1 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Faber production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 1: I'm any Recent and I'm Lauren Vogelbaum, and today we're 3 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: talking about General So's Chicken. Yes we are. Someone's going 4 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:23,600 Speaker 1: to be another fun adventure with pronunciation of her purpost. So. 5 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:27,480 Speaker 1: I really don't I don't have much experience with this one. 6 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: I know, I feel like we've been on a really 7 00:00:29,800 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: strong kick of these. I know. I think this is 8 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 1: like the fourth or fifth one. Um, my family used 9 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: to have a tradition again. I grew up in a 10 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 1: very small town of ordering Chinese food on a couple 11 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:46,160 Speaker 1: of Fridays a month from when I was growing up, 12 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: and we did it for so long. The woman who 13 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: ran that restaurant would just say forty seven dollars and 14 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: sixty three cents before we even placed order because she 15 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: knew we didn't deviate. Okay, it was exactly yeah, and 16 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:03,080 Speaker 1: that was it. And that's amazing. Um. I think this 17 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:06,400 Speaker 1: happened like semi recently. I'm not sure she still runs it, 18 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 1: but like a couple of years ago, I think she 19 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 1: still was like this is the amount. Me and my 20 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: two brothers had our things, and my little brother loved 21 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 1: the sesame chicken and it it came with like a 22 00:01:21,040 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: dipping sauce that I think was the sweet and sour sauce. Um. 23 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: And my older brother also got something like that, But 24 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,040 Speaker 1: I was all about the Mongolian beef and the egg 25 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: rolls and fried rice. Okay, okay, that was what it was. Sure, Yes, 26 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: I think I did try it General So's once at 27 00:01:43,640 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: a mall food court, but I thought it was too 28 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: sweet or something I just did in general, just didn't 29 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: do the fried chicken things with Chinese food. Sure, yeah. 30 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: Grow Growing up, my experience with American Chinese takeout culture 31 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 1: was yeah, well, my um my, my dad and I 32 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: would do like the Jewish American Christmas tradition of having 33 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,800 Speaker 1: Chinese on Christmas Day for lunch. He would usually make 34 00:02:08,840 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: something nice for dinner, but but yeah, yeah, for for 35 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: lunch we would have Chinese and um gosh. His his 36 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: favorite was eggfu Young and I can't remember. I genuinely 37 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 1: cannot remember what I used to order when I was 38 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:23,959 Speaker 1: a kid. I think it was probably like sesame or 39 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: orange chicken, which is basically a variation on General So's. 40 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: So yeah. These days, it's part of the regular circulation 41 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: of my households like late night order. Um, you know, 42 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: like like we're like, these are not sober humans who 43 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: or ordering this food at this juncture. But you know, 44 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,960 Speaker 1: like it's it's like, yes, please put some corn syrup 45 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: on my fried chicken. That would be delightful. I would 46 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: like you to deliver that to my face. That would 47 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: be amazing. Yes, I have to say, I mean, in general, 48 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,760 Speaker 1: this episode has left me with a kind of a 49 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 1: mayorganized Chinese food take out craving. Oh yes, oh oh 50 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: y'all the cravings in this one. I'm so sorry. I'm 51 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: so sorry. It's it's it's intense, and like I said, 52 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: I don't have much experience, which I will say, I 53 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 1: want it. I want it. It's very very tempting. And 54 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: I have to say, reading the story, which I imagine 55 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,239 Speaker 1: some of you are familiar with, we're gonna get into, um, 56 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 1: it did remind me very much of my time in 57 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: China when I first arrived. You know, Chinese food. It's 58 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:39,119 Speaker 1: a huge country, yeah, with many cultures and quisine and traditions. Yeah. Yeah, 59 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: it is absolutely not a monolith. Uh. And I was 60 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: lucky enough that I did get to travel and stay 61 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: and pretty wide. I mean That's another thing about China 62 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: is it's like physically huge, so it takes her ever 63 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 1: to get to places that on a map don't look 64 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: that far, yea. And I learned really really quickly just 65 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:01,240 