Let me begin by stating I’ve never claimed to be the sharpest crayon in the box or have the patience of an angel!

Cooking on a hotplate has been a life’s lesson at best, I feel confident I won’t starve to death if now left alone with just that to survive. I missed good baked food, so opted to purchase a toaster oven this semester.

Last night Kelly, Katie, Thomas and I headed to the Tai Hua to purchase one. We’d compared prices in a few stores and settled on the Y270 medium size one at Fresco. Between the three of us we are getting great at charades, mad-gab and correct assumptions when it comes to deciphering Chinese. We purchased the oven then completed the grocery shopping.

Isn't she a beauty? I can just smell the brownies and bread already!

Kelly and I headed home with great anticipation! I was set on toast, my first real slice of toast since arriving in China. We got home and set it up. It looks beautiful in our kitchen by the way but then again I’m bias. I put in two slices and set the time with the temp at 100*. I went to the living room to put in a movie and after 2mins returned to disappointment. The oven wasn’t even warm and the toast was still white!

 Humph I’ll fix that, I crank up the oven to 250*C and turn the timer to 20min. I know, I know, well I know now that was a little extreme. I went to watch the episode and planned on checking it in a few mins. What can I say a great TV show? I soon smelt the toast, thanks to Mom’s excellent cooking lessons I knew if you could smell it it was done. I guess I should rethink that strategy for meals cooked in a closed kitchen and you smelling it in a closed living room.

The washing machine was in use which meant the tap was occupied, luckily there were some water filled bowls in the sink to dowse the smoking toast.

I jumped off the couch and ran to the kitchen to find smoke BILLOWING from the oven. No joke. Can I just say how grateful I am there are no smoke detectors in China. That would have been embarrassing and since it was night when I opened the kitchen window the smoke exiting wasn’t that noticeable.

After assessing the situation I unplug the oven, cracked the door and opened the window, a few mins later I turned on the stove vent. Yes I realized there was a more effective order but eventually the smoke decreased enough for me to stick a fork in a get the lumps of coal, that were originally slices of bread, and toss them in the sink. The smoke was so thick my eyes were stinging which did not help the process at all. Kelly was closed up in the office an oblivious to all the proceedings.

This was after about 10min

It took about 20min for all the smoke to finally clear and the smell to somewhat subside. For the few, Katie and Thomas to be exact, who know the funky smell* my apartment usually has, at least burnt toast is a welcome respite. See, there is always a positive side to be found.

 I think I can safely add yet another means to get my self killed in China, Toaster Oven. As if my poor street crossing skills weren’t sure enough.

*The smell is not of my doing, it was here before I moved in, goodness knows how I’ve tried to dispel it.

I have this huge apartment with just me this term. I grew up in a home centered around the dinner table. I loved every min of it, even when I was sent away to my room,  those mins right before were always worth it!

I was making plans for this place even before I moved in, top of the list was a good dinner get together with the gang, Bonnie and the Japanese teachers. The good old shrimp and french fries was always a hit so I scheduled an evening and set to work.

In my enthusiasm for a good meal I forgot how terribly labor intensive breaded shrimp was when starting from scratch. Katie and Thomas were kind enough to take over the cooking. They got a head start while Bonnie and I were out buying train tickets to Harbin.

They had the first batch ready to go when we arrived and the Japanese teachers came right on time. I know bad hostess still learning, I entertained in the living room while Katie, Thomas and their friend Anna took over kitchen duty, shelling, battering and frying all evening. The food was delicious.

I love the Japanese teachers, Shiggy is hilarious and Mr. Kobayashi is sweet. I have to admit regardless of what he thinks of his English I think its amazing. We talked about classes and vacation plans. Since they were fellow foreigners I related some of my more interesting Student outburst stories. (Please feel free to ask me once I’m back in the States) As we talked Mr. Kobayashi asked if the Korean teachers would be joining us, I had not invited them as I was under the impression they didn’t speak English.

