Meet Mock Duck, 5% off, Clued in to the Queue.

 

What is Mock Duck?

Image from sustymeals.com

Wikipedia: Mock duck is a gluten-based meat substitute. It is made of wheat gluten, oil, sugar, soy sauce, and salt, and is high in protein. We're seeing a lot more meat substitutes on the grocery shelves these days: Beyond Meat, Impossible Burgers, Tofurky, Herbivorous Butcher, etc.  Among the meatless options is the good old stand by, Mock Duck. A Chinese Buddhist staple since the Middle Ages, Mock Duck is a high-protein pressed gluten. Think hotdog— but shaped differently. Both are mysterious extrusions of the ingredient they are created from, and encased in a form unlike its origin. They both have a squishy, chewy texture, and can't be mistaken for real meat.  Mock Duck is has no real flavor of its own, it does act as a conduit for flavorful sauces, spices and smoke. For more history, read the Munchies article The Origins of Fake Meat Are Rooted in Chinese Cooking. Want to try mock duck? You can find it in our Curry Mock Duck, and it's also hidden in the Secret Meatless Menu, as a meat substitute. If your entree has options for Regular or Meatless, you can select Mock Duck,  a sponge and soaks up flavors you imbue it in. One of the surprises of mock duck is how well it handles grilling, smoking and deep frying. Try it here first, then look to the web for more mock duck cooking ideas. See the image below to for a clue to where to find the Secret Meatless Menu.

5 % Get 5% on select items when you use the coupon code below. Use the code below when you pay 012 345 The reward expires on May 16, 2021. No cash value. Not transferable. Valid in-store or via Square Online, if applicable. May be canceled at any time.

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May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

These emails are exploring topics that are part of American Chinese history. Recently, John Oliver of Last Week Tonight had an episode on Hair, specifically Black Hair. He exposes the ways what white culture controls, oppresses and discriminates against black culture, based on their hair. Historically, this is an on-going theme, here and across the pond. We can see where Indigenous Americans with their braids have been forced to cut their hair, and similarly with immigrants from China with their queue hairstyle. "Different forms of social control may demand different forms of hair treatment even in the same society.' Although obviously a private asset, hair needs to be interpreted as a public symbol." -Anthropologist Raymond Firth

The queue hairstyle was the common hairstyle of Chinese Manchu men. They were forced to wear their hair in this style to show submission to Manchu rule, otherwise they were executed. Coast to coast in America, Chinese men with the queue hairstyle were discriminated against, as illustrated by many political cartoons of the era. In San Francisco, the "Pigtail Ordinance" was an effort to keep potential Chinese immigrants from coming to the United States. "The cutting of queues imposed by whites during the late 19th century was humiliating if not emasculating." -1911 Chinese Revolution Changed Hairstyles of Men As Well As China's Government FInd out more about the queue in these articles: Illustrating Chinese Exclusion and The End of the Queue: Hair as Symbol in Chinese History

In an effort to learn more about America's past, including the opportunities and obstacles that challenged our immigrant workers, we've collected links to fill you in on some chapters that may have been skipped over in history class. There are several video documentaries available online to introduce you to the history-making Asians and Pacific Islanders that helped form what the United States is today. Explore the links below: PBS Asian Americans "Asian Americans film series that delivers a bold, fresh perspective on a history that matters today, more than ever. As America becomes more diverse, and more divided, while facing unimaginable challenges, how do we move forward together?" PBS Asian Americans (website)   PBS Asian Americans Video Documentaries: Episode Guide Watch episodes of Asian Americans on through June 26.  The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was the first law put forth to restrict immigration to the United States. Museum of Chinese in America article PBS Documentary on the Chinese Exclusion Act, trailer.

Picking up your order:

Our parking lot on the SOUTH side of the building is now open for pick up orders. If you opted in to Order Updates, you can let us know you've arrived by responding to your order confirmation. You can also call us to let us know you are here by calling us or ringing the doorbell. We often only have one person at the desk, so please have patience when you call us or pick up your order.