Speaker 1: how different food was from place to place, but also 66 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:06,640 Speaker 1: extremely different from Chinese food in the United States. Um, 67 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: which made sense, It makes sense to me, but was 68 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: also really eye opening. And in my experience, I could 69 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: be totally wrong because I obviously did not go everywhere 70 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 1: in China. Most of the closest things I got to 71 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: americanized Chinese food were in Hong Kong. Oh sure, yeah, 72 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 1: still different but yeah, oh gosh delicious food though, yeah 73 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: this is this is also right yeah, so so many 74 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,359 Speaker 1: different engravings like I'm just I just want everything. I 75 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: want everything, like I missed my Sashwan places in Atlanta. Yes, yes, 76 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,479 Speaker 1: but all right, let us get to our question. Yes, 77 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: general sos chicken what is it? Oh? That is a 78 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: great question, um, but well, general so, sometimes called a 79 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 1: pronounced general sous chicken, is a dish composed of bite 80 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: sized pieces of marinated chicken usual dark meat, deep fried 81 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: and coated in this sweet, tangy, spicy sauce, often served 82 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 1: with steamed white rice and a vegetable, perhaps steamed broccoli. 83 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: The sauce can vary a bit, but the base ingredients 84 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,280 Speaker 1: are in order of like of like content by by 85 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 1: volume or weight. I guess sugar always sugar soy sauce 86 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: or perhaps the richer dark soy sauce, chicken stocking, rice wine, 87 00:05:24,880 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: which is a kind of dry rice wine, rice vinegar, 88 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 1: sesame oil, some minced ginger, minced garlic, maybe some scallions, 89 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 1: dried chilies, and a little bit of corn starch as 90 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: a thickener. Um. As an alternative, you can add some 91 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: orange juice and zest to make orange chicken, or top 92 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: it with sesame seeds, which is basically just what sesame 93 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 1: chicken is, and the result is just so brilliantly basic. 94 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:56,920 Speaker 1: Like it's just this absolute master class in comfort food contrast. 95 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: Like it's fatty and crispy and tender, um sweet and 96 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,880 Speaker 1: sour and spicy and savory. We've talked about in our 97 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 1: snack food episodes, how these types of contrasts make your 98 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 1: brain go oh weird, more of that, more pleased. I 99 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 1: want to keep eating this forever. Um. It's such a 100 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: comfort food um known by many other vaguely related names um, 101 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 1: in addition to every possible angelic sized spelling of So, 102 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: you've got General Gal's chicken or General MOUs chicken, General 103 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: Joe's chicken. Apparently in the U. S. Navy they call 104 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 1: it Admiral So's chicken, which is just such a tiny slight. 105 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: I love it. I love it. You can make it 106 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: at home if you so choose. The incomparable JAKENJ. Lopezult 107 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 1: of Serious Eats has just a journey of a recipe 108 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: for it up um, and I highly recommend checking that 109 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: out if you would like to make it for yourself. Yes, 110 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 1: I'm very scared by the whole venture, to be honest. 111 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:03,480 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, same, And I think journey of a recipe 112 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 1: is a great That's what I often go through in 113 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 1: my kitchen, ups and downs, emotional eyes and lows, you know. 114 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: But yes, what about the nutrition? Oh my goodness, y'all 115 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 1: eat a dang vegetable broccoli apparently? Oh yeah, yeah, I 116 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: love Whenever you get it would take out there's usually 117 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: like four pieces of broccoli. Yeah, and that's it. That's 118 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: what you get. Oh gosh, I mean okay, okay, like 119 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: it will it will fill you up and help keep 120 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:39,679 Speaker 1: you going. It is high in fat and saturated fat 121 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: and sugar and salt. It does have a good punch 122 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: of protein. Um, some vitamins and minerals in there. I 123 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 1: watch your serving sizes. It's it's sugary fried chicken. Yeah, 124 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:55,560 Speaker 1: fried chicken, and we added some sugar. We were like, 125 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: you know, you know this needs you know what type 126 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 1: of empty cal this doesn't have right now? Yes, um, 127 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: but we do have some numbers for you. We do 128 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: so these days they are about fifty thousand Chinese restaurants 129 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: in the United States, and that is more than KFC's, Wendy's, 130 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:21,560 Speaker 1: Burger King, and McDonald's combined. That's a very popular stat's throne. 