Yum cha

The Cantonese words “yum cha” refer, quite literally, to the act of drinking tea, which has been practised across China for millennia. It wasn’t until 200 years ago, however, that the extensive Cantonese canon of teatime snacks collectively known as dim sum began to take shape in teahouses in and around Guangzhou, and later in Hong Kong. Sydneysiders got their first taste of the ritual of enjoying the two together at Denis Wong’s Mandarin Club in the 1970s, but the first published a series of yum cha recipes in 1979.