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33 °F 5 Day Forecast Thursday, December 18, 2003 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | eSouthernOregon | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend December 15, 2003 Since You Asked Marfar chicken, hold the origin This is going to sound kind of silly, but I’ve heard that the Chinese dish called Marfar chicken originated in Medford. Apparently the word "marfar" is just the way somebody once pronounced Medford. Am I just way off base? — Jackson B., Medford That’s definitely a strange one, Jackson. And not an easy one to answer, we might add. "Marfar" chicken appears to be a regional dish, popular mainly in Oregon. It has been described as an oriental version of chicken nuggets. But the origins of the word "marfar" are a mystery. A worker at Kim’s Restaurant, which is one of the oldest Chinese restaurants in the valley, suggested that "mar" might mean sesame and "far" sour. As to whether the word is a corruption of "Medford," the worker said, "I can promise you it’s not." Advertisement Judy Tse, owner of King Wah restaurant in Medford, doubts whether "marfar" originated from "Medford." She suggested that the word "mar" probably is derived from "sesame," but the word "far" could be from a Chinese word meaning "flower," or more likely from a word meaning "to change something." She said the recipe is Cantonese. Could it be a corruption of Medford? "I don’t think so," said Tse. Heated discussions about the origins of the word "marfar" at Since You Asked Headquarters produced intense hunger pangs among one of our staff members. She eventually gave in to her desires, ordering the dish from a local Chinese restaurant. Bon appetit! Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times