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When I'm in the states I regularly get sweets from a Chinese bakery in Chinatown. I'm often the only white guy there so I think it's reasonably authentic - Chin

When I'm in the states I regularly get sweets from a Chinese bakery in Chinatown. I'm often the only white guy there so I think it's reasonably authentic - Chinese friends have confirmed this. There may be weirder options (any vegetarian suggestions?) out there somewhere, but they don't seem particularly common even in Chinatown. Most folks seem to order similar things to me (albeit carnivorous).

uuuter 11y ago
The authenticity of said bakery may be true but one needs to go to a chinese dessert cafe or similar for a full menu of chinese traditional desserts. Various soups, congee (porridge), and jellies, and gelatin cakes. Again as someone else mentioned, it is not just the ingredients (coconut is very common) but the amounts and textures. Cashew nut soup is an example, and probably quite accessible.
- thaumasiotes 11y ago
  Speaking as someone (an American) who has lived in Shanghai for several years, I find the authenticity of the concept "Chinese dessert cafe" pretty questionable.
  - maaku 11y ago
    I'm not sure what you mean? I literally just ate at one in Hong Kong, and last week saw several in Taipei...
    - thaumasiotes 11y ago
      I'll take your word for it. I've never noticed such a thing. There's street food all over the place, sit-down restaurants are common, but dessert is vanishingly rare outside of foreign restaurants. The closest thing I've seen to a dessert cafe served waffles. :/ EDIT: I have confirmed that stores exist selling chinese sweet pastries. I'm happy to call this a win for you. (I also got a note saying Guangdong is known in China for the local prevalence of sweets, so Hong Kong would be especially likely to have such a local tradition.) One person I asked listed 纽约芝士蛋糕 ("New York style cheesecake") as an example of Chinese dessert, so there's that.
      - coldtea 11y ago
        >One person I asked listed 纽约芝士蛋糕 ("New York style cheesecake") as an example of Chinese dessert, so there's that. Yeah, not even close, there are such chinese places (with sweets etc), but "New York style cheesecake" is not even close to what they sell. "New York style cheesecake" is just something Chinese eat in westernized places -- so that would make it an example of Chinese dessert the same way McDonalds would be an example of Chinese food.
coldtea 11y ago
China is much bigger than Chinatown -- and then there are lots tons of regional differences, say between Hong Kong and Hainan. Even in places like Singapore, Malaisia, etc with multi-million Chinese communities you can find much more variety in foods & sweets than what's available in Chinatown.
- throwaway049 11y ago
  Somewhat relevant background on history of food in Chinatowns in different times and places in this BBC radio program, which I recommend. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0380gh0 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0380gh0

uuuter 11y ago

The authenticity of said bakery may be true but one needs to go to a chinese dessert cafe or similar for a full menu of chinese traditional desserts. Various soups, congee (porridge), and jellies, and gelatin cakes. Again as someone else mentioned, it is not just the ingredients (coconut is very common) but the amounts and textures. Cashew nut soup is an example, and probably quite accessible.

thaumasiotes 11y ago
Speaking as someone (an American) who has lived in Shanghai for several years, I find the authenticity of the concept "Chinese dessert cafe" pretty questionable.
- maaku 11y ago
  I'm not sure what you mean? I literally just ate at one in Hong Kong, and last week saw several in Taipei...
  - thaumasiotes 11y ago
    I'll take your word for it. I've never noticed such a thing. There's street food all over the place, sit-down restaurants are common, but dessert is vanishingly rare outside of foreign restaurants. The closest thing I've seen to a dessert cafe served waffles. :/ EDIT: I have confirmed that stores exist selling chinese sweet pastries. I'm happy to call this a win for you. (I also got a note saying Guangdong is known in China for the local prevalence of sweets, so Hong Kong would be especially likely to have such a local tradition.) One person I asked listed 纽约芝士蛋糕 ("New York style cheesecake") as an example of Chinese dessert, so there's that.
    - coldtea 11y ago
      >One person I asked listed 纽约芝士蛋糕 ("New York style cheesecake") as an example of Chinese dessert, so there's that. Yeah, not even close, there are such chinese places (with sweets etc), but "New York style cheesecake" is not even close to what they sell. "New York style cheesecake" is just something Chinese eat in westernized places -- so that would make it an example of Chinese dessert the same way McDonalds would be an example of Chinese food.

coldtea 11y ago

China is much bigger than Chinatown -- and then there are lots tons of regional differences, say between Hong Kong and Hainan. Even in places like Singapore, Malaisia, etc with multi-million Chinese communities you can find much more variety in foods & sweets than what's available in Chinatown.

throwaway049 11y ago
Somewhat relevant background on history of food in Chinatowns in different times and places in this BBC radio program, which I recommend. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0380gh0 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0380gh0