My friend posted a mouthwatering photo of a Japanese restaurant's Udon Carbonara, and I was literally salivating looking at it. Carbonara is one of my husband's favorite dishes, so I quickly and excitedly showed him. But in his French purist way, he responded with aggressive disgust. What's ironic to me is a white person being purist about food, when there's been an expectation throughout history that Asian restaurants in western countries appeal to white palates. That's what so many Asian restaurants have had to do to survive, but without appreciation for their food and cultures. Not to mention, there are a lot of beloved foods around the world that actually find their origins in China.

Anyhow , this got me thinking about fusion foods and I want to know what you think, too...

I discovered Xi'An Famous Foods (XFF) through an Asian creatives Facebook group I'm in and was immediately excited, because most westerners fail to realize how diverse Chinese food is. In most westerners' eyes, Chinese food is orange chicken and fried rice. I think there's also the misconception that rice is a staple across all Chinese foods. But actually, in northern China, where wheat is the abundant crop, noodles and breads are the staple. What was more exciting is XFF's meal kits. Since XFF is based in New York, being able to order their famous Biang Biang Mien (ripped noodles) and rip the noodles myself for fresh biang biang mien seemed like the perfect Christmas gift for my parents...especially my dad. So, let me tell you about our spicy Christmas meal...