131 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 1: Wh're talking about this In Panda Express sold eighty million 132 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: pounds of orange chicken, which has is related more on 133 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 1: that later. Also a lot. That is their top selling 134 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 1: at that year, and I assume most years that's their 135 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: top selling item. In food delivery website grub Hub reported 136 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: that General So's ranked as the most popular Chinese food 137 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:53,960 Speaker 1: item and the fourth most popular dish overall that year. Yeah, 138 00:08:54,320 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: it is particularly popular in the Eastern United States, not 139 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,680 Speaker 1: so popular in who Nonchin you know where it's sort 140 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 1: of kind of originated a little bit um where it 141 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: was inspired by Yes, oh, this sounds like one of 142 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: those really funny movie titles where it's like inspired by 143 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:19,839 Speaker 1: this thing that was influenced by this day. It was 144 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:23,760 Speaker 1: like eight things. Yeah, it's one of those truth poland 145 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 1: and then like a word, right, wait what is this about? Oh? Yeah, 146 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 1: and we are going to get into that history. Yes, 147 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 1: but first we're in a post for a quick break 148 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: for word from our sponsor, and we're back. Thank you sponsored, 149 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 1: Thank you. So. General so chicken has been the subject 150 00:09:55,559 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: of much food sleuthing. Yes, due to this popularity and 151 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:03,280 Speaker 1: due to the fact that it does not exist as 152 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 1: such outside of the United States. And yeah, shout out 153 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: to the excellent documentary The Search for General so Um, 154 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:17,280 Speaker 1: which came out in Yes. Okay, it's widely accepted that 155 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 1: this dish was created by Chinese chef Pong Chong Qui. 156 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: Born in Hunan in nineteen nineteen, Pong got into cooking 157 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:28,080 Speaker 1: at a young age, serving as an apprentice for famous 158 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: Punanese chef Sao jing Chen as a teenager. He went 159 00:10:32,720 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: on to become a chef for the Chinese National government, 160 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:40,200 Speaker 1: where he oversaw the national government's banquets until that regime 161 00:10:40,320 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 1: fell to Mao Zedong's Communist Party in nineteen forty nine, 162 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 1: and Pong fled alongside leaders of that political party to Taiwan. 163 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:53,439 Speaker 1: There he continued crafting these feasts and banquets for government officials. 164 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:56,599 Speaker 1: He opened a popular restaurant where he served class of 165 00:10:56,640 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 1: Hunan regional cuisine. As the story goes, he created General 166 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: Zos in or sometime in the fifties. He would later 167 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: recall um for a banquet for Chairman of the Joint 168 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:12,319 Speaker 1: Chiefs of Staff. In some versions of the story, he 169 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: specifically tried to satisfy the palate of American Admiral Arthur W. Radford. 170 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 1: And this original version of the dish was not battered 171 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 1: and fried, and it wasn't very sweet um. From what 172 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: I understand, most Conan cuisine wouldn't involve very much sugar. Um. 173 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:32,560 Speaker 1: But but yeah, I think that the chicken in this 174 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: original dish was skin on and was cooked until that 175 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: crisped before being coated in this tangy, spicy sauce. H 176 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:45,959 Speaker 1: and Pong named it after a famous Hunan war hero, 177 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:52,480 Speaker 1: jul Zongtang or Tong Um I tried. I'm sorry if 178 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 1: I ventured it. I tried who allegedly enjoyed eating this dish? 179 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:02,240 Speaker 1: Which is pretty much impossible for yes, it's he would 180 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: not have no, but it just cracked me up. People 181 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: were like, ye, like, but wait, aren't we saying it 182 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: wasn't really a thing? All right? Um? Yes, there are 183 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 1: no known written records of a dish by this name 184 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 1: prior to this um in cookbooks out of Hunan or 185 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 1: anything like that. I mean, I'm sure people were like, well, 186 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 1: we might have liked eating chicken, and I feel like 187 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 1: this is a different that's different. Yeah, yeah, absolutely yes. 188 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: But quick history aside. Joel