CFUN 1410 AM: Toddish McWong visits “The Best of Food & Wine”

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CFUN 1410 AM: Toddish McWong visits “The Best of Food & Wine”

It was a good interview today at noon on 14 CFUN's “The Best of Food & Wine” with hosts Kasey Wilson and Anthony Gismondi.

They are a lively twosome and really play off each other.  They each asked questions about the dinner and its origins.  They asked how many Chinese and Scottish attend the dinner.  I had to say about half and half… with another contingent of people who have both Scottish and Chinese parents, or are in relationships with one or the other.

“How do the Chinese like the haggis?” asked Kasey.

“Well… they didn't… they would really leave most of it on the table,” I explained.  “So we started creating “Haggis won-ton” and “haggis spring rolls” and they started saying 'this is pretty good!'”

“We serve the traditional haggis at the same time as a vegetarian lettuce wrap, and tell people to put in the plum sauce, the vegetarian mixture and the haggis, then fold over the lettuce and eat it like a hamburger without the bun.  And they like it!  They say they never knew haggis could taste so good, and eat it all up!”

But of course every dish is not haggis.  We have 8 other non-haggis dishes, starting with hot and sour soup, ginger crab, mushrooms and vegetables, sticky fried rice, shrimp balls, vegetarian lettuce wrap. dessert.

Anthony asked about the price of the dinner, and I told him that $60 + service charge got you a regular seat, but $70 got you a closer seat to the stage + 2 bottles of wine at your table.

“That's a good deal,” stated Kasey, she said she would love to have wine to wash down the haggis.

“What kind of wine are you serving,” they asked.

“We haven't picked it up yet… we are looking for BC wines made by Chinese-Canadians or Scottish-Canadians, because we really like to emphasize the Chinese and Scottish heritage of BC at our dinner.

“Maybe our listeners can help you find some good wines… they must be some Scots in the Okanagan,
offered Kasey.

“There's Howard Soon of Sandhill,” I said referring to the first Chinese-Canadian winemaker in BC.

There you have it – the food and wine of Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner, featured on The Best of Food & Wine, with Anthony Gismondi and Kasey Wilson.

Vancouver Sun: Todd Wong & Gung Haggis Fat Choy in Malcolm Parry column “Town Talk”

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Vancouver Sun: Todd Wong & Gung Haggis Fat Choy in  Malcolm Parry column “Town Talk”

Here's what Vancouver Sun's social columnist had to say today:

Vancouver Sun, Saturday, January 20, 2007 – page B4

TODD WONG, the three-decade city assistant librarian, is in the midst of a yearly program that is truly one for the book.  It's a Gung Haggis Fat Choy, the mini-festival of the Sino-Scotch arts he launched in 1998 with a Robbie Burns Chinese New Years dinner for 16.

Some 500 are expected in the Floata restaurant Jan. 28, when “Toddish McWong” and broad-caster Priya Ramu will emcee at a banquet involving haggis-shrimp dumplings, haggis-stuffed tofu and haggis won ton.  Diners and guest artists will also sing Scotland the Brave, My Chow Mein Lies Over the Ocean and other favourites.

The Kilted, plaid draped Wong kicked off this year's shenanigans with multi-cultural poetry readings at the library's central branch Monday.

Gung Haggis Fat Choy is as nuttily indigenous – and therefore as praiseworthy – as the now-defunct World Bellyflop Championship and the Nanaimo-Vancouver Bathtub Race.

Perhaps the future will include a scholarly comparison of the Great Wall of China and Hadrian's Wall, the former built to keep belligerent troublemakers out of China and the latter to keep them in Scotland.

note: I actually told him I was a library assistant.

Haggis & Rice: Sunday's Cric Crac for the Vancouver Society of Storytelling

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Haggis & Rice: This Sunday's Cric? Crac! for the Vancouver Society of Storytelling


Pauline Wenn and Todd Wong share smiles at last year's Cric? Crac! – photo Deb Martin

CRIC? CRAC! Vancouver

When: The third Sunday night of each month is special.
Where: Hodson Manor 1254 west 7th Ave, Vancouver, B.C.
Time: 7:30 pm
Cost: $4 for members & $5 for non-members

So… according to the Georgia Straight's listing…  I am reading the
“Address to the Haggis” by Burns on Sunday evening.

http://www.straight.com/article/literary-events-42

The Vancouver Society of Storytellers presents Celtic stories from
Pauline Wenn, Mary Gavan, and Ian Cook; the Address to the Haggis by
Todd Wong of Gung Haggis Fat Choy; bagpiping and storytelling by Thomas
Budd; and tales from Helen Mintz and Felix Rowe. Jan. 21, 7:30-9:30 pm,
Hodson Manor (1254 W. 7th). Admission $5/4, info 604-879-1014.

