town zealously guard this heritage. From the cock's crow at dawn through dusk and deepest night and dawn again, always there is some Chinese eating place open. Some of the famous non-Cantonese dishes, such as Peking duck or Szechuan's parchment wrapped chicken, centuries ago have been incorporated into the Cantonese cuisine.
Strolling along Grant Ave. (still called by the old denizens of the district "Dupont Gai"―its pre-earthquake name), you will observe on week end or holiday evenings perhaps 300 or 400 Chinese pouring out of any one of the larger restaurants, having enjoyed a ten-course banquet as part of a family association convention, a wedding celebration, or a month-old-baby party. Daily smaller parties of from 10 to 40 persons are routine.
After late dances and dates, you will see Chinese couples going for snacks. At dawn when most of the city still sleeps, Chinatown is stirringf. Its "jook" or rice gruel house is busy with early workers stepping in for a hot, nourishing bowl of "jook" laced with meat balls, or sliced fish and a native-style non-sweet cruller to chew.
In the same cracker box "jook" house, late carousers may be enjoying the same dishes as antidotes for a too lively evening.
At high noon, Chinatown exchanges gossip and its businessmen do business pleasantly at the several tea-houses, nibbling at "deem sum" (touch of the heart meat balls) and other assorted tidbits such as taro root, fried turnovers and red bean curd, stewed chicken feet, and sipping rare choice teas.
Strolling along Grant Ave. in the morning, you will see for yourself another chapter of the Chinatown gourmet story. Before import-export houses such as Wo Kee Company, which has a slogan proudly painted "Established since 1856" trucks are unloading crates from Hong Kong filled with ginko nuts, birds nests for soup, dried mushrooms and other exotic fare.
Trucks from the hot valley farms are loaded with two dozen varieties of native Chinese vegetables such as winter melons larger than basketballs, little fuzzy squash, foot-long beans and green bitter melons translucent as carved jade. Native groceries have (Continued on Page 12)
CHINATOWN NEWS, JUNE 18, 1961
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A candidate for Park Commissioner in the civic election June 21 is Mrs. Grace Mary McCarthy, of Grayce Florists. The Vancouver born business executive has two children―Mary and Calvin. Her husband, Ray, a Lions member, is an insurance agent.
As past president of both Hastings Chamber of Commerce and Vancouver Credit Woman's Breakfast Club, a director of the B.C. Allied Florists and PNE's Horticulture Committee, Mrs. McCarthy is holder of "Telegraphic Delivery Service" trophy.
Mrs. McCarthy advocates a vigorous program of: developing neighborhood parks and recreational facilities; expanding park services along with a training program for retarded children; installing of cement flooring for "New Brighton" pool.
She is sponsored and nominated by Angelo E. Branca, QC and Harry J. Degraves, former alderman.
PACE SEVEN