HISTORY OF DUMPLINGS
Where there are records of dumpling like foods found in Apicius, an ancient Roman recipe book, the modern day dumpling, known as Jiaozi, originates during the Han dynasty 1,800 years ago with the folktale of Zhang Zhongjian. The story goes that he was a medicinal man who returned to his village after a long leave of absence to find that during the harsh winter, most of the villagers had gotten frost bite - predominately in their ears. Zhang wanted to help his village, so he assembled mutton, herbs and chilis in a pocket of dough designed to look like ears and boiled them. He told the village that it was meant to warm their bodies and promote blood circulation to their extremities. This folktale, fact or fiction, is widely accepted as the origin of modern dumplings.
HISTORY OF DUMPLINGS
Where there are records of dumpling like foods found in Apicius, an ancient Roman recipe book, the modern day dumpling, known as Jiaozi, originates during the Han dynasty 1,800 years ago with the folktale of Zhang Zhongjian. The story goes that he was a medicinal man who returned to his village after a long leave of absence to find that during the harsh winter, most of the villagers had gotten frost bite - predominately in their ears. Zhang wanted to help his village, so he assembled mutton, herbs and chilis in a pocket of dough designed to look like ears and boiled them. He told the village that it was meant to warm their bodies and promote blood circulation to their extremities. This folktale, fact or fiction, is widely accepted as the origin of modern dumplings.
MULTIPLE DISCOVERY
Dumplings are one of those apparitions that appear all over the world and in every culture. Though different in appearance and in name, the idea of stuffing meats, grains and vegetables within doughs and breads has propped up across time and space. Gyoza, Har gao, empanadas, perogies, kreplach, mandoo, ravioli, wontons, samosas, pasties, and the list continues.
