All That's Missing Are The Cook's Butts
We had a long dinner to kick off our weekend of shenanigans-- over four hours long. We ate around 20 dishes of food, consumed 40 bottles of beer, 4 bottles of wine and countless shots of Chinese sangria. ("We" meaning the dinner party-- I don't drink any alcohol.) In short, a typical Chinese dinner. I passed the kitchen on the way to the bathroom and took a peek inside. Here's what a little Chinese restaurant kitchen looks like:
In the little restaurant we often go to for lunch, the cook always has a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, and there are butts all over the floor. I wonder how much ash I've eaten. Believe it or not, your body gets used to this style of cooking. We all got sick our first few weeks/months here, but now it's just minor discomfort, if we even get sick at all. Whoever said, "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger" must have been talking about Chinese food. By the way, the food is delicious! It's worth being sick a few times for. This is my favorite dish, Pao4 Jiao1 Rou2 Si4. I'd never heard of it in the U.S., but I'm going to ask for it when I come back. It's pickled hot peppers with pork and a cool vegetable like celery, cucumber, or bamboo. (This is bamboo.)
And something else I thought might interest you: this wooden barrel is used for storing rice. A nicer restaurant will make fresh rice everyday. Others don't. (You can ask them when they cooked the rice to decide if you want to eat there, but I never ask.)
And here is a shot of our table after dinner was over. Dinner in America is going to seem so boring after two years in China.
In the little restaurant we often go to for lunch, the cook always has a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, and there are butts all over the floor. I wonder how much ash I've eaten. Believe it or not, your body gets used to this style of cooking. We all got sick our first few weeks/months here, but now it's just minor discomfort, if we even get sick at all. Whoever said, "That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger" must have been talking about Chinese food. By the way, the food is delicious! It's worth being sick a few times for. This is my favorite dish, Pao4 Jiao1 Rou2 Si4. I'd never heard of it in the U.S., but I'm going to ask for it when I come back. It's pickled hot peppers with pork and a cool vegetable like celery, cucumber, or bamboo. (This is bamboo.)
And something else I thought might interest you: this wooden barrel is used for storing rice. A nicer restaurant will make fresh rice everyday. Others don't. (You can ask them when they cooked the rice to decide if you want to eat there, but I never ask.)
And here is a shot of our table after dinner was over. Dinner in America is going to seem so boring after two years in China.
Comments
BUUUURRRPPPPPP!
Looks yummy. I try not to sweat this sort of thing....the kitchens et al....
Glad you're having such a good time, Rebecca - loooove the photos and descriptions!
myself, oh, it is delicious, and I agree with you.
Rebecca, haha, really? I can't make the connection.
yrautca, not heineken, a local brand, but yeah the bottling is similar.
techno, thanks! I am glad you like them.
I'd like to try your favorite dish here in the states (I'll look for it). I think it'd be good over white rice (fresh, white rice). :)