I grew up Episcopalian; however, part of my childhood I lived in a predominately Orthodox Jewish neighborhood in Baltimore. Furthermore, my parents’ best friends from my dad’s graduate school are Orthodox, and my Jewish friends are mostly Reform, which is less observant of Judaism. Therefore, my family is accustomed to Jewish cultural influences such as food and religious holidays. Growing up, it was normal to have breakfasts that included lox and bagels and white fish and to not question why my neighbors did not drive on Saturdays.
As part of the Orthodox Jewish culture, I understand that “keeping kosher” means their food must be prepared in accordance with Jewish law. However, I never knew Chinese food restaurants could be designated as kosher. My mom took me out for lunch at David Chu’s China Bistro, a kosher establishment in Baltimore. The restaurant’s sign had a “K” which identified itself as kosher, and many patrons were dressed in Orthodox Jewish attire, which led me to believe that this restaurant was in fact kosher.
The service was great, and the menu was no different than most Americanized Chinese food restaurants. Before we ordered, we were served hot tea and fried wonton type crackers. For our main entrees, we shared platters of Hunan chicken and chicken egg foo young. At the end, the bill came with a couple of fortune cookies. Now I would not say this was the best Chinese food ever, but I would say this was one of the most interesting and educational Chinese food experiences.
My job has been very crazy lately to the point where I’d love to be back on vacation in Hawaii. To bring my stress level down, I look at a photo of a beach in Maui and turn on a Hawaiian online radio station. Suddenly, vivid images appear of walking on the beach, snorkeling by the reef and dancing at a luau, Yes, I am still working on my budgets and 2010 strategic plans, but listening to the music brings Hawaii to me in Maryland.
