This May, we are proudly celebrating Asian Heritage Month in Canada. This is a time to recognize and honour the rich contributions of Asian Canadians to our shared culture and community. Throughout the month, we’ll be featuring and paying homage to Huaying (Ying) Feng, our co-owner and president, of Wending Home Winery. Ying stands as a testament to the enriching contributions of Asian Canadians, through her perseverance and commitment in helping to shape Canada’s diverse tapestry.
Back in China, Ying rarely needed to cook. Life moved fast, and like many working families, she hired a housekeeper to help with cleaning and cooking. It was convenient and necessary. But after moving to Canada, everything changed. In Niagara, there aren’t many Chinese restaurants that are authentic and the kind that serve the home-style dishes Ying grew up with. That’s when she began to learn the art of cooking.
At first, Ying would search for recipes online and followed videos to make dishes that she remembered from her childhood. Her husband, Li, loves wonton soup and radish rice cake, so those became staple recipes that she soon mastered. Slowly, she started to enjoy the process of cooking and as her confidence grew, new and more challenging recipes were tested out.
Ying life has slowed down a lot, compared to her life in China, she has more time to pause, to reflect, to cook. Ying enjoys reconnecting with flavors from her past and preparing some of her favourite dishes she grew up eating. Cooking has become more than a task; it’s become a part of who she is in this new chapter of life in Canada.
Ying loves to make is “Nian Gao”, steamed sticky rice cake, the traditional Chinese New Year cake. It reminds her of her home growing up and that food carries love across generations and continents.
Fast forward to now, Wending Home is five years old. During the construction of the tasting room, Ying knew she wanted to include a small kitchen in the layout. This made perfect sense as food has become such a meaningful part of her journey here; and we all know that there is nothing better than the perfect food and wine pairing! So, the vision to bring both of these experiences together here at the winery was important to her.
She wanted to share that love and passion with our guests, and we are proud to say this vision has come to life with the offering of “Ying’s Heritage Plate”. This specially prepared and cooked by Ying, experience brings together incredible award-winning wine and Chinese tradition, as well as the comforting tastes of Ying’s childhood. It’s more than a meal; it’s a story told through flavors, and she is proud to share it with guests through the month of May, in honour of Asian Heritage Month in Canada.
