Culinary Adventures in China

Subtitle: Stirfry for Fun and Profit

Culinary Adventures in the Chinese House, after a long and unnoticed absence, now rejoins the adventures of our trusty heroine and throws in a hero to make the commentary more interesting. We are living in Nanjing, China for the year and eating things that make us feel brave. Not the live hedgehogs they sell in the market. No one needs to eat the hedgehogs to feel brave.

Romantic Adventures in the Chinese House

When we last spoke with the defendant, she was in Taiwan. "Eating fruit," she alleges. There is then a suspicious gap in her culinary adventures. Are we to assume, then, that no such adventures were occurring?

No, sir. There were adventures occurring. 

Were there culinary adventures?

Of course. There are always culinary adventures.

Adventures in Fruit

Have there been no adventures of late? I think not. I think if there is ever a lack in adventures being reported it cannot mean an actual lack of adventure, but merely a lack of man's ability to report adventures and still do all the educational research that is due and that doesn't, frustratingly, write itself.

One of the many adventures in which our brave explorers have been engaged of late is the adventure, that great sweet adventure, the adventure of Fruit.

Culinary Adventures in Hong Kong, Part 3

Monday morning, the sun shone in Hong Kong for at least six and a half minutes. I have photographic evidence:


It was glorious. But then we were back to the monsoons. I realize now, however, that mysterious powers were at work. Powers that would combine to bring us the best culinary adventure we had ever been privy to. And the rain was all part of the magic.

Culinary Adventures in Hong Kong, Part 2

We next set out to plunder the local markets. The foodstuffs were plentiful, and not just barrels full of hardtack!

Culinary Adventures in Hong Kong, Part 1

Culinary adventures have been few and far between of late. Not because life is any less adventurous, but because life is a lot busier and cameras less handy. Also, there are only so many times your friends will let you sing the praises of cong you bing before they run you out of town.

But do not despair, for I am pleased to bring you some new adventures. This weekend the fair lass Josephine and I went on a pillaging raid upon the high seas. In our sights? The opulent port city of Hong Kong.

Going out to lunch... ON JAPANESE TV!

Demi took Hui Lian and I out to lunch a few days ago. It was a restaurant owned by one of our student's parents so she worked the connections to get us a discount. Because that's what you do when you're Chinese - you work your connections. It was amazing.

But let's not go for everyday run-of-the-mill amazing food narration. That gets old. Let's instead describe this meal like we would on JAPANESE TV!

(Imagine, if you will, a 10-second clip of a very grand European orchestral theme. Ride of the Valkyries, perhaps. Yes, that will do nicely. Now, play that intermittently throughout the narration - always the same 10 second clip. Ah, yes, that will set the mood. Thanks for your help - remember... I can only be so multimedia here.)

Now let's start out with our introduction:

TRADITIONAL TAIWANESE FOOD. IS IT DELICIOUS?