One disadvantage of not knowing how to read in Chinese is that you miss out on the more fun dates in the Chinese calendar. One of them being the annual "Chang Festival" which is today.
Since chang making is predominantly a cottage industry, you have to know people who know people to be able to order good ones at reasonable prices. Restaurants like the ones featured in Ho Chiak! will probably charge the earth for one chang, but they usually have additional yummilicious goodies as fillings in addition to the basic chestnut (compulsory or I won't eat the chang), salted egg yolk, Chinese mushroom and pork.
Although changs are available all year round, it is during this time that the more creative and delicious varieties make an appearance.
I missed my chance to order my changs this year because my parents are not very big fans and I usually get my heads up on the arrival of the Chang Festival from neighbors and colleagues. Ordering changs by the dozens is a yearly affair for me and I will be on a chang diet breakfast, lunch and dinner for about a week at least. I used to get to order these HUGE changs from my ex-colleague's Grandma, but since I lost touch with her, had to find other sources which are not as good.
I remember one particular year when I ordered about 50 changs and did not inform my family about it. Then my brother brought home about 20 and my aunts each gave some too, so the whole family ended up eating changs for weeks. Ha ha....not that I was complaining.
The Chang Festival originated in China when some scholar, heartbroken about the state of the country committed suicide by throwing himself into the sea. The citizens, who love him very much threw changs into the sea so that the sharks will not eat the scholar.
HAPPY CHANG FESTIVAL, EVERYONE!
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