Our Third topic is on Food and Cooking. I'm sure we are all familiar with Chinese food in restaurants. Through this tour I want to show a little bit about what Chinese Food really is like as well as where its bought and how it is prepared. Once again, you can click on any image to view a larger version.
Every morning Ping's dad, Bao Yuan, walks about 1 mile to the local food market. Above is the fresh vegetable section of the market - more different types of fruits and vegetables than I've ever seen in the local mega-market.
Here is the Fungus section. Lots of different mushroom types to choose from. There is even one type, called Caterpillar fungus (not for the squeamish), that costs thousands of dollars for a few grams and has almost mystical curative properties. You can find it in some of the larger Chinese medicine stores.
Here we have cooking wine in traditional pots. I found this interesting, of course, because the wine is stored in clay pots instead of glass bottles we are familiar with.
Here is the Tofu section. As you all know, Tofu is made from Soy Bean Curd. Tofu is an essential part of Chinese diet and the variates are astounding when compared to the boxed 'soft' and 'firm' selection we only see here. There is fermented tofu, sheet tofu, rope tofu, sponge tofu, brown tofu, string tofu, etc.
There is a fresh meat section and a fresh/live fish section as well as live chickens and fresh eggs. But I wont show those photos here - it kinda upset some from my emails before.
And, yes, there are western style grocery stores all over China's major cities, and their popularity is growing. However I personally find having fresh food laid out every morning to be far more appealing than frozen, plastic wrapped, processed week-old 'product'.
Ping's parents are also lucky enough to have street vendors ride up and down their apartment complex selling fresh produce and, occasionally, live chickens. Unfortunately, when this vendor spied me, the prices doubled - so we didn't by any watermelons that day.
Ovens are still very rare in China, and with it so are baked goods. We are seeing more and more of these "Christine" desert stores pop up in Shanghai. There deserts are good - mine are better. The local "Mr Donut" shop was very disappointing.
Here might be your typical breakfast. However, I like the fried bread, and so ordered that special. Soup is the standard breakfast food along with perhaps steamed bread - called Manto.
Ping's parents prepared lunch for us and my parents one day. This would be considered a typical lunch meal for guests. The difference here and what a family would normally have are: no plates, just bowls. Less variety and less meat. I find the idea of eating out of a bowl appealing. While I was there, I found that when I finished a bowl of food (or two) that I was full. But I knew I had eaten less than a full plate of food. I think there is a visual/psychological influence going on there. One thing I should also mention. Lunch is the main meal of the day, not dinner. And its not uncommon to drink beer or liquor during lunch - especially when entertaining guests.
This shocked and appalled me. Having the most unhealthy of western food culture invade a country where obesity is almost non-existent is bad enough, but to have as a "Delivery Service" was just insane! Personally, I think McDonalds, KFC, Taco Bell, etc. should be driven out of China - really.
If you want to go Upscale in Dining, the sky is the limit. Here is a view from the Harvest Festival restaurant in Shanghai. Every dish they make is laid our across this huge table so you can see everything and choose exactly what you want.
There were even intact, cooked, de-feathered chickens and ducks posed and garnish for your enjoyment (not pictured - but can provide if interested). Opposite from this photo where the chefs behind glass walls preparing the food in full view of everyone.
It was then I was asked to not take any more pictures. Oh well.
Back in our private dinning room, Ping's sister, Feng, and her husbad, Sho Jing, treated us to an incredible feast from the Harvest Festival restaurant. Watch the video above to see what all we had.
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