We recently spent four days and three nights in Philadelphia and the hotel was just one block from Chinatown. It was really nice not to have to worry about parking. The first night after dinner I went in a random bakery and got the boys each a bun for their breakfast the next morning; it seems there are bakeries at every corner. I was still partial to Hong Kong Bakery, the one I went to the first time we visited the city. The next two mornings, James, who usually gets up earlier than the boys and me, walked down to Hong Kong Bakery and picked up fresh buns and coffee. (We never used the hotel room's coffee maker. the last couple of hotel stays, the coffee has been less than good.)
I knew what I wanted to buy and bring home: pineapple buns (boloh bao), char-siu baos (baked and steamed), sponge cake (dan goh), egg tarts (dan tats), and snowballs (noh mai chee). Knowing it could be a while before we return, I added gai mei bao (coconut and sugar paste filled bun) and low poa beng (flaky pastry filled with a sweet wintermelon paste).
The lovely pink box...in true Chinatown fashion, was nicely tied with red string.
Some buns. The rest are wraped in plastic and packed in the freezer.
What's left of the snowballs, dan tats, and low poa beng:
I always feel a trip to Chinatown is complete after I hit a bakery.
1 comment:
Hannah, you made me homesick! Good thing we're heading to California in a few days. We'll definitely visit Chinatown in LA; hopefully we'll be able to squeeze in a SF Chinatown visit too!
Hugs to all of you!
Pat
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