National Bao Day

National Bao Day is a holiday dedicated to the popular Chinese food baozi (or simply bao), which are round yeast dough pies with different fillings.

History

The holiday was created in 2017 by the Chinese fast food chain Wow Bao. The company chose August 22 as the date for National Bao Day, as it is significant to Wow Bao – on this day in 2003, Chicago opened its first Chinese food restaurant in a water tower building on Michigan Street, and the restaurant’s specialty was bao. Today, Wow Bao has more than 200 restaurants across the US and offers both traditional and online services.

Interesting facts

1. According to Chinese legend, the great commander Zhuge Liang in the 3rd century AD was the creator of baozi.
2. Baozi is most popular in Chengdu, China.
3. Bao can be spicy and sweet, and also come in different sizes: daobao – about 10 cm in diameter, xiobao – about 5.
4. The Japanese call this dish nikuman, the Vietnamese – ban-bao, the Koreans – pyanse, the Turks and the inhabitants of Central Asia – manti.
5. The traditional filling of bao consists of minced pork and cabbage, but it can also be prepared with toppings of tofu, mushrooms, pumpkin, or a variety of combinations thereof. For sweet baozi, anko bean paste made from red adzuki beans is used as a filling.

How to take part

You can participate in National Bao Day by inviting your family or friends to a Chinese restaurant to enjoy the dish with different toppings, sauces and seasonings. You can also study guides on the Internet and learn how to cook it yourself. Involve the whole family, as children love to sculpt with dough.

When is National Bao Day celebrated in 2024?

National Bao Day is observed on August 22 each year.

Observations