Hmm… I
thought I was reading original poetry and telling the story of “Kogawa
House.”  I think I can do all three.   Thanks to
Vancouver Society of Storytellers for turning Sunday's Cric? Crac! into
a fundraiser benefit for “Joy Kogawa House“

Joy Kogawa and “Kogawa House” at 1450 West 64th Ave. in Marpole Neighborhood – photo courtesy Dan Toulget.

To A Mouse, On Turning Her Up In Her Nest With The Plough – Robbie Burns poem

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My
friend Sherry Shaghaghi sent me this file of a mouth brushing his
teeth.  Each March Sherry organizers a Persian New Year
celebration at the Harry Jerome Recreation Complex in the City of North
Vancouver.  Maybe Sherry and I will get to gether to create a St.
Patrick's Persian New Year Celebration… sounds tempting eh? 
Perfect for Celtic Fest maybe?

I think this mouse is Scottish because he is wearing a
plaid shirt… and his name just might be Stuart – a right good Scottish
name!    I have paired the picture file with one
of Robert Burns' most famous poems below.

To A Mouse, On Turning Her Up In Her Nest With The Plough

Wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty,
Wi' bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,
Wi' murd'ring pattle!

I'm truly sorry man's dominion,
Has broken nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An' fellow-mortal!

I doubt na, whiles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen icker in a thrave
'S a sma' request;
I'll get a blessin wi' the lave,
An' never miss't!

Thy wee bit housie, too, in ruin!
It's silly wa's the win's are strewin!
An' naething, now, to big a new ane,
O' foggage green!
An' bleak December's winds ensuin,
Baith snell an' keen!

Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste,
An' weary winter comin fast,
An' cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell-
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro' thy cell.

That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,
Has cost thee mony a weary nibble!
Now thou's turn'd out, for a' thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the winter's sleety dribble,
An' cranreuch cauld!

But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes o' mice an 'men
Gang aft agley,
An'lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!

Still thou art blest, compar'd wi' me
The present only toucheth thee:
But, Och! I backward cast my e'e.
On prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see,
I guess an' fear!

Media Alert for Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Global TV with Erin Cebula's Global Village

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Media Alert for Gung Haggis Fat Choy:

Global TV with Erin Cebula's Global Village

Erin Cebula interviewed me on Monday evening, just prior to the start
of the GHFC World Poetry Night at the Vancouver Public Library.  I
had first met Erin when she was co-hosting Urban Rush on Rogers, in
2004.  That interview was all about the then upcoming CBC tv
special “Gung Haggis Fat Choy.”

In 2004, we hosted 2 GHFC dinners on the Saturday and the Sunday, each
around 220 to 240 people attending.  I brought some haggis won-ton
to the show which Erin easily tried… but her co-host Russell took a
pass.

“I'm the one with the stomach of steel,” laughed Erin, when I recounted our first meeting.

This time Erin was amazed that our little dinner has grown into an
informal  festival with four related events.  She wanted to
feature me for her show “Global Village” and also asked for some
pictures of previous dinners to show the audience what it was
like.  I sent her a picture of the 2005 dinner with myself and
then Mayor Larry Campbell – both dressed in Chinese jackets with our
kilts!

Look for Global Village to be running from today and through to next week!

Media Alert for Gung Haggis Fat Choy: Malcolm Parry in Vancouver Sun

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Media Alert for Gung Haggis Fat Choy:
Malcolm Parry in Vancouver Sun

Wow!  I've finally made the Malcolm Parry society news column.
Mr. Parry came by on Monday to the GHFC World Poetry Night at the Vancouver Public Library, and took a photo of me.

I have met him in the past at Ricepaper, ACWW, and Vancouver Asian Film
Festival events…. and he did drop by the GHFC 2004 dinner.

But in this morning's Vancouver Sun's preview for Saturday… there was
a little picture of me, with reference to a Sino-Hibernian
celebration.  We'll have to check Saturday's Vancouver sun for the
whole picture and article.

