The End of an Era

Phyllis Louise Harris

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Phyllis Louise Harris (Née, Igo), 83, on September 19, 2018, in Minneapolis, MN.

Phyllis was food editor of Asian Pages newspaper from 1991 to 2011 and wrote more than five hundred articles reaching 150,000 readers each month in seven states. She wrote two cookbooks, was a contributor to Grolier’s Americana Encyclopedia, and was the primary researcher on 6,000 years of spice history for 660 Curries. Phyllis also served as executive director of the Midwest Asia Center from 1990-1992 where she created, produced and managed the Center’s Kite Festival with kites and flyers from China, Japan and the U.S., and brought in additional kites from India and Malaysia — bringing kite making and kite flying to more than a million people in Minnesota through twenty-six venues including the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Science Museum of Minnesota, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Hennepin County Libraries, and St. Paul and Minneapolis grade schools.  
  

In 1994 she founded the Asian Culinary Arts Institutes, Ltd. dedicated to the preservation, understanding and enjoyment of the culinary arts of the Asia Pacific Rim. One of the Center’s first programs was to bring in two chefs from China to teach culinary students at the Hennepin Technical College and other venues in the Twin Cities.
   

Phyllis’ final book was “Asian Flavors: Changing the tastes of Minnesota since 1875,” which she produced for the Minnesota Historical Society Press with contributions from fellow Asian cuisine expert Raghavan Iyer, designer Wendy L. Jedlička, and photographer Tom Nelson. Taking the “Asian Flavors” project further she was the co-writer and consultant for the Minnesota Public Television program based on the book, for which she and the show won an Emmy.
  

Before launching the Asian Culinary Arts Institutes, Ltd., Phyllis operated her own advertising and marketing agency, Communications Etcetera, Inc. For thirty years her agency served clients in Minneapolis, New York City, and London including 3M, Pillsbury, Jackson Graves, Creative Lighting, Gager’s Handicraft, Bowery Bank, Metropolitan Life Insurance, Macy’s, Bergdorf Goodman, JC Penny, Advertising Distributors of America, and Royal Mail Advertising. Her work in business, retail, and financial advertising received a number of national and international awards such as the Mail Advertising Service Association John Howie Wright Cup (three-time winner), National Retail Merchants Association Gold Award for Mail Advertising (two-time winner) and Silver Award for Newspaper Advertising (two-time winner). In addition to her many awards, Communications Etcetera, Inc. is recognized as one of the first woman-owned advertising and marketing agencies in Minnesota. At a time when women were only allowed membership in Ad Club as part of a separate women’s group, Phyllis refused to be considered a second-class player, and relished the national awards she and her team won in this male-dominated field.
  

Phyllis earned her bachelor’s degree in broadcast/journalism from the University of Minnesota (1957), and was awarded culinary certificates from the Culinary Institute of America, Chinese Institute in America (NYC), California Culinary Academy, and Disney Institute. She had additional culinary training with master chefs in China, and studied for over a decade under her mentor, Chinese cuisine master Florence Lin. Phyllis also taught Chinese and other Asia Pacific Rim cuisines for many years. 
  

Phyllis joins her husband Roy Harris, parents Lewis Schee Igo Sr and Phyllis Marie Igo (Née, Aeschliman), sister Claudia M. Jorgensen (Don), and brother Lewis Schee Igo Jr (Karen).
  

Phyllis is survived by daughter Wendy L. Jedlička (Mark McCahill), cousin Virgil Seifert, nieces and nephews Michele Jorgensen, Greg Jorgensen (Melissa), Lewis S. Igo (Heidi), and Kristine Igo, as well as grand nieces and nephews.
   

Photo: ©2012 Tom Nelson, tnphoto.com

  

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Read more about Asian food in Minnesota and try more than 160 recipes in Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875, in bookstores and on amazon.cm.

Buy online: Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875

https://www.amazon.com/Asian-Flavors-Changing-Tastes-Minnesota/dp/0873518640

Watch the EMMY® award winning “Asian Flavors” television show based on the book on tpt MN. Check local TV listings for broadcast times or view the show streaming online at:

http://www.tpt.org/asian-flavors/

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Dog alert – it is our year!

Phyllis Louise Harris

February 2018

The lunar calendar marks February 16, 2018 – February 4, 2019 as the year of the dog. People born in 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982. 1994, 2006, and this year are under the sign of the dog and I am one of them! We are said to be kind, loyal and sincere.

