after the dumplings we were walking around aimlessly feeling like zombies [over 24hrs straight without sleep!]...i smelled something really rank. then i zero'ed in on the scent. an old man with a little table on the sidewalk boiling tofu squares. the oil boiled so vigorously i was concerned how he could be standing so close to the wok with hot oil splashing about. the green stuff is coriander and scallions. Sichuan chili-spice mixture is thrown or brushed on top of everything. nice!

it reeks! it reeks!


2 blocks further up the road from the fried tofu stall the uncooked squid skewers are on the bottom right. there's always a wide plastic container of the Sichuan chili-spice mixture and a couple of brushes in it. once things are cooked they roll them in the chili, brush more chili all over. and there you have a complete and authentic Sichuan snack. [i'll post a pic of the chili box when i get to those pics.]


first dinner! across the street from the guesthouse. tables on sidewalks and inside. one dimly lit [naked] light bulb. luckily the pics are salvageable despite taken in near complete darkness! chopsticks are stored in one plastic holder which was being passed around when new customers arrived. only local customers at this place, who were nice and civil to us two. taking photos of my food and beers drew a lot of attention. everyone puzzled. from the very first meal to the last! nobody could understand why on earth someone would want to photograph the food anyway, the advantage of non touristy eateries is the authenticity/the price/the experience. oh yeah, the men have seconds and even thirds rice, and everytime it's just as much as the first. how can one eat so much rice???! i tried to finish half a bowl.

1> bitter greens are a lot like kai-lan. i think it is but i'm no expert. lots of scorched chilis!
2-3> livers and slimy greens. didn't know that's liver. i just pointed at the next table and ordered their food. the veg is naturally slimy. i've had it elsewhere in S.E.A but don't know the name. a very good dish actually.
4-5> my first Mapo Tofu at the source. very nice.


the beers. Tsingtao RMB15, Blue Sword RMB5 IIRC


here are some 'shops' on bicycles. i've seen just about everything that can be carried on the back of a Chinese bike. amazing stuff!


going out with the international ladies tonight, my Amsterday Friday is tomorrow. won't hear from me until saturday. have a nice weekend!

nice to see pic series like that.

so the smelly tofu made you hungry?

nice bike medley.

I'd eat that spicy squid on a stick!!

thanks. i will archive only half of the food pix on fotopic.net where i have some photo albums. all the other bits and pieces are fun stuff to show you China.

no i wasn't hungry. i was curious. just walked a block from the dumpling house i was about to burst. the tofu was really nice though. it reeks only while being deep fried, apparently.

the squid tentacle skewer is nice. the chili mix makes it tasty.

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nice to see pic series like that.

so the smelly tofu made you hungry?

nice bike medley.

I'd eat that spicy squid on a stick!!

Anywhere South of the Yangtze is considered rice bowl country... meaning rice is grown there & is a staple, north of the Yangtze is wheat country. I'm surprised you ate rice at all considering how much you hate it if i can remember... or have you learnt to like it since China?

Haaa... i bet people were wondering what this girl & dutchie were doing taking pictures of food, you should have said... Hao Chi/good eats & they would understand.

DC.

no! i still don't like rice that much after China. when i try asking for plain noodles they think i want noodle soup. they bring me noodle soup several times. also, when i point at something on the menu asking what it is, the waitress who can speak some English thinks i want to order it. they bring me the food they think i order. well, it's so cheap there's no point in explaining so we eat up everything. pigs

ps DC: why do Chinese like slightly sweet bread? sometimes i just want to mop up dinner meat juices with some bread...

ps #2: i'm glad you can tell me/us stuff from seeing the photos! it sheds light on things others don't understand. so thanks!

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Anyone can join us here to talk about food and the good life, or post your own food photos. Just keep it civil
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i'm still trying to get the hang of this forum of yours... so bear with me while i figure out the html formatting etc.

[when i try asking for plain noodles they think i want noodle soup. they bring me noodle soup several times.]

if it's a noodle shop, it'll serve noodle+soup unless you ask for it to be 'dry' i.e. with a light sauce. Most basic noodle shops of this kind don't do fried noodles like SE Asian coffee shops. Only restaurants or other bigger cafes have stir frying & boiled noodles on offer. don't ask... very long answer & i'm probably guesing some of the answers anyway

[also, when i point at something on the menu asking what it is, the waitress who can speak some English thinks i want to order it. they bring me the food they think i order. well, it's so cheap there's no point in explaining so we eat up everything. pigs]

yes they're a bit like that... asking a question often translates as you're interested & you want it. try using heavier stresses in your questions like.. WTF is this shit? Haaahaaaa... just joking. Just be firm with your questions & orders. oh yes... pigs, they like pigs there too

[ps DC: why do Chinese like slightly sweet bread? sometimes i just want to mop up dinner meat juices with some bread...]

breads are often considered as snacks & desserts there, while we in the West see it as part of our staple diet. They also like it sweet even if it's suppose to be a savoury dish, ever tried a Asian/Chinese hot dog or burger? the rolls/buns are sweet... add a bit of ketchup & think sweet & sour it might also have something to do with the way/method they make bread there, by using a little sugar with yeast... to help it rise? or was it w/o yeast?? i forget.

