Han- Earlier this year, I nearly freaked when his cheffy son (he really is a chef for a living) visited us and bought 1 lb. of butter. He used 1/2 of it for 2 fantastic gourmet 4-course meals that he prepared for us during his visit. It a time that one takes photos of this rare food family gathering-prep.

During these special occasions, I will eat this food. It is food made with love and good intentions. He lives thousands of kms. away. We see him once a year....if that.

When I eat food with too much butter, I get mild diaherra later on. It's not surprising..since my whole diet orientation never included much butter since I was born. I don't consider my body's response a bad thing. It keeps me in check.

Since I have used skim milk for anything in the past 15 years, I now can seriously taste the creaminess of 2% and homogenized milk.

Crankin: Asian restaurant food is often more fattening. If I had it often, I would get plump too. When I eat out in an Asian restaurant, it is safer to choose large soup broth with veggie base and vermicelli, etc. It fills you and if the soup base is not fatty, it's a great alternative. With some little appetizers on side.

However there is a whole suite of home-Asian cooking that is light and nutritious. Some of it not documented in English language recipes books nor served in restaurants often in North America.

I honestly believe my diet and weight control is partially due to using some of my mother's Chinese cooking styles...there are steamed meat dishes, steamed savoury egg dishes, stir-frying with very little oil... A true Chinese food gourmet understands..the delicacy of properly poached....whole chicken..then sliced and served cold with dipping sauces. That's a real contrast to deep fried sweet and sour chicken balls (I've never understood what people find tasty about them).

Anyway, I get excited when I see fresh lotus root, fresh water chestnuts or daikon root at a good price. All of this stuff is "Asian" but add healthy fibre to a dish. One would be hard pressed to believe that wood fungus, like wood ears, is full of calories. It's just textural thing.

I still don't even understand the nutritional benefits of what I eat (like the stuff I just mentioned) since I was a child...but if it's in moderation, probably ok. Strongest evidence would be the health of my father..he is my most powerful evidence of healthy home-cooked Chinese meals...alot less soy sauce, fat, etc. At 79, no respiratory nor cardiovascular problems. Has low blood pressure. I believe he is around 108-110 lbs. at 5'3". Doesn't exercise much, if you want to consider a 15 min. walk daily.