Chofan

     I'm coming to a point now where on certain days I am doing more than one new thing.  I worried about this at first...fearing the need to stretch things not to come up short somewhere else.  I realized this went against everything I was trying to perpetuate.  So now I bang out multiple new things some days and I pick and choose or make a wacky little theme.  On this adventure I hit a little local town that I've been to before...but in a whole new way.  We took a different road to get there and approached it from the other side.  Jim Thorpe (previously known as Mauch Chunk) was celebrating their Fall Festival (another new thing)  as seen by the absolutely packed streets.  Tourists from all over the world were there snapping photos of the picturesque town.  The foliage was stunning and served as a gorgeous backdrop to a town that is unique and charming.  Hunger struck and we returned to a restaurant that we have eaten in before but this time I went for a brand new dish to split with my little guy.  I had no idea that a culinary lesson would sprout from a dish of rice.  I researched it when I came home and found this:

     "An estimated 30,000 people of Chinese origin live in the Dominican Republic.  Migration from China began in the second half of the 19th century and continues to this day.  Chinese immigrants opened popular eateries known as Pica Pollo all over the country selling a combination of Dominican and Chinese food.  They also opened more upscale Chinese restaurants in the main cities, and these became popular with the locals.  In this way the Dominicans of all socio-economic levels got to know and love Chinese food, going as far as to make some dishes of their own, including chofan (chow fan)."

     Imagine all you love about fried rice but better because it is layered with way more flavors.
Well, let me tell you that I have thought about that plate of goodness since that very day and need to return to the quaint little "Switzerland of America" to get me some....and soon!