was born in Hunan in 189 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: eighteen twelve. He was a very successful military leader UM 190 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:43,359 Speaker 1: in China, and is particularly known for reclaiming a strategic 191 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: and prized region from a group of weaker Muslims. According 192 00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: to Jennifer eight Lee, who has done extensive research on 193 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 1: Chinese food in America, he quote played an important role 194 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: in the Typing Rebellion, which was a civil war started 195 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 1: by a Chinese guy who thought he was the son 196 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 1: of God and the baby brother of Jesus Christ. Really 197 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:05,320 Speaker 1: was so great we had to include it. I know, 198 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:10,120 Speaker 1: I know, but this is history's most violent civil war, 199 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:15,600 Speaker 1: was somewhere between twenty two one million casualties. Yeah. Um, 200 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 1: and this guy was on the crush, the uprising peasants 201 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: side of the rebellion. And interestingly, um, because this dish 202 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 1: wound up being named after him, part of the belief 203 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: system that, from what I understand again, he and his 204 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:35,480 Speaker 1: peers were operating on, was this desire to maintain traditional 205 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 1: Chinese culture and to keep Western influence at a distance. Oh. 206 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 1: I feel like he would not have liked this dish. No, 207 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: it reminds me of the whole Graham crackers totally. Uh. Yeah, 208 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 1: this original dish, as you said, Lauren, was quite different 209 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: from what you probably get at Chinese restaurants in America. 210 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 1: Pong said of his this first creation, General So's Chicken 211 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: did not pre exist in Hunanese cuisine. But originally the 212 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 1: flavors of the dish were typical Hunanese heavy sour, hot, 213 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 1: and salty, and no broccoli. Nope, it wasn't and isn't 214 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 1: grown in China. That was an American edition. But okay, 215 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:24,040 Speaker 1: how and when did this dish get americanized? All right? 216 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 1: So in nine six five America changed his laws around 217 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 1: Chinese immigration. It had previously been barred because of the 218 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 1: Chinese Exclusion Act of eighteen eighty two. And yeah, okay, 219 00:14:36,200 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 1: so what had happened there was that during the gold 220 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: Rush of the eighteen forties and fifties there was this 221 00:14:42,480 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 1: influx of workers from China into California, and then later 222 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: after the Civil War that the American Civil War and 223 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 1: the economic depression that followed in many places, there was 224 00:14:55,120 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 1: this really xenophobic pushback against Chinese immigrants in America, like 225 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 1: there were massacres, like multiple I. I I really cannot overstate 226 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:08,360 Speaker 1: how racist and how pervasive the anti Chinese messaging was, 227 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:11,720 Speaker 1: especially in the West. Um And there were then a 228 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 1: number of laws passed in California and then nationally that 229 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: restricted first immigration of Chinese women to prevent families from 230 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: settling here, and and then Chinese people in general, with 231 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: a very few class related exceptions. In the early nineteen hundreds, 232 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 1: one of those exemptions was for restaurant owners, which is 233 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 1: part of what began the widespread creation of Chinese American 234 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 1: restaurants throughout the United States. Um UH that in the 235 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 1: creation of other small businesses like laundry services, were some 236 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 1: of the only options the Chinese people had here. UM. 237 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:47,520 Speaker 1: They were literally excluded from many other forms of labor, 238 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 1: both legally and extra legally. And through UM inter community 239 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: support structures UM for for example, these community associations that 240 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 1: sprung up to help people like just figure out how 241 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: to exist here and and which remind me a lot 242 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,440 Speaker 1: of the mutual aid societies that were solidifying in New 243 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: Orleans around the same time. Through UM. Through this community support, 244 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: this diaspora of immigrants spread out eastward across the United States, 245 00:16:15,080 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: sometimes in big cities, forming a like local Chinatown type population, 246 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:22,720 Speaker 1: but often in the interest of not competing with other 247 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 1: members of the community, a family would settle in a 248 00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: