Ep 8. Hey Dum Dum!
- October 16, 2014
In season 1 episode 8 of Food Factory USA, titled "Hey Dum Dum!", viewers are taken on a culinary journey through the creation of some of the most delicious and iconic dumplings in America.
The episode starts with a visit to a dumpling factory in San Francisco, where viewers get an inside look at how Chinese dumplings are made. From the dough to the filling, every step of the process is shown in meticulous detail. The factory produces more than 80,000 dumplings a day, which are sold both locally and nationally.
Next up is a visit to a Thai dumpling factory in Southern California. Here, viewers are taken through the process of making traditional Thai dumplings, which are called "kanom jeeb" in Thai. Unlike Chinese dumplings, Thai dumplings are typically made with a delicate rice flour pastry and filled with a combination of shrimp and ground pork or chicken.
The episode then takes a turn to showcase the various types of dumplings that can be found in the United States. Viewers get to see how to make Polish pierogis in a factory in Pennsylvania, and then get a glimpse of how Italian raviolis are handcrafted in a small family-owned factory in New Jersey.
But it's not just savory dumplings that get featured in this episode. Viewers also get to see how sweet dumplings are made in a factory in New York City. Mochi, a sweet Japanese dessert made with sticky rice, is shown being prepared in enormous batches, with flavors like green tea and strawberry being added to the dough before it is shaped into bite-sized balls.
Throughout the episode, viewers are introduced to the people behind the dumplings. From factory workers who have been making dumplings for decades, to the entrepreneurs who have built multi-million dollar businesses around their love of dumplings, each story is fascinating and unique.
Ultimately, what shines through in "Hey Dum Dum!" is not just the variety and deliciousness of the dumplings being showcased, but the dedication and passion of the people who bring them to life every day. Whether savory or sweet, traditional or innovative, dumplings are a true labor of love for those who make them, and this episode pays tribute to that.