Media Alert for Gung Haggis Fat Choy: CFUN's “Best of Food & Wine”

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Media Alert for Gung Haggis Fat Choy: 
CFUN's “Best of Food & Wine”

Listen to CFUN 1410 AM on your radio, for Saturday 12 noon, January 20.
I will be interviewed by Kasey Wilson (food) and Anthony Gismondi (wine), for their live show Best of Food and Wine.

Kasey called me today, and she is thrilled to have me on their
show.  She loves the intercultural spirit of Gung Haggis Fat Choy
and agres that FUN is important.

I will be telling her about the haggis dim sum we are preparing, and
how the Robbie Burns Chinese New Year dinner concept developed.

Advance Price for Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner extended to January 22st

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Advance Price for Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner extended to January 22nd

We have extended the advance pricing for the 2007 Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner to Monday, January 22nd. 

Regular seats $60 + $5 service charge
Premium seats $70  +  $5 service charge (closer seating + 2 bottles of wine at the table) children 13 and under 50% off.

After January 22nd
Regular seats $70 + $5 service charge
Premium seats $80  +  $5 service charge (closer seating + 2 bottles of wine at the table)
children 13 and under 50% off.

Call Firehall Arts Centre for Tix
604-689-0926
Monday to Friday 9-5pm

The
increase price of $10 from last years reflects the increase price of
food and the increased quality of food.  We have an amazing array
of talent for our show + great door and raffle prizes.  People
have always said we offer incredible value and fun!

Gung Haggis dim sum taste-testing a success!

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Gung Haggis dim sum taste-testing a success!



Here's a picture from our haggis won ton and springrolls from 2005, picture from 2007 will be available soon! – photo Todd Wong

We taste-tested the world's first haggis dim sum tonight.  
Floata served (to our specifications) deep-fried haggis won-ton, haggis
har gau (shrimp dumplings), haggis su mei (pork dumplings) + vegetarian
spring rolls.

The haggis shrimp dumplings was the best.  Very tasty… there
were positive compliments right away.  Haggis pork dumplings were
good too.  Har gau shrimp dumplings and su mei pork dumplings are
classic cantonese dim sum items.  They are not overwhelmed by the
addition of the haggis.  We asked the restaurant chefs not to put
too much haggis in – just enough to give it the taste.  People
will like these new additions to our culinary menu.

“Dim Sum” actually translates to “touch the heart” or “pieces of
heart”- meaning wonderful little morsels of food that are endearing to
the heart.  Even though traditional haggis is made from the heart,
liver of a sheep – this is all very coincidental that it should be
fused together for Gung Haggis Won Ton.

Unfortunately, it was a new chef and he didn't get the instructions to
make the haggis won ton with our secret ingredient of water
chestnuts.  This makes the item crunchy.  This will be fixed
for the January 28th dinner.

And the rest of the dinner was very good.  We had vegetarian Hot
and Sour Soup.  Shrimp balls with fruit salad, Ginger crab,
mushrooms + tofu + fresh vegetables, sticky rice with taro and chicken,
vegetarian lettuce wrap, traditional haggis (which we encourage
everybody to add to their lettuce wrap),  and pastry
desserts. 
We have trimmed our menu from a 10 course dinner to a 8 course dinner
because…. everybody at the past dinners said there was TOO MUCH food,
and the number 8 is a very lucky number in Chinese culture. 
And… we have also improved the quality of the food.  The Ginger
crab, shrimp balls, and sticky rice are traditional banquet food items.

For the first time, we invited our performers to the pre-event
taste-testing, and we invited our Gung Haggis Fat Choy event volunteer
coordinators from the GHFC dragon boat team.  Past dinners were
small and included GHFC dinner event coordinators + a food writer/
author such as Roland Tanglao (VanEats.com) or Tim Pawsey (The Courier)
or author/chef Steven Wong.  Usually, we are so busy with the
performances and so overwhelmed by the large crowd, we don't get to
relax and enjoy ourselves.  But we did tonight.  We explained
that this was like the very first (now legendary) Gung Haggis Fat Choy
dinner back in 1998 when we first served haggis with a Chinese New Year
dinner, and between each dinner course, somebody had to get up to read a poem, sing a song, or play some music.