small town, you know, being the only Chinese family there, 249 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: and often would open a restaurant. And this is where 250 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: we get the first Chinese American dishes like chop suey, 251 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: things that like, really, we're not Chinese dishes, UM, but 252 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: might have been using some exotic Chinese ingredients UM in 253 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:51,680 Speaker 1: ways that seemed both exciting and safe to white Americans. UM. 254 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: It was very smart and savvy, very effective as a 255 00:16:55,880 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 1: form of soft politics UM and very grassroots, just really 256 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 1: really amazing efforts by people who were making the best 257 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 1: of an incredibly bad situation. Mm hm. Those laws began 258 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 1: to change when China became an ally of the United 259 00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 1: States during World War Two, but then got more stringent 260 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:17,399 Speaker 1: as a result of the communism scare in the nineteen 261 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:21,200 Speaker 1: fifties UM, and then finally during the Civil Rights Movement, 262 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:26,360 Speaker 1: these and other racially discriminatory laws that were preventing immigration 263 00:17:26,680 --> 00:17:30,119 Speaker 1: based on national origins, based on any national origin that 264 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,800 Speaker 1: basically wasn't like northwestern Europe. All of those laws were 265 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 1: struck town in like nineteen sixty five, with some effects 266 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: permeating out from there. But yes, so back to the 267 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 1: mid nineteen sixties, right, So, more and more Chinese and 268 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:50,160 Speaker 1: Taiwanese chefs began arriving and opening restaurants in the United States. UM, 269 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 1: and chefs would place ads bragging that they were the 270 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,120 Speaker 1: first to serve dish X y Z United States, kind 271 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,159 Speaker 1: of really competing with each other and upping the anti 272 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 1: yeah yeah. Palm opened his first restaurant in New York 273 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:08,159 Speaker 1: in nineteen seventies three. At the time, Hunanese food was 274 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:11,800 Speaker 1: relatively unknown in the United States, but soon Pong's restaurant 275 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,560 Speaker 1: gained a clientele from the nearby United Nations headquarters, and 276 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: in particular the then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. According 277 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:24,159 Speaker 1: to Palm, Kissinger visited as every time he was in 278 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:27,199 Speaker 1: New York, and we became great friends. It was he 279 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:32,359 Speaker 1: who brought Hunanese food to public notice. In nineteen seventy seven, 280 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,439 Speaker 1: a food reviewer for The New York Times called the 281 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: dish at Pong's restaurant Generals quote a stir fried masterpiece, 282 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:46,640 Speaker 1: sizzling hot broth and flavor and temperature, flavor and um. 283 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:50,120 Speaker 1: Kissinger himself may have been turned onto this dish after 284 00:18:50,160 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: President Nixon had it when visiting China in nineteen seventy two. 285 00:18:54,960 --> 00:18:56,639 Speaker 1: And yeah, I don't have like a whole lot of 286 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:59,119 Speaker 1: nice things to say about Nixon, but that visit does 287 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:01,760 Speaker 1: seem to have done a want to improve Um White 288 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:07,000 Speaker 1: Americans attitudes towards their Chinese American neighbors. At the time, right, 289 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:11,400 Speaker 1: Um and purveyors of Chinese food in America did adapt 290 00:19:11,520 --> 00:19:16,639 Speaker 1: their dishes to the palettes of Americans, often adding sweetness 291 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:21,360 Speaker 1: and or deep drying protein. Um Pong did the same 292 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:25,200 Speaker 1: with Generals chicken, crisping it up and sweetening it. Um. 293 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 1: He returned to Taiwan and the late eighties quite wealthy. 294 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,080 Speaker 1: His influence was seen on Chinese menus and dishes across 295 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:34,639 Speaker 1: the United States, helped along by chefs who worked with 296 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 1: or near him. And I have to say, um reading 297 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 1: interviews with him, because people have gone and asked him 298 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:46,879 Speaker 1: like tell us a story, and over time, I think 299 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:50,160 Speaker 1: he was sort of confused and amused by it at first, 300 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:51,960 Speaker 1: and then he was kind of like, well, what have 301 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 1: you done to this dish? So I know there's in 302 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:01,000 Speaker 1: some articles I read he said he did adapted to 303 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 1: like American taste, especially with the sugar, and then others 304 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:08,480 Speaker 1: he was kind of like unclear about how much he 305 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: did that, so I assume he did. But anyway, grain 306 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 1: of salt with that, yeah, Lee. The researcher you mentioned 307 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 1: earlier posits that the first recipe for this American version 308 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:27,160 Speaker 1: of General Sos was actually called General Ching's Chicken, which 309 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:30,919 Speaker 1: was a fried, sweet and sour dish. It originated in 310 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: New York after it was created by chef T. T. Wong. 311 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:37,920 Speaker 1: Potentially he picked it up from Pong after a culinary 312 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 1: trip to Taiwan and then possibly modified it American taste. 