Chinatown Family

Today I received an email from Will who has been the Communications Director for the Museum of the Chinese in the Americas (MOCA). He's actually leaving to Cali to follow his dreams of pursuing a career in the performing arts.

He wrote that he would be "sad to leave the MOCA family". I told him that he hasn't realized that he has also been part of a bigger family; our "Chinatown Family".

Will is about my age (more or less), and we don't hang out or anything, but I am going to miss him so much!

When I was doing my radio diary for WFUV , I interviewed Will as a representative for the MOCA. I went on thinking that the MOCA was just going to be one of many interviews. Will proved me wrong, because he shared with me a personal story of how 9/11 had affected his family's business...

After over two decades of being in business, they were forced to close because the aftermath of 9/11 on Chinatown's economy was just so harsh. I was deeply moved by his family's experience and inspired by their strength to move on. I think that was one of the interviews I learned the most from.

Sometimes in our jobs, we wonder if we make a difference. This holds true whether you're a doctor or a scoopologist. During his time at the MOCA, I have seen Will in action; trying to help the MOCA as well as the greater Chinatown community with all of their events. This blog is dedicated to Will. All of your work really made a difference in our community and I am sure that it'll continue on.

By the way...when you make it in Cali and you're some fabulous celebrity, tell them that the best ice cream is from CICF. Just kidding. =)

Ice Cream As A Comfort Food

Ice cream is one of those all around feel good foods. People mostly associate ice cream with happiness. I've been touched that there have been many customers that have made sure to have our ice cream at some of the most sacred occasions in their lives.

One man brought two heart shaped almond cookie cakes from us as a way of asking his girlfriend to marry him. He told me that she loved our ice cream more than anything in the world! I was very touched. I definitely took a lot of extra time and TLC to prepare their cakes. I'm sure that she said "yes" to his proposal. How could you turn down a guy who buys you almond cookie ice cream from CICF?

We have many other customers who insist that our ice cream is part of their holiday and family tradition. One customer commented that "the holidays would just not be the same without our lychee ice cream".

There are also those occasions where people need some cheering up. It could be a breakup with an old beau or a death of a loved one where some sort of comfort food is definitely needed. I noticed that because we are situated a few blocks away from one of the city's busiest funeral parlors that many people come in after services. It's really nice to know that our product can help ease some of the solace of losing someone.

And lastly, there are people like me who need no reason at all to eat our ultra premium ice cream. I seriously eat it all day. It's my 6th food group. (That's probably why I need to run 12 miles a week to keep it off!) Ice cream makes everyone happy!

Snow Is Bad For Business

They say that March goes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Judging from the nasty weather today, I would say that the old adage holds true.

We had a relatively warm winter here in NYC, but today it was snowing and hailing cats and dogs!

Yes, business was bad for us, but it was bad for all of Chinatown and for everyone else in the city. I remember as a little girl, I would really worry when business was bad because I could see that no money was coming in. One time I asked my dad how he could be so calm about not having much business and not stressing out about the snow. He said to me, "If everyone else has no business, how can you expect to have business? You don't control the weather and I don't control the weather so we can't worry about what we have no control over." That really put things into perspective for me.

George Bodarky from NPR commented on how small businesses like ourselves really have to still do a lot of work even though we aren't generating much revenue. Small businesses have many struggles that people just don't see. In spite of not making money and the bad weather, businesses have to still open up and pay their workers and pay their bills. We still have to shovel the snow and do all of our daily tasks although we know that we will be taking a loss for the day.

Working here at CICF, I have really grown an appreciation and understanding of how other businesses struggle as well as our own. I also teach our workers to have respect for others in service jobs and for other business owners (especially in Chinatown).

Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream

On my off days, I enjoy baking and cooking for friends and family. I hear that food is the way to a man's heart, but yet I find myself still single. Oh well, at least my friends and family love me!! (Or at least they love my food and desserts!)

Well, tommorrow I'm going to my good friend Michelle. Since I haven't seen her in a bit, I decided to make her a batch of my homemade, full of TLC brownies!

People come in and ask, "when is the next time that you're going to have chocolate brownie ice cream?". Well since I'm in my baking mode, I guess we'll being making that flavor for all next week.

I only use the best ingredients, in my cooking, baking, and of course in the ice cream process. My brownies are made with organic Green & Black's chocolate. Love their brand! It has an earthy chocolate taste that is perfect for baking.

I went to pastry and baking school at The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) for recreation. My instructors would be proud of me that I continue insanely baking. Here's my recipe for my homemade brownies.

CHRISTINA'S SUPER YUMMY, FULL OF TLC BROWNIES

Ingredients:
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) of unsalted butter)
8 ounces Green and Black's Baking Chocolate
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

one 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan that should be greased with butter and lined with parchment paper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and turn off heat. Put the butter and chocolate into a stainless steel mixing bowl and put this over the saucepan of water. (This is also called a double boiler.) Stir the chocolate and butter occasionally until melted.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and then add the sugars, salt and vanilla. Next, stir in our chocolate and butter.

4. Slowly fold in the flour.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Make sure that the mixture is spread evenly. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

ENJOY!

Chinatown Remedies for the Cold Weather

We've just been experiencing this front of cold weather and everyone has been coming down with something or other. I, myself have been feeling a little under the weather.

When I get sick, Dad usually buys some Ginseng and Chinese herbs. Chinese herbal treatments have been used for thousands of years so I'm sure that the stuff works. These can things can be found at the herb shop a few door down from us, in between us and 69 Restaurant. My friends Amy and Jason's family own the small shop. I love the fact that Chinatown is so community oriented and all the businesses are friends with one another.

NY Noodle Town, Wonton Garden, and Bo Ky Restaurant are all places I would go to get some soup to cure my winter blues. At all of these places, you can get an order of hot wonton noodle soup for less than the price of an order at McDonald's.

Although some feel that the winter is not the optimal time to eat ice cream, I beg to differ. I enjoy my ice cream the most during the winter!

Keep warm!