By Kelly Johnson
In addition to D&D, chess, and mahjong events, West Cobb Regional Library showcases cultural diversity on Saturday, August 2nd at 11:00, with a family-friendly cooking class led by Taiwanese national, Loyee Ling. The class will teach patrons How to Make Dumplings from scratch.
Though there are global variations of dumplings, the food is a staple of the Far East. I learned to make dumplings from my aunt, who is Korean; and I must say, homemade dumplings are scrumptious. The Asian delicacy had even inspired Dumplings, a Chinese psychological horror drama (if there’s an interest in a summer flick. Adults only).
Dumplings are small slips of dough, rounded and flat, balled and folded around a tablespoon of filling; and then steamed, boiled or fried. The folding, or closure, is a point of technique or artistry with some; and it is possible to distinguish handmade from mass-produced dumplings. Traditionally, the filling is savory and consists of pork, though other proteins may be used as a substitute. While dumplings could be sweet, I’ve learned that sweet fillings are usually reserved for the fluffier bun, which soft or cake-like texture enhances the fruits or bean pastes used as sweet fillings.
Buns are also robust and more versatile with holding savory or sweet fillings, regardless of the filling’s composition, texture, and consistency. Dumplings, on the other hand, almost always hold emulsified or ground fillings, since they are smaller. However, the advantage of dumplings is their quantity; a lot of them can be made, given time and attention.
As Loyee’s class is on Saturday, a weekend spent making dumplings ahead of the library’s first Pokémon Club meeting the following Monday, August 4th at 3:30 PM (after the first day of school), could provide young trainers with plenty to snack on.
Dumplings are also good for one of these short-listed events which may be of interest:
- Dungeons & Dragons (Adults), Saturday, August 2nd at 2:30 PM
- Tea and Talk, Thursday, August 21st at 12:20 PM
(God of the Woods by Liz Moore)
- My First Book Group, Saturday, August 23rd at 2:30 PM
- West Cobb Fourth Monday Book Discussion, Monday, August 25th at 6:30 PM
(The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak)
The West Cobb Regional Library schedule may be subject to updates; views its August schedule.
As always, check out that book, and get your creativity on. Your brain will thank you.
Be sure to subscribe to the Cobb County Public Library System’s (Library System) Newsletter here.
AUGUST 2025
| DATE | DAY | EST (24hr) | EVENT |
| August 01, 2025 | Friday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| August 02, 2025 | Saturday | 10:00 – 17:00 | |
| 11:00 – 12:00 | How to Make Dumplings | ||
| 14:30 – 16:30 | Dungeons and Dragons: Adults | ||
AUGUST 2025
WEEK 2
| DATE | DAY | EST (24hr) | EVENT |
| August 03, 2025 | Sunday | 13:00 – 17:00 | |
| August 04, 2025 | Monday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 15:30 – 16:30 | Pokémon Club | ||
| August 05, 2025 | Tuesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:00 – 12:30 | |||
| 10:30 – 11:00 | The Basics Storytime with Cobb Collaborative | ||
| 11:30 – 12:00 | The Basics Storytime with Cobb Collaborative | ||
| 18:30 – 20:00 | Storytellers Open Mic Night | ||
| August 06, 2025 | Wednesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 13:00 – 16:00 | Mahjong Meet Up | ||
| 17:30 – 19:30 | Open Play Chess! | ||
| August 07, 2025 | Thursday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 – 12:00 | West Cobb Craft Club | ||
| August 08, 2025 | Friday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| August 09, 2025 | Saturday | 10:00 – 17:00 | |
| 11:00 – 11:45 | Saturday Storycraft: Favorites Stories! | ||
AUGUST 2025
WEEK 3
| DATE | DAY | EST (24hr) | EVENT |
| August 10, 2025 | Sunday | 13:00 – 17:00 | |
| August 11, 2025 | Monday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 15:30 – 16:30 | Pokémon Club | ||
| August 12, 2025 | Tuesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:30 – 11:00 | The Basics Storytime with Cobb Collaborative | ||
| 11:30 – 12:00 | The Basics Storytime with Cobb Collaborative | ||
| August 13, 2025 | Wednesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 13:00 – 16:00 | Mahjong Meet Up | ||
| 17:30 – 19:30 | Open Play Chess! | ||
| August 14, 2025 | Thursday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 – 12:00 | West Cobb Craft Club | ||
| August 15, 2025 | Friday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| August 16, 2025 | Saturday | 10:00 – 17:00 | |
AUGUST 2025
WEEK 4
| DATE | DAY | EST (24hr) | EVENT |
| August 17, 2025 | Sunday | 13:00 – 17:00 | |
| August 18, 2025 | Monday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 15:30 – 16:30 | Pokémon Club | ||
| August 19, 2025 | Tuesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 10:30 – 11:00 | The Basics Storytime with Cobb Collaborative | ||
| 11:30 – 12:00 | The Basics Storytime with Cobb Collaborative | ||
| August 20, 2025 | Wednesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 13:00 – 16:00 | Mahjong Meet Up | ||
| 17:30 – 19:30 | Open Play Chess! | ||
| August 21, 2025 | Thursday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 – 12:00 | West Cobb Craft Club | ||
| 12:20 – 15:00 | Tea and Talk (God of the Woods) by Liz Moore | ||
| August 22, 2025 | Friday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| August 23, 2025 | Saturday | 10:00 – 17:00 | |
| 14:30 – 15:30 | My First Book Group | ||
| 14:30 – 16:00 | Pony Bead Workshop |
AUGUST 2025
WEEK 5
| DATE | DAY | EST (24hr) | EVENT |
| August 24, 2025 | Sunday | 13:00 – 17:00 | |
| August 25, 2025 | Monday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 15:30 – 16:30 | Pokémon Club | ||
| 18:30 – 19:30 | West Cobb Fourth Monday Book Discussion (The Last One at the Wedding) by Jason Rekulak | ||
| August 26, 2025 | Tuesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| August 27, 2025 | Wednesday | 10:00 – 20:00 | |
| 13:00 – 16:00 | Mahjong Meet Up | ||
| 17:30 – 19:30 | Open Play Chess! | ||
| August 28, 2025 | Thursday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| 10:00 – 12:00 | West Cobb Craft Club | ||
| August 29, 2025 | Friday | 10:00 – 18:00 | |
| August 30, 2025 | Saturday | 10:00 – 17:00 | |
AUGUST 2025
WEEK 6
| DATE | DAY | EST (24hr) | EVENT |
| August 31, 2025 | Sunday | 13:00 – 17:00 | |
Kelly Johnson, a resident of Cobb since 1999, wears multiple hats for Chaos Studio Seven, among which is creative writer. Outside of speculative and science fiction—and on occasion poetry—Kelly uses his skill set as a writer to report on and inform the community.