313 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:50,680 Speaker 1: General Ching was a mentor of General Jewels. Anyway, sometime 314 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 1: in the nineteen eighties, the name General So's combined with 315 00:20:54,240 --> 00:21:00,640 Speaker 1: General Ching's the recipe and there you go or possibly 316 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 1: see happening. Yeah yeah, and uh that that that story 317 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: about Um Wang having visited Uh Pong's restaurant is one 318 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:14,200 Speaker 1: that I've heard from multiple sources as well. And uh 319 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:19,960 Speaker 1: there's furthermore a story that representatives from McDonald's were sniffing 320 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 1: around Pong's restaurants around this time, and that that's where 321 00:21:23,840 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: they developed the formula for the breading of chicken nuggets. 322 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:34,679 Speaker 1: Oh wow, Uh yeah, nuggets. Can't can't avoid them. No, 323 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:36,919 Speaker 1: And also I saw it come up in terms of 324 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:42,040 Speaker 1: the sweet and sour sauce. Oh sure, right right, Speaking 325 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 1: of very brief Orange chicken aside, So Panda Express, the 326 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:52,160 Speaker 1: largest Chinese fast food chain in the United States, claims 327 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:56,840 Speaker 1: to have created orange chicken, the product of the then 328 00:21:56,920 --> 00:22:01,920 Speaker 1: executive chef Andy Cow classically French Train. He invented this 329 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 1: dish at one of the company's Hawaii locations. He called 330 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:08,439 Speaker 1: it a variation of General Sos Chicken when he created 331 00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: at the request of customers. In the words of Chef 332 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: Jimmy Wong who works at Panda Expresses California Innovation Kitchen. Yes, 333 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: orange chicken is probably one of the most genius creations 334 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:23,000 Speaker 1: in the past thirty years. It's taking everything that we 335 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:25,960 Speaker 1: love crispy fried chicken tossed with savory, sweet and sour 336 00:22:26,040 --> 00:22:28,399 Speaker 1: sauce that really hits all the senses and taste buds 337 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:34,919 Speaker 1: in your mouth. Yep, yep, that's it. That's what it is. True, 338 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 1: And unfortunately Pung didn't find very much success in New 339 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 1: York City. Apparently Chef Wong's versions of like Hunan American 340 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 1: dishes were more popular, so he wound up not staying. 341 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 1: Pong wound up not staying in the United States for 342 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:56,440 Speaker 1: very long. M Yeah, and when he returned to his 343 00:22:56,520 --> 00:23:00,880 Speaker 1: hometown in Hunan to open a restaurant, he included general 344 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 1: sous on the menu. However, the restaurant didn't last too 345 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:06,440 Speaker 1: long and the dish itself wasn't very pop through there. 346 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 1: Too sweet was the big complaint about it, but that 347 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:13,679 Speaker 1: didn't stop some of the top chefs in that area 348 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:16,360 Speaker 1: from learning how to make it. And when those chefs 349 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: did demonstrations abroad, people expected them to know how to 350 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: make general sous because they thought that's where it's from. 351 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: The most famous Hunanese dish, as it has been called. Yeah, 352 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:32,159 Speaker 1: and it may have been a point of pride and 353 00:23:32,359 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 1: unwillingness to admit this popular Hunanese dish actually originated from 354 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: an exiled political party in Taiwan, or perhaps a strategic 355 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:44,240 Speaker 1: decision to not ignore a dish of such world renown, 356 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,880 Speaker 1: and when Hunanese cuisine in general wasn't very well known. 357 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 1: Maybe it was all the above and more. But whatever 358 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:54,680 Speaker 1: the case, some Hunanes chefs began including it in their 359 00:23:54,760 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 1: recipe collections, particularly those targeted towards a Taiwanese audience. Yeah. So, 360 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: even though most people who live in Hunn I've never 361 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:08,639 Speaker 1: heard of it, some of the province's top chefs like 362 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 1: cling to it as a whu non original. Mm hmmm. 363 00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:17,320 Speaker 1: Here's another quote from me, what I discovered in America. 