Dim Sum, a wonderfully tasty Chinese tradition goes as far back as the ancient Silk Road. In those days, dim sum was associated with another tradition called yum cha, or a tea tasting. Yum cha came about when weary travelers atop camels needed a place to rest and replenish themselves. Because of this, many teahouses were soon established all along various roadsides. Yum cha originally did not come with food, because it was believed that tea combined with food would cause disproportionate weight gain. However, when tea was later discovered to actually help with digestion problems, teahouses began to add many different types of snacks for people who stopped by. Although dim sum originally started off as snack food, it quickly popularized and became a unique, and most often times loud experience.

The actual emergence of dim sum as a culinary feat originated in southern China with the Cantonese. In China, dim sum can be served as early as six in the morning, and many people wake up this early to be first in line to try the tasty treats that they offer. Dim sum restaurants usually close by mid afternoon and do not reopen for dinner, as was the tradition many, many years ago. The style of dim sum restaurants is very unique because instead of one waiter taking our order, many waiters push carts with various dim sum items around the restaurant, and you pick and choose from these carts.

Salty and savory snacks like shu mai, dumplings of every flavor imaginable, and cha siu bao are offered. Shu mai (literally "cook and sell dumplings") can be vegetarian or made with meat, and they are wrapped with gyoza wrappers and steamed. Dumplings come in pork, shrimp, crab, and vegetable flavors, and are either made with a thick, rice flour dumpling wrapper or a translucent wheat starch wrapper.

These translucent dumpling wrappers are very difficult to cook precisely, but their flavor along with the dumpling filling is quite satisfying. Cha siu bao are buns with cha siu pork, a sweet and salty barbecued pork cooked into them. For dessert, you can indulge in egg custard tarts, a creamy and delicious treat, mango pudding, sesame seed balls, or red bean paste buns. An exceptionally delicious Chinese dessert is the dou fu hua, which is a soft tofu served in a sweetened ginger flavored soup. For the more adventurous, a dish called "Phoenix Talons" is also served at dim sum restaurants. These are in actuality chicken feet. They are deep-fried, boiled, and sometimes marinated with black bean sauce. They are very tender, and many people enjoy them once they get over the initial shock factor of the chicken feet.

This Asian delicacy has spread across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is now available in various countries throughout the world. It is an especially popular type of food in America, where Americans can get a taste of the delicacies and oddities of the Chinese cuisine. Just remember to get to a restaurant early, because they get busy fast!