TDSB Learn4Life Chinese Cooking Program With Seniors...

I haven't officially made the announcement here, but I am so proud to share that I have been working for TDSB Learn4Life as a Senior Instructor, teaching one-day-a-week Chinese cooking classes to seniors in the Toronto Chinatown community. I just taught my third class :). As part of Continued Education, this division of the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has served adults for more than 160 years. Today, nearly 30,000 adult learners join 1700 general interest classes to take up a hobby, get active, learn a new language or skill and to meet people in their communities.

I am also continuing this year as the Culinary Consultant, partnering with TDSB Newcomer Services in their Business Development and Community Services division. As kids and parents get settled into the swing of school, we are amidst discussions of returning to the much-enjoyed parent engagement culinary program offered to the Thorncliffe community. In addition, there is also enthusiasm for me to lead sessions where kids (newcomer arrivals withing five years) and their parents cook and eat together surrounding foods during special occasions and holidays. What a great way to introduce Canadian culture and traditions around themed food and flavours!

I have cooked and food educated kids of all ages, youths and adults and lucky me, a 360 teaching experience with the privilege now working with seniors, and at the same time giving back to my Chinese community. The Chinese cooking program has been running for years at the St.Stephen's Community Centre, with only Cantonese-speaking folks. When my predecessor retired, TDSB opened up the program to welcome all seniors to participate and we have the highest attendees this term yet. My classes are demo-style, with a main and side, along with students coming up to get hands-on. And yes, I get to practice my mother tongue Cantonese with Chinese-only speaking seniors. I have taught some Chinese recipes last year in my culinary program with parents, mainly with moms of Sri Lankan descent, but this is my first full-term Chinese-focused one. Referencing my contribution to a beautiful collaborative global kitchen cookbook- The Taste of The Place, Chapter on China launched this June, it's a great joy to be able to bring to life a few of my favourite all-time and classic Chinese dishes. Twice now during my programs, I have been thrilled to cook together Cantonese Chow Mein.

Vegetable prep for Cantonese Chow Mein (my top most-viewed recipe).

Shrimps being peeled, vegetables a-blanching and chicken thighs being sauteed.

Lots of mouths to feed, so we're doubling up on the cookery and platters.

When it comes to Cantonese Chow Mein, it's all about the bounty of colour and the glazy sauce!

A few toss more then the cornstarch slurry goes in to thicken.

Digging in the oodles and oodles of crispy egg noodles.

My Cantonese Chow Mein is the top contender as my most popular blog post, and that's after 600+ posts. And I'll say I'm not surprised in the least-- it's such a gorgeous dish, full of healthful veggies, colour and textures all smothered in a glazy thickened savoury sauce over fried egg noodles! Here is the gorgeous shot of the dish in The Taste of The Place cookbook, one of four recipes in my chapter on China. I was so pleased to learn that this beautiful rendition by creator Julie Cockburn, made running photo after the cookbook's cover page.

Cantonese Chow Mein, The Taste of The Place

More about this book... Along with 12 other food writers from around the world, each with our own countries' chapter, I contributed four recipes for China (an appetizer, main meal, side and dessert) from my beloved heritage on Cantonese Chinese cuisine. 

Here are a few highlights to whet your appetite –

• Enjoy over 50 authentic, regional recipes from real kitchens around the globe, each accompanied by beautiful, full-color photos.
• Each regional chapter explores what makes the food from that area so special.
• Gain personal insights into the culinary cultures of 13 different parts of the world. 
• The areas of the world we will explore together – Argentina, China, Curaçao, Czech Republic, India, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Romania, South Africa, Cornwall in the United Kingdom, The Midwest United States, and The Southwest United States. 
• For more information of how to order an E-Book or Cookbook, see HERE.

If you are interested in getting your hands on a copy, you can get an E-book or a printed cookbook shipped out of the States. To my students and readers, I am offering a discount code of 20% off either the printed book or e-book. 
The code to use is: susanssavourit. Click HERE for pricing, and a sneak peek into two of my published recipes.

I hope you enjoy reading the book and trying something new…

Here’s to taking the culinary adventure into your kitchen!

Susan Ng