Our mission is to provide resources and support for the local Asian, South Asian, Pacific Islander American community, and increase the visibility and representation of the Asian American diaspora in Evanston’s civic, cultural and community spaces through the arts.
This year's
Umbrella Box
is filled with a delicious
assortment of cookies and treats! Thank you to our amazing bakers including:
Shimako Walker, Hyun Jung Jun, Michèle Millan, Elaine Darer,
Sheau-ming Ross, Lucky Palo
and Nayon!
What are the sayings and languages found on the front of your story card?
Wishing others a good meal or as they say in French 'bon appétit' we offer similar wishes in languages from a few different Asian cultures.*
તમારા ભોજનનો આનંદ માણો
(Tamārā bhōjananō ānanda māṇō)
Gujarati
Masiyahan sa iyong pagkain
Filipino/Tagalog
请享用
(Qǐng xiǎngyòng)
Chinese
अपने भोजन का आनंद लें
(apane bhojan ka aanand len)
Hindi
E hauʻoli i kāu ʻai
Hawaiian
Selamat makan
Indonesian
お食事をお楽しみください
(O shokuji o o tanoshimi kudasai)
Japanese
Nikmati hidangan anda
Malay
맛있게 드세요
(mas-issge deuseyo)
Korean
உணவை இரசித்து உண்ணுங்கள்
(Uṇavai iracittu uṇṇuṅkaḷ)
Tamil
Ăn ngon miệng nhé
Vietnamese
Thān h̄ı̂ xr̀xy
Thai
រីករាយជាមួយអាហាររបស់អ្នក
(rikreay cheamuoy ahar robsa anak)
Khmer
ਆਪਣੇ ਖਾਣੇ ਦਾ ਆਨੰਦ ਮਾਣੋ
(Āpaṇē khāṇē dā ānada māṇō)
Punjabi
ເຊີນແຊບ
(soen aesb)
Lao
Txaus siab rau koj noj mov
Hmong
Some of the treats you'll find in your Umbrella Box:
Pineapple Tart (Taiwanese)
Goguma Cookie (Korean Sweet Potato Cookie)
Ube Palmier (Filipino Purple Yam Pastry)
Soba Boro Cookie (Japanese Buckwheat Cookie)
Red Bean Mooncake (Chinese)
Thai Red Chili Peanut Cookie (Thai)
Nian Gao (Chinese Sweet Rice Cake)
Chinese Five Spice Ginger Cookie
Cardamom Cookie (Indian)
Buko Pandan Bibingka (Filipino Coconut Rice Cake)
Sesame Cookie
Strawberry Matcha Cloud
Furikake Snack Mix (Japanese)
Chikki Peanut Brittle (Indian Peanut and Sesame Brittle)
Please note that we do our best to ensure that each box contains as many of the above treats as we can include!
Check out some of the fun facts and stories about the flavors, spices, ingredients and regions that we love...
Nian Gao is a traditional Chinese New Year treat! Read about its origins here. You can also check out our Lunar New Year page for more info on one of the most widely celebrated holidays throughout the world.
Did you know that Pandan is sometimes referred to as the "Asian vanilla?" The plant's leaves are widely used in Filipino cooking but can also be found in Malaysian, Singaporean and Vietnamese cooking as well. Check out this Eater read on "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Pandan"
Ube is a purple yam that has its origins in the Philippines. It's been a staple of Filipino cooking for over 400 years, but it's just recently gained popularity in the States. Ube is known for its signature vibrant purple color and mild sweet flavor. Read more about ube here.
Matcha is green tea powder that originated in 7th century China. Matcha tea practice was brought to Japan by a Japanese Buddhist Monk named Eisai where it is now synonymous with Japanese culture. Learn more here.
What is Furikake? The word itself is Japanese meaning "sprinkle" and was created as a rice seasoning. Read about it's origins, ingredients and many different uses here.
Chikki is a deliciously crisp sweet nutty cross between cookie and candy that is a traditional Indian and Pakistani treat. Read about it in this Saver article "India’s Chikkis Are the Best Peanut Brittle You’ll Ever Eat."
Mooncakes have a fascinating history and there are many stories about the festivals and celebrations associated with mooncakes. Read about some of these in this blogpost by the World Gastronomy Magazine.
The Buko Pandan Bibingka was made by our friends at Nayon. Check them out on instagram @nayon.evanston, order online or finds their treats at their Evanston location Coffee Lab!
The Ube Palmiers were made by local pastry chef and food blogger, Michèle Millan. Check her out on instagram @michele.millan or find her pastries at Evanston Pour!
The Goguma Cookies were made by local artist and self-taught chef Hyun Jung Jun. Check out her gorgeous creations on instagram @dreamcaketestkitchen!
The Soba Boro Cookies were made by local pastry chef Shimako Walker. Check her out on instagram @shimakowalker!
*we do our very best to bring awareness to and honor Asian culture, language and food and know that we will not be always be accurate in our depiction or reference. we too are learning on this journey and appreciate your grace and sharing your knowledge with us if there's anything we can correct or add to this information.