Legend says that when Buddha prepared to leave earth, he called all the animals to him to bid farewell. Only twelve showed up. The first to appear was the rat followed by the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. As a reward he named the twelve years in the Chinese zodiac after them in order of their arrival. Unfortunately, 2018 is predicted to be an unlucky year for the dog, so do be careful!

You might start with lucky food traditionally served at Chinese New Year celebrations. A whole fish, complete with head and tail, represents abundance for the coming year. Long noodles are said to ensure long life. Round, golden fruit such as kumquats predict wealth and good fortune. Peanuts ensure fertility and round dumplings good luck.

There is nothing more festive than the Chinese New Year celebration with its lion dances, colorful costumes and fireworks designed to please the Gods and ward off evil. A few celebrations in Minnesota include the Minnesota International Chinese School 2018 Chinese New Year Celebration and Carnival, February 11 at Valley View Middle School in Edina. The Chinese New Year Celebration at the Mall of America, February 17 and 18. The annual Lion Dance by the Fong family at David Fong’s Chinese Restaurant at 9329 Lyndale Avenue South in Bloomington, February 22, 23, and 24. Reservations are necessary for this popular event. Call 952-888-9294.

Or make your own celebration with lucky foods from your favorite take-out restaurant. Better yet, make your own from recipes in “Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875.”

And, for all of us dogs, please give us an extra helping to get us through the year ahead!

Jixiang Ruy! May good fortune be according to your wish.

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Read more about Asian food in Minnesota and try more than 160 recipes in Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875, in bookstores and on amazon.cm.

Buy online: Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875

https://www.amazon.com/Asian-Flavors-Changing-Tastes-Minnesota/dp/0873518640

Watch the EMMY® award winning “Asian Flavors” television show based on the book on tpt MN. Check local TV listings for broadcast times or view the show streaming online at:

http://www.tpt.org/asian-flavors/

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Thank you and farewell Florence Lin

Phyllis Louise Harris
January 2018
Last March I wrote a birthday thank you to Florence Lin for her incredible talent and influence on my life. She passed away on December 27, 2017, and I am printing this again as a tribute to her life.

She was born in China during the era of women’s bound feet and male dominated households, but went on to become one of the greatest influences in the understanding and appreciation of Chinese cooking in the United States. Florence Lin also changed my life.

It was 1974 and I had just moved to New York City where I now had the time and resources to explore whatever peaked my interest. I had long been a fan of Chinese food and looked for classes in cooking this classic cuisine. I found one in the basement of a pasta store in my neighborhood and was soon learning the wonders of stir-frying. The teacher, Millie Chan, was a delight and extremely patient with some of the “students” who used the time to chat with each other in their native language. Turns out they were gathering recipes to give to their cooks at home to replicate. They had no intention of cooking it themselves. But, Millie could see I was serious about learning and after the sessions ended suggested I continue classes at the China Institute in America where her teacher and mentor was teaching.

The first day in class about 20 of us sat on folding chairs at long tables in the Institute’s teaching kitchen and heard Florence Lin say, “When you finish this class, you will be able to make Chinese dishes out of whatever is in your refrigerator.” I thought about the odd variety of things in my refrigerator and very much doubted her promise. Now, 42 years later I know she was right!

For the next 14 years I made Chinese dumplings, noodles, sir-fries, deep-fries, sauces, salads and whatever else she was teaching. Today, I still have my recipes and class notes – about 300 of them. We cooked everything! Even things I did not know were edible. Pigs’ ears, chicken feet, broccoli stems, pig snouts - all were made very tasty and while I may not have liked some of them, they were certainly edible. When my daughter and I travelled through China with Florence, we had the privilege of taking classes with master chefs and to taste hundreds of Chinese dishes that are not served in the U.S. My love of Chinese food and Florence’s training led me to create a company dedicated to Asian food, to becoming food editor of Asian Pages for 20 years writing more than 500 columns, to writing a history of Asian food in Minnesota published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press, and to create an EMMY® award-winning television show that tpt produced and still broadcasts today. None of this would have happened without Florence Lin.

Florence is one of those exceptional teachers who really likes what she does and understands the subject completely. Initially she learned to cook by following her family’s chef around the kitchen and then learned more from her aunt and grandmothers. She learned even more when she went with her father on his silk merchant business trips throughout China, something unheard of in the 1930s pre-war China when daughters were never involved in the family business. At each stop she could sample local cuisine and expand her knowledge of Chinese food. Combined with her own creative skills Florence Lin’s Chinese cooking is like none other.

