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Get your chopsticks ready! National Chop Suey Day recognizes this American Chinese culinary cuisine each year on August 29.

Chop suey, which means assorted pieces, is a dish in American Chinese cuisine. The main ingredients include meat (chicken, fish, beef, prawns or pork) and eggs. As the meat cooks over high heat, add vegetables (usually bean sprouts, cabbage, and celery). The dish is bound in a starch-thickened sauce. Typically, rice accompanies the flavorful dish.

According to food historian Alan Davidson, chop suey is “A prime example of culinary mythology.” These food myths happen with popular foods. Illustrated below, several colorful and conflicting stories tell of chop suey’s possible origin.

Chop Suey Stories

Some believe chop suey was invented in America by Chinese Americans. However, anthropologist E.N. Anderson finds another conclusion. According to Anderson, the word tsap seui means miscellaneous leftovers and hails from Taishan, a district of Guangdong Province. Many early Chinese immigrants traveled from their home in Taishan to the United States.

Another account claims Chinese American cooks who were working on the transcontinental railroad invented chop suey in the 19th century.

A prime example of culinary mythology. ~ Alan Davidson on the origin of chop suey.

One tale stemming from the Quing Dynasty connects to premier Li Hongzhang’s visit in 1896. According to the story, his chef wanted to create a meal suitable for both the Chinese and American palates. Another version of the story tells that Li wandered to a local Chinese restaurant after the hotel kitchen closed. Even though the chef was embarrassed because he had nothing prepared to offer, he made a dish for Li. Comprised of leftover scraps, the chef created the new “chop suey” dish.

Still another myth tells of an 1860s Chinese restaurant cook in San Francisco. After hours, the chef was forced to serve something to the drunken miners. He had nothing fresh to offer. However, to avoid a beating, he threw leftovers in a wok, providing a makeshift meal to the miners. The miners loved the dish, asking him for the name of the dish. To which the chef replied, “Chopped Sui.”

Traveling to the United States in 1903, Liang Oichao, a Guangdong native, wrote that there existed a food item called chop suey. While regularly served by Chinese restaurateurs, the local Chinese people did not eat this dish.

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HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalChopSueyDay

Of course, the directive of the day would be to enjoy some chop suey. But why stop there?

Take a cooking class and learn to make it yourself.
Pick up a Chinese American cookbook and find a new recipe.
Share your favorite chop suey recipe.
Give a shout out to the restaurant that cooks it best. We love it when you do that!

Be sure to use #NationalChopSueyDay to post on social media.

National Chop Suey Day: Best Activities & Things To Do On National Chop Suey Day: Way to Have a Good National Chop Suey Day
#NationalChopSueyDay — National Chop Suey Day: Best Activities & Things To Do On National Chop Suey Day: Way to Have a Good National Chop Suey Day

Chop Suey, USA: The Story of Chinese Food in America (Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History)#NationalChopSueyDay — National Chop Suey Day: Best Activities & Things To Do On National Chop Suey Day: Way to Have a Good National Chop Suey Day

5 POSITIVE THINKING IDEAS

Think positively. Expect great things. Challenge yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. If you struggle to keep a good attitude, here are a few steps you can take to move past that.

Write it down. List the negative things in your life… the things that really upset you and cause you to lose your cool. Seeing them on paper can help you recognize and address them when they happens in real life. Cross them off when you are able to overcome them.

Let go of expectations. Sometimes, negativity begins with unrealistic expectations of yourself or others. Understand that nobody is perfect… and the imperfections add character! They make life real and interesting. If you can learn to work with that, you, and those around you will be much happier.

Forgive yourself and others. Do not dwell on past mistakes. You are only hurting yourself if you do so.

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Surround yourself with positive people. Yeah yeah, we know, you hear it all the time… But if you can do that, you’ll start to see how happy & successful people think, and you’ll likely start to think the same way.

Use #PositiveAttitude to post on social media.