Not Panda Express (Vol. 2) (US)
Dates: 4/1 – 4/4
Location: Pacific Northwest
Price Range: $550 – $1,050
Theme: Culture, History & Food
Faculty Contact: Wen Yu Ho and David Lao
EPS’ culinary and cultural extravaganza diving deep into Chinese food and cooking is back, and better than ever! Go beyond Orange Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork and Boba in an unforgettable journey through the different varieties of Chinese cuisine, learning about the amazing diversity of ingredients, tastes, cooking styles and influences. Try your hand at making some authentic food and learn about the magic (aka chemistry) behind the flavors that makes this such a distinctive cuisine. Savor some of the finest, painstakingly handpicked, tea in the world, under the watchful eye of a tea sommelier, who also happens to be a very cool female Chinese-American entrepreneur. Experience shopping at a local Chinese supermarket, visit a historic and iconic local noodle and fortune cookie factory and engage in the iconic communal dining experience of a hotpot. Finally, head up to Vancouver, BC on a day trip to savor some of the finest Cantonese food this side of the Pacific. You will eat very well on this EBC experience, GUARANTEED!
Itinerary
(Please note that activities and days may adjust and change due to schedule and availability of tickets, tours, events, etc.)
Day 1 (Mon 4/1):
- Breakfast Talk – “What is Chinese Food?”
- Ingredient and Sauce Sampling
- Chemistry Lesson – The Mystery of MSG
- Lunch – Panda Express vs. Authentic Sichuan Food
- Cooking – Stir-Frying, Braising, “Wok Hei”
Day 2 (Tue 4/2):
- Shopping Trip to Local Chinese Supermarket
- Cooking – Making Slurries, Using Tofu, Steaming
- Lunch – Regional Cuisine Samples (Hunanese, Taiwanese, Dongbei, etc.)
- Demonstration (with Tea Sommelier) – Chinese Tea Tasting
Day 3 (Wed 4/3):
- Visit to Local Noodle and Fortune Cookie Factory
- Lunch – Hot Pot
- Chemistry Lesson – The Wonders of Sugar
- Cooking – “Iron Chef” Ramen Competition
Day 4 (Thu 4/4):
- Train OR Flight to Vancouver, BC
- Lunch – Dim Sum
- Walking Tour of Vancouver Chinatown with local Chinese Canadian guide
- Visit to Chinese Canadian Museum
- Dinner – Cantonese Fine Dining
- Flight to Seattle, WA