National Dumpling Day
Celebrate the joy and deliciousness of everything related to these tasty little balls of dough with National Dumpling Day!
History of National Dumpling Day
When people think of dumplings, their minds may conjure up a variety of images depending on where they hail from. Chinese filled dumplings such as dim sum or bao (which are steamed instead of boiled) might be what comes to mind. Other people might think of dumplings that are in soup, while still others might have their mouths watering of Czech dumplings that seem more like a slice of bread than a dumpling.
The origination of dumplings in China was probably by a medical practitioner during the Eastern Han Dynasty which lasted from around 200 BC to 200 AD. Not long after, the first written recipe for dumplings seems to have appeared in Roman culture in a cookery manuscript referred to as Apicus that is believed to have been written around 400 AD.
Made out of dough that is some sort of starch base, like wheat flour or potato starch, dumplings often act as a blank slate upon which other flavorful meals and tastes can be built.
How to Celebrate National Dumpling Day
Consider some of these ideas for getting involved with National Dumpling Day:
Enjoy Eating Dumplings
Head out to a restaurant and order a big pile of dumplings in honor of National Dumpling Day! The best bet for finding dumplings on the menu might be to choose a restaurant that offers Chinese cuisine. But they can also be found at American restaurants that serve southern-style home cooking, like Cracker Barrel.
Grab some friends to take along and order a variety of different types and styles of dumplings to compare and determine which ones are the best!
Try Making Dumplings at Home
Part of the fun of National Dumpling Day might be engaging in the process of making them. First, choose the style of dumplings to make and then search for a recipe. The easiest dumplings to make are probably the kind that are dropped directly into soup, but other options that include rolling, wrapping and stuffing might be an extra fun challenge.
Learn Some Fun Facts About Dumplings
Don’t forget to tell friends about National Dumpling Day! Perhaps it would be fun to work it into conversation with some of these clever bits of trivia about dumplings:
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More than 25 styles of dumplings exist. While many people think of Asian dumplings, most cultures in the world have some version of this, including Indian, Italian, Korean and more.
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Dumplings can be savory or sweet. While many people think of dumplings as a main dish, they can also be filled with delicious sweet flavors like grated coconut, cane sugar and even chocolate.
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Chinese legends say that dumplings were originally formed in the shape of little ears by a doctor who created them for people to eat to prevent getting frostbite on their ears.
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Dumplings can be prepared in many ways: frying, boiling, steaming, baking and simmering are all methods used for making them.