When Florence came to America in 1949 to marry her fiancé K.Y. she did not speak English. While she had a college education, without the language skills she could not get work. While K.Y. pursued his career in finance and she raised their two children, Florence concentrated on her mastery of English and went on to become one of the most influential cookbook authors and food writers in the U.S. Julia Child and James Beard were among her friends and students. Paul Newman was a fan of her cooking. National food companies consulted her on Chinese culinary issues. She taught cooking classes in New York, Washington, D.C., Connecticut, New Jersey, Georgia, and throughout the country. She taught at the China Institute for more than 25 years and in 2014 was given a lifetime achievement award by the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

But that is only part of Florence’s story. As a teenager she joined Chiang Kai-shek’s Youth Army to fight the Japanese invasion of China where she taught new recruits how to handle their rifles. Later in life she would also fight other wars against cancer and her husband’s Parkinson’s disease. The first book she wrote was turned down by 18 publishers, but she went on to publish five cookbooks and was primary consultant and recipe creator for another. She also wrote dozens of articles for the New York Times and a variety of national publications. Current cookbook authors and celebrity chefs refer to her work as an inspiration for their own efforts.

This month Florence will be 96 years old. She is retired and lives in New York near one of her daughters whose family is delighted to have grandmother nearby to make their favorite dishes, or at least supervise their renditions. I am happy to say she is still my friend and mentor who continues to work with me even long distance on culinary issues. I wish everyone would have had the privilege of attending her classes but everyone can still learn from this great teacher through her cookbooks. While they are out of print, used copies are available on various websites. Pick up one or all and read them from cover to cover. You will begin to understand the flavors and complexity of Chinese cooking and the basics of making it properly.

Start with her first book Florence Lin’s Regional Cooking of China, published in 1975 when it was named Best Cookbook of 1975 and was a Book-of-the-Month selection. Florence Lin’s Chinese Vegetarian Cookbook followed in 1976 and makes every vegetable a treat. That was followed in 1978 with Florence Lin’s Chinese One-Dish Meals, and in 1979 with Florence Lin’s Cooking with Fire Pots. In 1984, William Morrow Publishers convinced her to write Florence Lin’s Complete Book of Chinese Noodles, Dumplings and Breads that was reprinted in several sold out editions including paperback.

By the way, while she was writing each book she tested the recipes in many of her classes and I got to be part of that process as well. Also pick up a copy of Time Life Foods of the World: The Cooking of China (1968) where you will find her first publishing effort and the first book in the U.S. to truly explore in depth the cooking of China. She tells the story of providing the editors with a recipe for Egg Foo Yung at their request. They came back to her with the complaint there was no “gravy” on the Egg Foo Yung. When she explained she created the dish as it is served in China they insisted on adding gravy for the American audience and she did.

Thank you Florence Lin for so many delicious memories!

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Read more about Asian food in Minnesota and try more than 160 recipes in Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875, in bookstores and on amazon.cm.

Buy online: Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875

https://www.amazon.com/Asian-Flavors-Changing-Tastes-Minnesota/dp/0873518640

Watch the EMMY® award winning “Asian Flavors” television show based on the book on tpt MN. Check local TV listings for broadcast times or view the show streaming online at:

http://www.tpt.org/asian-flavors/

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Homemade Chinese dumplings, wontons and buns are easier than you thought!

Phyllis Louise Harris

September/October 2017

I picked up some steamed dumplings at a wok station in a local supermarket recently. It reminded me how much fun they are to make them at home and how much better they taste than take-out! Now you, too, can make homemade dumplings, wontons and buns with the expert guidance of some local cooking teachers.

Chinese native Ada Dong is offering three different classes in dumplings through the Minneapolis Community Education Adult Enrichment program.  On October 17, 6:15 – 8:45 pm at the Southwest center, she will help you create ZongZi, a sticky rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves. Cost is $25 plus a $15 food fee.

On November 20, 6 – 9 pm, at the Lake Harriet center she will help you master pan-fried dumplings and cost is $29 plus a $10 food fee.

And, on November 29 from 5:45 – 8:45 pm at the Southwest center she will help you tackle pot stickers, momo water dumplings and tapioca-pearl bombs. Cost is $29 plus $10 supply fee. For more information or to register go to www.mplscommunityed.com , adult enrichment programs, or call 612-668-3939.