During the course of our dinner, we sang Loch Lomand, performed the
Burns poem “Address to the Haggis,” Silk Road Music performed a
traditional “Happy Song,” then led a singalong of the famous Chinese song “Mo Li Hua (Jasmine
Flower)”.  We discussed the traditions of both Burns Suppers, and
the Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners.   We also played the video
of the CBC Gung Haggis Fat Choy tv special.  We yelled out
whenever we recognized somebody on the screen that was sitting with us
at the dinner table.  “There's Deb!”  “There's
Todd!”   “Here's Silk Road with Qiu Xia and Andre!” 
“There's Joe McDonald with Brave Waves.”

It was a special dinner with all good friends from the Gung Haggis
dragon boat team, and our performers for the Gung Haggis Fat Choy
dinner event.  We discussed the intercultural points of music,
literature and culture.  This was also a good way to indoctrinate
some of our rookie GHFC paddlers and rookie performers such as Leora
Cashe into our Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinner traditions.  And to
close
the night, we all sang Auld Lang Syne – standing and holding hands.

We look forward to the January 28th dinner, knowing the entertainment
is going to be great, and knowing the food is going to be even better!

“All Mixed Up” – Book launch dedicated to creative Hapa (mixed race Asians)

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“All Mixed Up”
– Book launch dedicated to creative Hapa (mixed race Asians)

The editors of “All Mixed Up,” a chapbook dedicated to the writing,
art, photography, and social commentary by and about Hapas (mixed race
Asians), announce a celebration for the publication.

— Thursday, January 18, 2007, 6-8 pm, Centre A, 2 West Hastings Street
Vancouver contributors include:
Margaret Gallagher
Kelty McKinnon
Mark Nakada
Debora O
Haruko Okano and Fred Wah
Michael Tora Speier

Authors will read, perform, and sign chapbooks.  There will also be
performances and film screenings by special guests, including animator
Jeff Chiba Stearns and local band Mimi's Ami!

— If you are Hapa and would like to perform or read at Centre A,
please email mixedupbooks@gmail.com.
— Bookstore and Cafe owners, if you would like to hold a
reading/signing at your business, please email
brandylien.worrall@gmail.com.

“All Mixed Up” will be on sale for $12/copy.  “All Mixed Up” is a
limited-run chapbook collection, and each copy is handcrafted.
Proceeds from the sale of this chapbook go toward the publication of
the complete works of the “Mixed Up” series (three chapbooks total),
entitled, “Completely Mixed Up,” forthcoming in 2007.

For more information, email mixedupbooks@gmail.com.

Thanks to the following sponsors for their support:
Rhizome Cafe     http://www.rhizomecafe.ca/
Centre A     http://www.centrea.org
Powell Street Festival     http://powellstfestival.shinnova.com/
Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC     http://www.cchsbc.ca
UBC Initiative for Student Teaching & Research in Chinese Canadian
Studies

***

“All Mixed Up”–Third and Final Volume of Mixed Up Hapa Chapbook Series
Released

Mixt Up Productions is proud to announce the release of the third and
final chapbook in the “Mixed Up” hapa chapbook series, begun in 1999.
The final chapbook has been six years in the making, and is a
compelling addition to the series devoted to the creative works and
social commentaries by and about mixed race Asian North American
writers, artists, and scholars.  Each limited-edition copy is
hand-sewn, embellished, and numbered.  All copies of the previous two
chapbooks were sold out, and the editors of this third one expect a
quick sell-out as well.

Nineteen writers, artists, and scholars are included in this volume:

Sumi Braun, California
Margaret Gallagher, Vancouver, British Columbia
Jeneen Garcia, the Philippines
Sherlyn Jimenez, Connecticut
Christian Langworthy, New York
Trina Mendiola, California
Kelty Miyoshi McKinnon, Vancouver, British Columbia
Rashaan Alexis Meneses, California
Dorian Merina, New York
Shyamala Moorty, California
Mark Nakada, Vancouver, British Columbia
Debora O, Vancouver, British Columbia
Stevii Paden, Pennsylvania
Haruko Okano and Fred Wah, Vancouver, British Columbia
Michael Tora Speier, Vancouver, British Columbia
Claire Tran, California
Brandy Lien Worrall, Vancouver, British Columbia
James Lawrence Ardena, Washington

To order a copy of “All Mixed Up,” or for inquiries, email
mixedupbooks@gmail.com.  The price of the chapbook is $12 plus
shipping and handling.  Proceeds of this chapbook go toward the
publication of the complete works of the “Mixed Up” series, entitled,
“Completely Mixed Up,” forthcoming in 2007.