Taking place this September 28-30, the Forum is organized by the JIA Foundation, a Montreal-based nonprofit dedicated to providing meaningful ways for people to connect with Chinatown. The free event is an opportunity to learn about the history of the area, celebrate heritage and resilience, and work towards thriving, sustainable Chinatowns across North America.

The door swings open and the air is thick with conversation, cigarette smoke, and the smell of freshly baked bread.

It was Christmas Eve and I was texting with my friend Kaitlin, whose family is Polish. She was telling me about how her mom was about to serve uska, small pierogis folded in the shape of little ears, stuffed with wild mushrooms and cabbage.

French onion tarts, with a spelt puff pastry, Swiss cheese, and caramelized onions.

So to my fellow Asians, let’s ask each other, “have you eaten yet?” It’s a phrase that many of our elders use, as a sign of care, as a stand-in for asking “how are you?”

These cookies are dedicated to winter in Québec, with spelt and unbleached all-purpose flour, sweet clover extract, dried cranberries, and balsam fir tips.

Carrot cake cookies, with oats, coconut, cozy spices, and a choose-your-own-adventure style of mix-ins. I added Corinth raisins because that's what I had on hand, but feel free to add whatever's in your pantry

Like many of you, I’ve been looking for comfort these days, a rare currency in these tumultuous times. But today, there’s mottled sunlight in my apartment, filtered by the linden tree out front. The wind outside is crisp but the air inside is fragrant, and my heartbeat has been steadied by the meditative mixing of batter.