DC.

thanks again for explaining all this! i will be more prepared next time. yes next time. same time next spring and my innitial itinerary is: Hong Kong-Macau- then cross the border into China. Canton [why to eat Cantonese food of course!], probably Hanoi, Vietnam to eat some more [we have a soft spot for VN food and coffee] and mail, hopefully, 10kg of superior VN coffee beans home! then 4 weeks in Yunnan province. total 7 weeks. don't know which airport to fly home from yet. i'm always happy to pass through KL international but dutchie says it's time we went for Singapore international, never been to SIN Changi. we'll see.

no i've never had a chinese (hot)dog or burger. i did eat a yak burger in Lhasa the bun is indeed slightly sweet!

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that's all i know. this board is too simple. no fancy features.

thanks again for explaining all this! i will be more prepared next time. yes next time. same time next spring and my innitial itinerary is: Hong Kong-Macau- then cross the border into China. Canton [why to eat Cantonese food of course!], probably Hanoi, Vietnam to eat some more [we have a soft spot for VN food and coffee] and mail, hopefully, 10kg of superior VN coffee beans home! then 4 weeks in Yunnan province. total 7 weeks. don't know which airport to fly home from yet. i'm always happy to pass through KL international but dutchie says it's time we went for Singapore international, never been to SIN Changi. we'll see.

NEXT TIME? :o !!

i don't believe you're going back there again... well OK, HK & Canton is a little different, be prepared to be chased around by people shouting Missy, Missy buy handbag, Missy Missy buy shoe! & Dutchie won't get away that easily... for him it'll be Mister Mister buy dvd, Mister Mister buy watch... or worst.. some of them don't know english at all so they just say what they've been taught... i've been called Missy before, i cracked up laughing & took the time to explain the difference in cantonese & mandarin, just in case she didn't understand! you'll find better quality food in HK then over across the border. But it will be a little bit more expensive in HK but i think it's worth it. btw... the ferry from Macau to mainland can be a bit rough depending on the monsoon season! unless they've got new boats now. Go watch a bunch of Wong Kar Wai films http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0939182/ before you go to HK or any of the recent hit movies. One night in Mongkok(Wongkok Hak Yau pronounced in Cantonese) http://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews/one_nite_in_mongkok.htm is a good one to see before you go. I'm sure you'll be in MongKok district anyway... i'll email you a list of things to do before you go. Yunnan... great for teas & hotpot stews etc. yes... tea smoked duck too! might have to order it a day before though... long prep. process, they marinate it, steam it, smoke it then deep fry it(hot oil bath) but it should taste good there, had really bad ones outside of China.

i would just fly from AMS to HK & from there to VN & back, overland to Yunnan, no point going to SIN which is further south then HK when you can fly direct back to AMS from HK.

italic text: < i > text here </ i > no space before or after i
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that's all i know. this board is too simple. no fancy features.

oh i see DIY html tags, i was looking for the clickable buttons where they insert the html for you. lazy me

DC.

yes. believe it or not i really like China despite being sick most of the time, sometimes so bad i almost collapsed!

"hello watch", "hello dvd"
i act deaf mute from the very beginning but sometimes i have to say "my/his name isn't watch or dvd" hahah...but they don't get it at all! but i suspect they don't understand English. that's in Shanghai. we meet up with a Singaporean living here and i tell her to try it in Mandarin. the look on their faces is completely blank. we laugh so much. they just don't get it anyway, they swarm us like insects everywhere we turn in the shopping areas the whole week in Shanghai. i tell Dutchie to act deaf mute but he's not as good as i am. the part i hate the most is the hand/arm grabbing. i snap right back.

i love Wong Kar Wai films! haven't seen the one you mention i'll try to find it.

That tofu looks devine

Dr...I'll avoid the beer.

Whoa! The Dr and the DC. Very cool!

Excellent series again, F! I'm soooo behind on posting, but thought I'd pop in here to catch up on the reading. Did that cabbage dish (in the other thread, I think) have shrimp? I made some the other day (Braised Cabbage with Shrimp according to my cookbook .. hehe) and will post it soon to ABF.

Now I'm running off to the farmer's market again, possibly too late for pix again since I've got a meeting too. :/

GW, i knew you'd fancy the fried tofu! hahah...
i thought of you while eating it.

cheers

ps: why not try some tofu in Japan next week?

If I had a Euro for every time I have attempted to eat tofu, I'd be flying 1st class.

I'll be thinking of you as I tip my sake and knaw on my first dried squid

A brewery tour is arranged, courtesy of the fine brewers of the Hatchino Nest range.

Wooohooo, bring it on!!

Dr

cool! who's bringing you back after the brewery tour? you're not going to cycle, are you?

No cycling to any brewery is planned.

The good wife has planned a route where we can catch a scenic train, visit the brewery, then travel another few stops, whereupon, we pitch up at an onsen in the hills for the evening.

In the interests of a long, loving relationship, I'll follow suit

Dr