TOPICS INCLUDE: Tea; Qingdao; More issues; Pigs feet and Grandma

by Jacqueline M. Newman

Letters to the Editor

Spring Volume: 1998 Issue: 5(1) page(s): 10 and 22

From NANCY LEE in SAN DIEGO:
Is it green tea, black tea, or both that can prevent cancer?
NANCY: All the answers are not in, but I do understand your confusion. Let me update you. Some animal studies show the inhibition of cancerous tumors; these are different in different studies. Both green and black tea, as drinking infusions, block lung cancer in mice and rats Teas with the caffeine removed do about as well as those caffeine. The problem is that the studies are not always comparable. Some study mice, others rats, others guinea pigs. Some look at skin cancers, some lung cancers, others esophageal cancers. To date, I have not seen a study comparing results on more than one animal and not one of them is a controlled study using human beings. To make things even more complicated, some studies show no protective effects at all.

From XU HONG in QINGDAO, CHINA:
Please advise your readers to visit my city and enjoy Qingdao beer fresh from the factory. They should also come to the Buddhist Festival at the Haiyun An convent. Have you been to my city, this festival, and had fresh beer?
Mr.XU:
We have no subscribers in Qingdao so advise where you got your copy? In return, here are the answers to all of your questions. Yes, I have visited your beautiful lakeside city. Yes, I visited the convent and the brewery, also a soda and water bottling facility. I have even climbed you beautiful mountains. However, when I was there it was spring and I missed the Tang Qui Hui festival at the temple. Some residents of your city did make me the tiny apples dipped in syrup that are sold at that festival. I was told me that other fruits are dipped the same way, nuts, too. Can you send us a recipe?

DIANA in LONG BEACH asks:
Love your recipes and do wish there were more of them. Even with so few, I learn so much reading every issue. Compliments aside, I hate waiting three months between issues. Can you publish more often? Also, my Greek grandmother made pigs feet that cooked for hours and I like things that taste Chinese so can I combine my heritage with Chinese tastes: that is, do the Chinese have a recipe for pigs feet?
DIANA: We would love to accommodate and publish more often, but economics do not allow. What we need are more advertisers to ease the economic burden. Know any? And, as to Chinese pig's feet, the recipe below does fine in either a slow cooker or on very low heat. Enjoy it!

J. FRANKLIN of READING PA requests:
My local Chinese eatery makes mediocre Sesame Noodles, they stick together. Can you provide a recipe for some that do not paste together?
JF Try the ones below,but do not overcook the noodles as doing so is a contributing factor to a pasty end-product.

Long Cooked Pigs Feet
Ingredients:
4 pork feet cut into 3 pieces each
2 slices ginger
4 cloves garlic
1 whole star anise
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons cooking wine
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
a pinch of white pepper
1 and 1/2 cups water
Preparation:
1. Place all ingredients in a five-quart slow cooker and cook over high heat for four to five hours.
2. Chill, then discard any congealed fat.
3. Reheat and serve.

Sesame Noodles II
Ingredients:
1/2 pound noodles
4 Tablespoons sesame paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion, minced
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili oil
2 teaspoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
Preparation:
1. Cook noodles as package directs, then drain.
2. While noodles are cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients into a sauce by stirring the sesame paste until smooth, adding the remaining ingredients and mixing these together completely. Then pour over the noodles and serve.

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