364 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,399 Speaker 1: General So's like Colonel Sanders is known for chicken and 365 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 1: not war. In China, he is known for war and 366 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 1: not chicken. Yes, and the documentary The Search for General 367 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:34,200 Speaker 1: So came out, Lee said of it, the film uses 368 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: the ubiquitous spicy sweet chicken dish as a window into 369 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:40,400 Speaker 1: the Chinese American immigrant experience in a way, it reflects 370 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:43,959 Speaker 1: my own experience growing up Chinese American. Oh, it's such 371 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: a it's such a great documentary. I really really do 372 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:49,359 Speaker 1: recommend watching it. It's just got interviews with a whole 373 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 1: lot of extremely delightful, very passionate human people. And and 374 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:59,320 Speaker 1: one in one of the segments, the film crew goes 375 00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:04,600 Speaker 1: around to places in in Hunan and like show them 376 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 1: photographs of General So's chicken from America and they're like, 377 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: what is this? Do you know what this is? And 378 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:17,439 Speaker 1: they're like what, what the heck is that? Is that food? 379 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:27,400 Speaker 1: Like that? What do you do? Yeah, it's very it's 380 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: very sweet. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it is amazing. As we 381 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:34,919 Speaker 1: so often talked about on the show, but this is 382 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 1: a dish that once again tells so much like a 383 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 1: story in history, just plate of food. It's amazing. When 384 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:47,959 Speaker 1: asked about America's take on General Sous chicken speaking of 385 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 1: Hong said, nonsense, and I believe is it in the 386 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: documentary They showed him pictures as well, and he was like, oh, 387 00:25:58,280 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 1: I don't got away from me. That was that was 388 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 1: very very much the the emotion that he espoused about it. Yes, yes, um, 389 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 1: he died in Pong Did at the age of He 390 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:22,359 Speaker 1: was still cooking in one of his family's ten restaurants 391 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:27,119 Speaker 1: in Taiwan basically up to his death. Yeah. Yeah, he 392 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:32,159 Speaker 1: sounded like somebody who really enjoyed the working, working in 393 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 1: the kitchen and creating these things. Yeah, a lot of 394 00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:42,200 Speaker 1: twist and turns in this story, and I so badly 395 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: the craving it's it is one of the more intense 396 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 1: ones that I mean, like I feel like I say 397 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: this every other episode, but yeah, like like that, this 398 00:26:53,359 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 1: is one that I'm actually serious about. I'm like, I 399 00:26:56,040 --> 00:26:59,040 Speaker 1: don't usually order this dish unless I'm drunk at two 400 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: in the morning, but like this might be what's happening 401 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 1: for dinner, Like that just might be it. Like I 402 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:09,080 Speaker 1: don't know if I can resist. I don't. I don't 403 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 1: who can resist the call? I hope you get it 404 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:16,960 Speaker 1: and tell me how it goes. I'm actually just now 405 00:27:17,040 --> 00:27:21,200 Speaker 1: getting to because of a variety of high jinks. I'm 406 00:27:21,240 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: just now getting to my st Patrick's day corned beef. 407 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 1: So I made a huge thing of that, so I 408 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,200 Speaker 1: can't I gotta wait till that's gone. Okay, okay, yeah, yeah, 409 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:36,400 Speaker 1: but that actually is a good segue into our listener mail. 410 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:39,560 Speaker 1: We have Oh yes, but first we've got one more 411 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: quick break for a word from our sponsor, and we're back. 412 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 1: Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you, and we're back with 413 00:27:55,240 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 1: listener sweet and sour. That's great, me wrote related happy 414 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 1: St Patrick's day. I just listened to your latest episode 415 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:14,600 Speaker 1: and had to write in with more Guinness is good 416 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 1: for you lore. The Irish Blood Transfusion Service used to 417 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: offer blood donors a bottle of Guinness after their donation 418 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 1: to restore their iron levels. This ended around two thousand 419 00:28:27,359 --> 00:28:30,360 Speaker 1: nine or two thousand ten before my donating career, due 420 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 1: to changing blood alcoholm it's for drivers and I suppose 421 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:36,680 Speaker 1: quote moving with the times, it was deep no longer 422 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: an appropriate partnership. Nowadays, the blood donation clinics offer non 423 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:44,480 Speaker 1: alcoholic soft drinks like seven up Pepsi Club Orange, which 424 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 1: is an Irish soda made quote with the bits um 425 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:51,800 Speaker 1: or tea and coffee. I made my tenth donation on Tuesday, 426 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 1: but had a Guinness myself at home for the nutritional 427 00:28:54,560 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 1: patriotic value and then yeah, I love it. I love 428 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:05,080 Speaker 1: it so much, I so I think Within hours after 429 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: the Guinness episode went up. We received so many maile 430 00:29:09,120 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 1: of so much for me, all about Guinness, and I'm 431 00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:16,000 Speaker 1: so excited to read it. I love it. Yes, awesome. 