Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Mikey. He was so excited because his birthday was coming up soon! Mikey danced around his house and told his mom, “Mom, I’m almost four years old!”
Mikey had big plans for his birthday. He wanted all his friends to come over and play. He imagined a big cake and lots of presents. He thought his friends would say, “Your party was the best! Hooray!”
Mikey’s mom smiled and said, “Your party sounds amazing, my sweet little peach. But we need to decide what yummy food to have!”
Mikey stopped and thought. Every party needs snacks! He thought about pizza, tacos, burgers, and hot dogs. But he also loved pork and fried rice. Mikey needed help to choose.
Mikey decided to ask his grandmas. “Babu, what did you eat for your birthday?” he asked.
Babu said, “In Hong Kong, we always had Chinese food.”
Then Mikey asked his other grandma, “Nona, what food would you choose?”
Nona replied, “I’m Italian, so I love pasta!”
Mikey remembered his cousin’s birthday. They had rice and spicy food, and his cousin Joe had a big tray of lasagna!
Mikey was confused. He couldn’t decide between ravioli or dumplings, linguine or lo mein. There were so many yummy choices!
He went to the park to clear his mind. His best friend Sofia found him and asked, “Are you okay, Mikey? Why do you look so worried?”
Mikey said, “I can’t pick a dish, and my party is tomorrow!”
Sofia had a great idea. “Your mom is Italian, and your dad is Chinese. Why not have both? A mix of Chinese and Italian food!”
Mikey’s eyes lit up. “Yes, Sofia, that’s it! I don’t have to choose just one!”
He ran home excitedly and told his mom, “I want fried rice and marinara sauce!”
His mom laughed and said, “That’s different, but you’re the boss!”
The next day, Mikey was excited and a little nervous. His friends were coming, and he hoped they would like the food.
Mikey’s mom cooked a big pan of fried rice with veggies, eggs, and spices. Mikey and his friends helped make the marinara sauce.
When his friends tasted the food, their faces lit up with smiles. The fried rice was savory, and the marinara was sweet. It was a delicious surprise!
Everyone at the party shouted, “Different is good!”
If you love stories, ask your grown-up to find more fun books for you. There are lots of exciting adventures waiting for you to explore!
Food Exploration: At home, with the help of a grown-up, try making a simple dish that combines two different cuisines, just like Mikey did with fried rice and marinara sauce. You could try mixing something like tacos with a little bit of pasta or noodles. Talk about how the different flavors taste together. What do you like about the combination?
Draw Your Perfect Party: Imagine you are planning your own birthday party. Draw a picture of the foods you would like to have at your party. Think about your favorite foods and maybe try mixing two different types of food, just like Mikey did. Share your drawing with your friends or family and explain why you chose those foods.
Food Detective: Next time you go to a restaurant or eat at home, try to identify where the different foods come from. Is it Italian, Chinese, Mexican, or something else? Ask a grown-up to help you learn more about the foods you are eating. How do these foods make you feel? Do you have a favorite?
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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[Music]
Books, fried rice, and marinara.
[Music]
Young Mikey danced to his front door.
“Mom, do you know I’m about to turn four?”
[Music]
“All of my friends will come over and play. Then piles of presents will fill our driveway. We’ll have a huge cake, and my buddies will say, ‘Your party was perfect! Hip hip hooray!’”
[Music]
Mikey’s mom smiled as he finished his speech. “Your plan is fantastic, my sweet little peach, but no celebration is ever complete until you’ve decided what you want to eat.”
[Music]
Her statement stopped him dead in his tracks. Food, of course! Every party needs snacks. Well, pizza is something that everyone loves, but tacos fit in your hand like a glove. Burgers and hot dogs are easy to eat, but pork and fried rice is such a nice treat. He needed a guru, a trusted grub guide.
“Maybe my grannies can help me decide. What food did you have for your birthday, Babu?”
“In Hong Kong, Chinese food is all that we knew.”
“Huh? Nona, do you know what food you would choose?”
“My roots are Italian, so pasta can’t lose.”
Chinese or Italian, both are delicious. He remembered his cousin’s birthday dishes. For the twins, rice and spice on their special day.
[Music]
While Joe had lasagna, he ate a whole tray.
[Music]
Mikey was stuck, not sure what to do. He couldn’t decide between the two: ravioli or dumplings, linguine or lo mein. All of these options were hurting his brain. For kasha, barada, caprese, risotto, dim sum, or wontons, or noodles and shrimp.
[Music]
His mind was a jumble of possible choices. He heard both sides of his family’s voices. He rushed to the park to get out of his head. His best friend Sofia found him and said, “Are you okay, Mikey? Why so much sorrow?”
“I can’t pick a dish, and my party’s tomorrow!”
“Your mom is Italian, your dad is Chinese. You’re free to choose food as unique as you please. Why not have both? Is that too outrageous? A Chinese-Italian mash-up for the ages?”
“Yeah, Sofia, that’s it! I don’t have to choose one!”
He bolted straight home; there was lots to get done. Mikey burst into the kitchen. “I’m ready to pick! I’ve made my decision; this isn’t a trick. I want fried rice and marinara sauce!”
“That’ll be different, but hey, you’re the boss!”
[Music]
He awoke the next day in a jittery mood. Friends were arriving. Would they like the food? Mikey’s mom fried up a wok full of rice and added veggies, two eggs, and some spice. His friends helped give the tomatoes a squish; they drizzled the sauce to complete the new dish.
Mikey tensed up as his friends took a taste, but the fusion of flavors lit up every face. Despite any doubts, the meal couldn’t be beat. The fried rice was savory, the marinara sweet.
[Music]
It tasted more scrumptious than they thought it could. The whole party shouted out, “Different is good!”
[Music]
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