Baozi (包子)

Today I happened upon a small hole-in-the-wall baozi place. The translation of its Chinese name was "specialty baozi shop". And boy were they good. Baozi are steamed buns with a filling, usually meat. This place had really nice baozi of all types, including vegetable, pork, mushroom, beef, chicken, and even sweet sesame. Mmmm....

I love baozi because they're just a nice package of food. One baozi hits the spot if you just need a snack and two or three make a meal. They're like sandwiches that can't fall apart.

My mom used to make baozi all the time when I was a kid. Once in fourth grade, I brought two baozi to school for lunch. With great anticipation, I asked the lunchladies to help me warm them up. The aroma of the heated baozi only increased my sense of urgency as I hurried to my seat. "What are those?" My friend Larry asked. "Baozi." I replied, about to take my first bite. Then I saw how he was eyeing them, with the slightest hint of saliva about to drip out of the corner of his mouth, and I knew I had to share the goodness that was my mother's baozi.

"Here you go," I said, as I gave him my second baozi. "Thanks!" Larry's eyes lit up as he took the offering, and eagerly took a bite.

What happened next, I did not expect.

Larry spit out the bite of baozi and let the rest of it slip out of his hands and fall on the floor.

"What was that for??" I demanded. A small piece of me had died. My mother's baozi. My empty stomach. All sacrificed for this ungrateful SOB.

"Was that pork? I'm Jewish. I can't eat pork!"

Well why didn't you say so before dammit!