I just told some of my coworkers about this, and I got the typical non-Southern Californian response: “Eeew! Gross!” My response: “I can’t believe you people haven’t figured it out on your own!”

It’s very much a Southern California thing, and totally an L.A. thing. Yes, I’m talking about Chinese food and donuts. Most places in the world sell donuts in donut shops. We have those too back home, but why bother when you can go to your local mom-and-pop California-style Mandarin joint and pick up some quality orange chicken and lottery tickets while you’re at it?

This food combination seems bizarre to non-Angelenos, unnatural even. But contrary to the hissy fits thrown by those of you who object to the co-mingling of stir fry and pastries, we are so not nuts. It’s absolutely delicious and makes perfect sense. Give it a shot sometime. Chow mein, broccoli beef, and kung pao chicken is so much tastier when you polish it off with a nice bear claw. There is a downside, which is the 72 hour coma induced by consuming your body weight in carbohydrates. But the twenty minute sugar rush just before you pass out makes it all worth it.

Replicating this dining experience will be difficult for you foreigners, but try mapping out your neighborhood to try to find a Chinese place (preferably not a chain store) and a donut shop (ditto) that are close together. You can at least get take-out and try it out at home. But for those willing to go the extra 400 miles, I’ll be happy to head up a field trip any time you like.