Noodles and Rice

Noodles have been around in China since the Han Dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE), and their longstanding prominence in the cuisine makes it clear that the Chinese love their noodles! Luckily, Marco Polo brought noodles to the West after his historic voyage to China.

Slurped, twirled or sipped, noodles are enjoyed morning, noon and night in China. They symbolize longevity: Long-Life Noodles, served on birthdays and the Chinese New Year, are never cut (the longer the noodle, the longer the life). Some of my favorite childhood memories are of gobbling up steaming bowls of my mother’s delicious Canton-Style Chicken Chow Mein or Three-Flavor Lo Mein on a cold day.