style, Shanghai style, Hong Kong style. In northern and southern China, the stuffing of the mooncakes is usually sweet, made of ingredients like sugar, red beans, and lotus seed. In the middle region, […]

The First Chinese Restaurants in Springfield

Although numerous Chinese immigrants settled in the Boston area during the latter part of the 20th century, many others moved to different parts of the state, including Springfield. The Springfield Republican,October 1, 1893, reported that there were about 25 Chinese living in the city, employed in 12 laundries. The article reflected very positively on the Chinese, stating “[the] Chinese as seen in the East are as a class law-abiding and inoffensive. Very seldom is one arrested or complained of for crime, […]

Spring Crêpes at Lady M

Roses are red, this crêpe’s for you! Spring is at last in full swing and Lady M has unleashed its updated menu for May with several exciting new seasonal varieties of its world-renowned multi-layered crepe cakes. Just in time for Mother’s Day, their latest offerings run the gamut from the floral to the fruity and make the perfect gift for the holiday.  Show your gratitude with their returning rose cake. Elegantly topped with a glassy sheen of rose jelly and […]

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