Chinese Dim Sum Mango Mousse for Tea

The closest I've been to China is Chinatown, but I do often have a surplus of mangoes often.  And ever since I was introduced to a tea tasting tradition during my singing lessons, I keep many tea varieties at home--ginger, jasmine green, lavender, rooibos, chamomile, and others to honor my Irish roots (the Irish drink the most tea per capita in the world)... It thus seemed appropriate to place both together in a Chinese tea-tasting meal called "Dim Sum". 

Dim Sum stands for "touch the heart", and it means bite-sized portions of food that are served with Chinese tea. The tradition originated when people travelling back and forth from China to buy silk (a Chinese trade secret at the time) needed to rest during their journey. Teahouses appeared on the route to offer tea tasting (the very appropriately named "yum cha") opportunities for farmers as well. When the Chinese discovered that tea would help rather than hinder digestion, they began including small portions of food on the platters as well. In the Southern region, the Cantonese turned the tradition into a boisterous but fun experience, and Hong Kong chefs have declared it brunch, as they serve it from 6:30 a.m. to mid-afternoon. Nowadays, you can find frozen dim sum in the supermarket, or street dim sum on a skewer. 

As for the beverage part of this custom, it was discovered accidentally in 2737 B.C., when an emperor smelled the aroma created after a tea leaf blew into a pot of boiling water. Whereas the Chinese don't have as elaborate a ceremony as the Japanese do, they view it as a symbol of respect and follow some etiquette rules. When tea is served, it is customary to thank the waiter by gently tapping the cup with the index finger. If you want him/her to refill your pot with more boiling water, you can do so by lifting the lid and leaving it open.

Recipe from http://www.anyrecipe.net/asian/recipes/mango.html (the book "Dim Sum" by Ellen Leong)

3/4 cup boiling water

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons gelatin

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 cups pureed mango

1 ripe mango, peeled and sliced

1 cup whipping cream

Pour gelatin over 1/2 cup water. Add boiling water, then sugar. Mix in mango puree, then whipping cream. Place in ramekins or bowls and let set in the fridge. Decorate with mango slices. Cover the tops with saran wrap if you plan to leave them in the refrigerator for more than a day.

Coming up next:

Indian Mango Lassi for Republic Day, January 26th

Mauritian Banana Tart for February 1st

Chinese Fortune Cookies for the Chinese New Year in San Francisco, February 13th

References:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0609608878?ie=UTF8&tag=anyrecipe2-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0609608878

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dim_sum

http://www.chinahistoryforum.com/index.php?/topic/2991-dim-sum-a-little-bit-of-heart-beginners-guide/

http://www.crazyfortea.com/strangeteafacts.html

http://www.twoleavestea.com/n_Chinese-Tea-Traditions-50.html

Philippine Mango Float

Philippine Mango Float is graham cracker crumbs with mango slices soaked in condensed milk and 

In this South Pacific archipelago, in a country that has the fourth longest coastline in the world, diving experiences and contact with exotic marine creatures and plants are plentiful...

On the beach, a salesperson calls out shrilly, "Same, same....but different!" The inexpensive purses she was selling were really Gucci, weren't they? Or do you think they might not have been the genuine article? She was offering such a good deal! In the Philippines, this phrase means that the person is selling knockoffs.
A perfect dessert for hot weather is the Philippine Mango Float. You can opt for the refrigerator version or the frozen version. The national fruit is the mango, and this particular treat is believed to be the country's favorite as well.
The most recent Philippine holiday took place this Monday, August 27th-National Heroes' Day, which marks the beginning of the Revolution against Spain, the country's ruler for over 300 years. It is celebrated with parades, on the fourth monday of every year.

Recipe http://www.filipinodesserts.net/uncategorized/mango-float

200 grams graham cracker crumbs

10 1/2 ounces Nestle cream, or whipping cream

3 mangoes, peeled and sliced

10 ounces condensed milk

Mix mangoes, cream, and condensed milk. Make a graham cracker layer, then place a cream layer, then another graham cracker layer, and another cream layer. Lastly, put another layer of crumbs on top. Place it in the refrigerator or in the freezer, depending on whether you prefer the refrigerator or frozen version. Both are delicious! If the weather is hot, choose the frozen option...

Philippine mango float--graham crackers, condensed milk, mango slices!

References

http://www.food.com/recipe/mango-float-306500