432 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 1: Anything that inspires a passion like that is so so entertaining, 433 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:27,440 Speaker 1: so inspiring. M. Sweat t wrote, I just finished listening 434 00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:29,520 Speaker 1: to your Guinness episode while I was working and took 435 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 1: a break to write this. Listening to Annie's story made 436 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:33,920 Speaker 1: me reminisce to my own trip that I took to 437 00:29:33,960 --> 00:29:37,240 Speaker 1: Dublin with my best friend at the beginning of clearly 438 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:41,320 Speaker 1: before the entire world shut down. L O l Annie Who. 439 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:44,080 Speaker 1: That's a story that's been shared already. What I wanted 440 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:46,440 Speaker 1: to share was a little tradition we came up with 441 00:29:46,480 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 1: after that trip. Since we got back from our trip, 442 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:51,680 Speaker 1: we decided that every year on the anniversary of our 443 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 1: visit to the Guinness Storehouse January eight and the Jamison 444 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 1: Distillery January nine, we would share those specific drinks on 445 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 1: their respective anniversaries. Now at St. Patrick's Day where it 446 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:05,400 Speaker 1: all comes together. So yesterday, for our second St. Patty's 447 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:07,400 Speaker 1: Day in a row, we went to an outdoor bar 448 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:10,160 Speaker 1: and shared a warm shot of Jamison and chased it 449 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:12,960 Speaker 1: with our pints of Guinness, and every year we say 450 00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,480 Speaker 1: the same toast to each other. I don't know what 451 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: I would do without you in my life. I love 452 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 1: you and Siluncha. It's a tradition that I can't wait 453 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 1: to continue till we're old but still slinging shots back, 454 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 1: this time in rocking chairs. Oh so lovely, you guys 455 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 1: writing with the best traditions, I know, yes, oh yeah. 456 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:37,160 Speaker 1: And I'm not sure if I've told this story before, 457 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 1: but the Guinness Brewery is located near the Jamison Distillery. 458 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 1: Um so I think I did a similar thing. And 459 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:50,680 Speaker 1: I remember being like wide eyed American tourist, who is 460 00:30:50,720 --> 00:30:53,600 Speaker 1: going on this Jamison tour? And I kid you not. 461 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:58,719 Speaker 1: They poured like three pretty big pores of because they 462 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:03,760 Speaker 1: wanted you to compare Jamison with Johnny Walker and the 463 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:09,640 Speaker 1: other one whiskey. So like you had these like three 464 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:14,720 Speaker 1: like decent, decent sized pores. Was it? What's the one 465 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:17,760 Speaker 1: from Kentucky? It was? It's American one of Scottish one 466 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:21,280 Speaker 1: in an Irish one. Okay, maybe Jack Daniels or yeah, yeah, 467 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:25,320 Speaker 1: I think so. And I remember being like, wow, so 468 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:30,040 Speaker 1: American distillery. Ser bit's stingy on the pores are there 469 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:34,520 Speaker 1: a bit a bit overboard. I'm not sure which, but alright, 470 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:38,800 Speaker 1: try your competitors whiskey as well. Sure, yeah, I'll take 471 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:42,240 Speaker 1: three shots despite what what I might have going on 472 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:45,840 Speaker 1: for the rest of my life. Yeah, okay, it was 473 00:31:45,880 --> 00:31:49,840 Speaker 1: a really good tour. It was that aside, it was 474 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 1: the science is really cool. Um yeah yeah, So thank 475 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:58,320 Speaker 1: you to both of them for writing in very much 476 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 1: looking forward to reading a few sure in this related 477 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 1: emails that we have um in the meantime, if you 478 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 1: would like to email, as you can our emails Hello 479 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:10,160 Speaker 1: at savor pod dot com. We're also on social media. 480 00:32:10,280 --> 00:32:13,240 Speaker 1: You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at 481 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:15,240 Speaker 1: savor pod, and we do hope to hear from you. 482 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:18,320 Speaker 1: Savor is production of I Heart Radio four more podcasts 483 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:20,600 Speaker 1: my Heart Radio. You can visit the I Heart Radio app, 484 00:32:20,640 --> 00:32:23,720 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. 485 00:32:24,160 --> 00:32:26,800 Speaker 1: Thanks as always to our super producers Dylan Fagan and 486 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:29,040 Speaker 1: Andrew Howard. Thanks to you for listening, and we hope 487 00:32:29,040 --> 00:32:38,440 Speaker 1: that lots more good things are coming your way.