The prized Uzbeki dumplings I'd bike across the country for

This story first appeared on Food52, an online community that gives you everything you need for a happier kitchen and home – that means tested recipes, a shop full of beautiful products, a cooking hotline, and everything in between! Every summer in New York, I bike to Beach 92nd Street in Far Rockaway and rush to lock up my bike in front of a large wood sign with bright primary letters spelling out "Uma's." A round blue-rimmed plate clatters onto my table bearing the sweet, savory fruits of Uma's labor: squash manti. The rich heartiness of these manti had my tongue searching for butter, or even vegan butter — of which there isn't a single pat in Uma's recipe. Inspired and aided by Uma's aunt, an expert cook visiting from Uzbekistan, the couple perfected their menu and leaped at the sale of an empty storefront on Beach 92nd Street and Rockaway Beach Boulevard.