FrederickCooke
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

ruby
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

susanna foo
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

Joe@CuisineNet
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

Kam
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

FrederickCooke
Welcome to the CuisineNet chat series. Tonight we will be talking with Susanna Foo, cookbook author and chef at Susanna Foo Cuisine Restaurant in Philadelphia. We will be relaying your questions to Susanna over the phone tonight -- we'll be entering her responses under the alias "susanna foo." Welcome to the chat Susanna!

susanna foo
It's good to be here -- thanks -- this is my first time on-line.

Kian
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

Kian
Hi Susanna, Kong Hee Fat Choi!

susanna foo
Happy New Year!

Kian
Hello Susanna Foo are you really a award winning cook?

susanna foo
Well, I guess so. I won a James Beard award for best international cookbook, and my restaurant was nominated but didn't win. At the awards, I thought to myself -- it doesn't matter if I win or lose -- but, then when they were announcing all the winners I thought ­ I'll DIE if I don't win!

FrederickCooke
Are there any dishes that you traditionally prepare for Chinese New Year?

susanna foo
Yes, I like to prepare a whole fish because the tradition of the fish means more prosperity and good luck. And I always have dumplings. My family has always had dumplings on New Year's morning because they're the shape of ancient gold. And we always have lots of food. And since this is the year of the ox, I'll definitely have beef.

ruby
Do you usually serve dishes according to the year?

susanna foo
I wouldn't serve snake or rat or dragon!

ruby
What year were you born?

susanna foo
I was born in the year of the goat -- it's not a good year for women, and my grandmother thought I would never marry because I was born in that year.

ana
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

Kian
Susanna...are you from Japan?

susanna foo
No, I'm not from Japan. I'm from northern China. People may know the area because it wanted to be independent but China wouldn't let them.

FrederickCooke
What types of grain are grown in Northern China? Rice? Wheat?

susanna foo
The weather is very cold in northern China, so you can't grow any rice. The staple grain is wheat, so there's noodles, pastas, and flat breads -- steamed and fried -- and lots of other grains like barley. There's also a lot of corn and corn flour -- corn flour mixed with wheat flour makes a bread that is very hard, very dense. The corn is freshly harvested and very sweet.

susanna foo
We don't bake bread, though, because we don't have the ovens to bake it in.

ana
What sorts of dishes do you make with corn? I don't think I have ever had anything at a Chinese restaurant that I knew had corn in it--other than those baby corn things.

susanna foo
In this country you have really good corn -- in Taiwan and northern China, there's nothing like the corn here. When I cook I use a lot of corn, but Chinese restaurants here don't. When I was growing up, freshness was the most important thing. I won't use canned anything, but most Chinese restaurants here don't use fresh produce, the wonderful produce that's available here. I think the best crabmeat is here, too -- like in New England. It's here and we don't use it at home. I like to use the beautiful foods that are here instead of using something canned that mimicks what we had in China. I guess you could say that I cook in the traditional style, I use fresh ingredients, and Chinese restaurants here cook with traditional ingredients -- even if they're canned.

FrederickCooke
How important is presentation in cooking?

susanna foo
Presentation is very important. For the Chinese, the first thing is the eye, and then the smell, so for Chinese cooking, the colors, smell and taste have to all work together to make a good dish.

Guest
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

FrederickCooke
Are there any Chinese restaurants in New York that you would recommend highly?

susanna foo
In New York...when I come to New York, I go to different top restaurants. Today we went to Chinatown -- there's a place where they steam the soup for hours so the flavor is very concentrated, and we always go there, but I can't remember the name of it. As for non-Chinese restaurants, I liked Bouley (now closed), Le Bernardin, Lespinasse and Aureole. Every time I come to New York it makes me feel like I have to work harder to make my food better.

Guest
I am very much in accord with your choices of NY restaurants. We'll be celebrating at Le Bernardin next week. Do you have any favorite dishes there?

susanna foo
At Le Bernardin -- once I had sea bass with caramelized sauce and shiitake mushrooms -- they change all the time, though. Everything is wonderful.

FrederickCooke
Do you think that the recent surge in popularity of Fusion/Pan Asian restaurants in the U.S. shows that the American palate is becoming more and more discerning, more interested in the flavors and the subtleties of taste of Asian cuisine?

susanna foo
I think that because China opened up and Thailand and Vietnam opened up business people started traveling, Americans started touring, and immigrants started coming --. Americans started touring, and immigrants started coming -- there was a lot of exchange. And, It's a simple fresh cooking that has a lot of spices. Supermarkets now are carrying more Chinese ingredients -- every market carries bok choy and napa cabbage and ginger. When I first came there was none of that.

Kian
Susanna, the cantonese celebrate the new year with "Yue Sheng" which is a raw fish dish. This is is supposed to bring in prosperity. Is there any dishes like that in the Northern Chinese New Year celebration

FrederickCooke
What is the difference between your food and what most people consider standard Chinese cuisine?

susanna foo
I really emphasize freshness and simplicity in my cooking. Also, my menus change for the seasons -- now I'm using roots, lamb and venison -- but in the summer we sell more fish -- seafood is 70% of my sales and game and meat are 30%.

robby
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

araba
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

Manhattan
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

Virtual Gourmet
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

Guest
Sorry you are on against such competition: the President, OJ and Susanna Foo. What a lineup!

susanna foo
That's ok, being up against the President and OJ!