With award-winning "world farmhouse" cuisine, creative craft cocktails, too-pretty-to-eat charcuterie boards, or the always-rotating selection of dry goods and housewares, it's hard to say what we love most about Meat & Cheese Restaurant & Farm Shop. Thanks to its off-season monthly cooking classes, which started last year, you can also take home skills and inspiration from the expert staff at one of our favorite spots.

While bold Asian flavors are laced throughout his lunch and dinner menus, executive chef David Wang doesn't officially do dumplings. And there's nowhere else in town that does the traditional street fare justice either. Last month, Wang dropped his dim sum knowledge to a full class of ten local foodies—a skill he started to perfect at the age of six in his family's Orange County kitchen. Here, he shares two recipes from our fun night at the Farmshop counter to try at home (mouthwatering secret sauce served with the Bossam Korean Pork Board included!).

Don't miss Meat & Cheese's third and final fall class "Holiday Party Platter Arranging" led by Elisa Orcajada on Tuesday, November 22, 5:30–7 p.m. ($25 per person, reservation required).  319 E .Hopkins Ave., 970-710-7120, meatandcheeseaspen.com

Siu Mai Filling            
Yield: 3.75 lbs, portion size 1 oz    

Ingredients:
2 lbs Ground pork, high fat
4 tbsp Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Ginger, minced            
1 1/2 cup Green onions, fine chopped
3 cup Shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and chopped
1 lb Raw shrimp, deveined and chopped fine, almost a paste
4 tbsp Soy sauce, lite
2 tbsp Sesame oil            
3 ea Star anise (as needed hot water)
3 tsp Chinese five-spice            
3 ea Fresh egg whites          
2 tbsp Soy sauce, dark mushroom  
3 tbsp Shao xing wine or dry sherry         
To taste White pepper, ground  and salt  

Procedure:
Steep the star anise in hot water to make a tea. Saute the mushrooms until fragrant. Rough chop the cooked mushrooms. In the bowl of a stand mixer, break up the ground pork, add shrimp, add ginger and garlic and turn on the stand mixture to low with the paddle attachment. Add the cooked mushrooms, sesame oil, star anise tea, egg whites, shao xing wine, and soy sauce. Continue blending on low until the liquid is incorporated. Add the five spice and season with salt, white pepper and green onions. Keep blending to emulsify the meat batter until its uniform in texture. Test the batter by cooking off a small amount in a pan to taste for season adjustments. Allow to rest for a couple hours for flavors to round out before use.

Construction:
Put a 1.5 tbsp portion of meat into the center of wonton skins (any store-bought brand will work), fold up the edges, leaving the top of the dumpling exposed. Garnish with a little bit of grated carrots or smelt roe (masago). Place in a parchment lined steamer and steam until meat is fully cooked, about 8-10 minutes.

Wang Family Garlic Soy Sauce            
Yield: 1 qt  

Ingredients:
1 cup Soy sauce
2 cups Rice vinegar
1/2 cup Sugar            
2 tbsp Sambal
1/4 cup Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Sesame oil
1/2 tbsp Ginger, grated
1/2 cup Green onions, thin sliced  

Procedure:         
Mix all ingredients together and allow to marinate for at least a day. If there is no time to marinate, then  bring all ingredients up to a simmer, allow to steep for 10-15 minutes, then cool down before serving.