For Chinese wontons and potstickers there is a class at St. Louis Park Community Education, Lennox Community Center kitchen, October 16, 6:30 – 9:00 pm at a cost of $25 plus $14 food fee. Or try steamed buns on December 4, 6:15 – 9:15 pm for $25 plus $14 food fee. For more information go to www.slpcommunityed.com or call 952-928-6442.

One of the nicest things about homemade dumplings and buns is they can be formed then frozen to cook later in just a few minutes. You can also learn how to make them with the step-by-step directions in the classic cookbook, “Florence Lin’s Complete Book of Chinese Noodles, Dumplings and Breads,” published in 1986 by William Morrow. Now out of print, used copies are still available from Amazon and in local used bookstores. In it Florence takes you step by step through the process and gives you a wide variety of fillings and sauces. She also explains the methods for making the dough by hand or with a food processor.

The book also includes homemade noodles, spring rolls, steamed buns, pancakes, breads, wontons, and my favorite, mushroom puffs. These light, flaky bites of heaven can also be frozen to heat and serve in just a few minutes.

So why settle for take-out when homemade is better and not that hard to do. Happy cooking!

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Read more about Asian food in Minnesota and try more than 160 recipes in Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875, in bookstores and on amazon.cm.

Buy online: Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875

https://www.amazon.com/Asian-Flavors-Changing-Tastes-Minnesota/dp/0873518640

Watch the EMMY® award winning “Asian Flavors” television show based on the book on tpt MN. Check local TV listings for broadcast times or view the show streaming online at:

http://www.tpt.org/asian-flavors/

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Sushi, noodles, local wine, curry and more at the Arboretum

Phyllis Louise Harris

July/August 2017

Beautiful trees, colorful flowers, melodious song birds – all things that come to mind about the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen. But now you can add sushi, noodles, Minnesota wine, and curry as well.

The Arboretum offers a multitude of classes and events throughout the year but right now there are a few you should not miss. Start with PinKU Japanese Food Dinner with Sushi Chef John Sigimura on August 17 from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.  A graduate of the Sushi Institute of America Sigimura offers a tempting array of dishes. What a great way to learn more about this classic cuisine. Cost is $65 for Arboretum members: $77 for non-members including Arboretum admission.

Indian food from a food truck? Janene Holig, executive chef of Hot Indian Foods does just that and was named one of the top eight Indian food trucks in America in 2016. She will be at the Arboretum September 21 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm with her truck and a special dinner of her Indian cuisine. Cost is $45 for members and $57 for non-members. She will even give you a few recipes to try at home.

Dinner with winemaker and Chef Ben Banks of Sovereign Estate Winery will offer four of his Waconia based wines along with appropriate dishes to savor. October 5, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at $65 for members or $77 non-members.

Oodles of Noodles on Saturday, October 28 from 9 to 11 am shows you how to turn a variety of vegetables into noodles. Hands on learning, tasting and take-home samples for your family are all created by Kris James, certified culinary herbalist, and chef/culinary educator. Cost is $39 for members and $52 for non-members.

Making Tea with Skill – An Exploration of Chinese Gongfu, Saturday, January 13, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. The Chinese tea ceremony designed for beauty, relaxation, comfort and enjoyment is an art in itself. Kris James shows you how Saturday, January 13, 9 – 11 a.m. Cost is $39 members and $52 non-members.

There are also classes and events featuring bees, soup, tarts, apples and so much more at the Arboretum. For a complete list and registration information go to http://arboretum.umn.edu/cookingclasses.aspx . Space is limited so do register early. If you are not already a member, consider joining to support this amazing endeavor with its 1200 acres of beautiful landscape where you can hike, stroll, ride, picnic, or just enjoy its natural beauty. The Arboretum is just one more reason to enjoy living in Minnesota.

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Read more about Asian food in Minnesota and try more than 160 recipes in Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875, in bookstores and on amazon.cm.

Buy online: Asian Flavors: Changing the Tastes of Minnesota since 1875

https://www.amazon.com/Asian-Flavors-Changing-Tastes-Minnesota/dp/0873518640

Watch the EMMY® award winning “Asian Flavors” television show based on the book on tpt MN. Check local TV listings for broadcast times or view the show streaming online at:

http://www.tpt.org/asian-flavors/

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