Eileen made the Mo buns for the Xi’an-Style Braised Lamb Ro Jia Mao that Naran made. The Mo is sort of like and English muffin. I expected the lamb to be more tender and have a more robust flavor. It was good once I doctored it up with the sauce that Tammy brought to go with the potstickers.

Tammy made Bacon and Kale Potstickers. I have never had bacon, kale, and potato in potstickers before, but this non-traditional filling was a very pleasant surprise. I heard several people expressing disappointment when they went back for a second potsticker only to find they’d all been gobbled up.

Drew made Char Siu Pork. Chinese BBQ pork is one of my faves, so I was excited to try it. It was tasty, but both Drew and I agreed that we have other recipes we like better. That didn’t stop it from getting all eaten up though!

Cindy made Fan Tuan. These are sticky rice rolls stuffed with Chinese doughnut, egg, and pork floss. The recipe also called for kimchi, but Cindy used pickled Chinese vegetables instead as that’s more traditional. I really liked the mix of textures in this savory treat.

Drew also made Hot Dog Flower Buns. Not only were they super cool-looking, but they were also a surprisingly delicious combination of savory and sweet. While the hot dog was good, I want to try making these with Chinese sausage which I imagine will be even better.

I made Sambal and Parmesan Buns. Sambal is garlic chili paste, so these were spicy savory buns. I loved the aesthetic with the ribbed outside and the spiral inside. They make for a very nice savory snack, and I think they would be even tastier with more parmesan.

Zakia made Cocktail Buns (Gai Mei Bao). Can you believe this was her first time making bread and she kneaded it entirely by hand!? These look basic, but the coconut filling and line of topping made simply of butter, flour, and powdered sugar were enough to have me going back for another.

Drew also made Red Bean Swirl Buns. They were stunning to look at, and Drew said surprisingly easy to form – he thought they were going to be a huge mess, but that wasn’t the case at all. I don’t usually go in for red bean paste, but they were too pretty not to try… and I actually enjoyed eating them.

Tak made Coconut and Peanut Mochi Balls. While not as exciting to look at as many of the other treats, this was definitely one of the winners of the event. Several people declared it their favorite, and it was in the running for top choice for me as well. The peanut filling was so yummy and the coconut added texture to the chew of the mochi.

Sofia made Sesame Crisps. She said that even freshly baked they weren’t very crispy. They certainly could have been crispier, but I thought their flavor was absolutely fantastic – so much sesame punch packed in with just a touch of sweetness.

Revi made Chocolate Nutella Loaf. She used more Nutella than the recipe called for, because who doesn’t like extra Nutella? A treat to eat and fun to look at too… I am putting Nutella on my shopping list so I can have it handy to make this loaf.

Laura made Goong Goong’s Almond Cookies. “Goong Goong” is what you call your mom’s dad in Chinese, and these cookies had a piece of my heart before I even tried them because my Goong Goong loved almond cookies. They tasted very much like the cookies he loved.

Jean made Lychee-Lemon Iced Tea. The tea was delicious flavored with lemon juice and lychee syrup – a touch tart and not too sweet. Plus lychee is one of my favorite fruits, so I happily munched on the lychees after I had slurped up all of the tea.

Manny made Hong Kong Milk Tea (Li Cha). Made simply with Ceylon tea, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk, this is a Chinese bakery staple I’ve always fondly associated with eating Chinese baked goods. I’m excited that now I know how to make it at home!