The food post

Breaking bread, sharing a meal, gathering around the table—has been literally and symbolically three times a day events as we have traveled throughout Shanghai and an ever-expanding circle around the city and to Hangzhou and Suzhou. Our last dining experience near the French Concession was the Spicy Hot Pot, a description true to its name. 

In the center of our table for eight we had a spicy hot pot—one side “tame” and the other side “fiery,” filled with seasoned liquids and chili peppers, dried cinnamon, bamboo, mushrooms, onions, and other things I could not identify. The aroma easily opened one’s sinuses and made breathing much easier.

Then came the meal. Small platters of  raw meat (ham-spam, lamb, beef, meatballs of some sort), bamboo shoots, more mushrooms, spinach, shrimp, tofu, potatoes, chard of some sort, bok choy, daikon (white radish), and quail eggs. We pushed the platter contents into the boiling liquid (nicely divided between hot and spicy hot in a large copper pot) and waited until someone tested to see the doneness. Great fun using dippers and chopsticks and sometimes being surprised at what surfaced. There was more garlic down in there than we ever imagined. The quail eggs were delicious (partially boiled already and peeled, unlike the pigeon eggs from the lunch buffet the day before).

I’m still on my vegetarian regime and faring quite well. Cucumbers (fresh and cooked), eggplant, and spinach are at the top of my favorite foods.  We did go to the market this afternoon, and I bought Asian pears (shengli), bananas (xiangjiao), and apples (pingguo) for snacks this weekend. 

The photos I am snapping of foods along the streets and in the markets are no reflection on Chinese culture in a negative way. I’m sure that a quick trip down the aisles of some of our local Tennessee supermarkets would yield equally surprising photos of pig ears, pig feet, chitterlings, chicken gizzards, and the list goes on. The sights, sounds, and smells of food along the Chinese streets is part of the experience, and I’m having as much fun taking photos of the experience as I am trying the foods at the table. Well, I’m trying some of the foods.

One confession: When we had to jump off the bus and grab a quick lunch two days ago, many people raced down the shopping corridor looking for options. My roommate and I headed for the Starbucks and settled for croissants and coffee. A little taste of home for sure, and we avoided the magnetic pull of KFC. Did you know there are over 300 KFC locations in Shanghai alone? There are just over 100+ McDonald’s locations in the city.

Following our Starbucks safety lunch, the next day we were more adventurous (and had about 40 minutes longer to order and eat), so three of us ventured into a small Chinese restaurant only to discover no one spoke English or understood our limited Chinese. I do know how to order noodles with vegetables and no meat. Unfortunately that combination did not fit their menu. Finally, an English-speaking Chinese customer came to our aid, and we soon found ourselves at a table with a steaming bowl of noodles, cauliflower in a tasty mushroom sauce, crisp edamame, and fried rice. For $16.00 US dollars we had enough food to feed six people. Granted there was somewhat of a crowd huddled nearby watching us eat—they even brought over forks, which we did NOT need. The food was great and the challenge was fun.  Hope you enjoy the photos of food along my yellow brick road.