Lack of prep left us a few eggs short and the Japanese teachers were out. I decided to just cross the landing a ask my Korean neighbors, yes the ones I hadn’t invited. I found the word for egg in Chinese hoping they possibly spoke a little Chinese. I muddled through, “I need eggs, please” in Chinese and she kindly brought me a few.

When I returned with the eggs Shiggy asked why I used Chinese, “They speak English.” My jaw dropped. What, now I feel horrible. I had not invited them assuming they didn’t speak English and it would be uncomfortable for them. I specifically remember someone telling me they didn’t speak English. “Oh I don’t think the girls speak it well but the guy speaks great we chat all the time in English” Shiggy said. Really are we talking about the same Korean, the one I pass in the hall and ask “How are you?” to and he gets completely flustered nods his head then takes the stairs three at a time to escape.

Well now that the language barrier has been cleared up two days before the end of term I feel much better about ignoring them this whole time. Okay honest effort next term will be put in to get to know my neighbors.

The rest of the evening went well, learned a lot about Japanese culture. Looking forward to another term with my Japanese colleagues.

I seem to only add to my near death experiences here. Normally I do not consider myself absentminded or stupid but as of late there is really no other way to describe myself.

Walking anywhere is dangerous here as cars can and do drive anywhere they please. There are really no designated sidewalks and walking to the front gate can be a Frogger level at times. Just last week as I was headed out for the evening I was making my way around the round about at the front gate when a car approached from behind. Do I go left or do I go right? I choose the wrong direction I went left and so did the car. The sound of the brakes reverberated in my ears until I was  sitting safely on the bus.

Embarrassing as it is to admit that was not my first close call with a moving vehicle, not by a long shot. Although it was a step down from the buses I’ve walked in front of here.

Thank Heaven for safety shutoffs.

I don't think this is a good thing...

Matinda cornered me the other day and asked if was busy on Sunday, I hesitated to answer wanting an explanation of the impending proposition before I replied. She quickly responded I want to cook dinner for you. Oh in that case, I’ll be unbusy for you. Her offer seemed out of the blue until she followed up with, then after could you help me with my English Competition speech. I’ll do just about anything for a home cooked meal so listening to Matinda’s speech was a very small price to pay.

She is one of Dantzelle’s second years, her English is pretty good. I still don’t get how I got roped into coaching Adam and Dantzelles students but hey I’ll do it for dinner. I only insisted she would teach me along the way as I am keen to learn some dishes to take back home for Dad.

She cooked a SiChuan dish which is known for its spiciness! Spicy SiChuan Chicken. It was delicious, spicy and for me to call something spicy it is burning!! The spice comes from a combination of dried red chilies and Red Chili paste. The dish is about as close to a curry as China seems to get. It is a dish of vegetables with the spicy sauce and is eaten with rice, not necessarily on top of the rice but alongside.

(I was hoping to add the recipe but can’t seem to find it)

I am not a slave driver. Recently I have felt like I am as I have had student after student make me dinner and bring me food like I was incapable. They offer I don’t ask.

Several weeks ago two of my students asked if they could cook me dinner, I swear they offered. Of course I accepted with a thankful heart as I hate cooking and my idea of a homemade meal is a a noodle packet. Joy and Roxanne made two amazing dishes and were just tickled pink I liked them so well. They offered to make them again for me later in the semester.

Roxanne

Last week I asked Roxanne if she was up to teaching me how to cook the dishes. She enlisted another student who insisted she was more qualified to teach me and the lesson began. Joy was unable to come unfortunately.

I learn two dishes, a stringed potato dish and a cabbage dish. I was never one for cabbage before China but have grown quite fond of it here.

Roxanne & (okay this is horrible but I can't remember her name)

The food was great, although to be perfectly honest I think Joy’s potato dish was better.

I love Roxanne’s cabbage dish.

This is so sad but I couldn’t remember her name, I didn’t have the guts to ask her to repeat it. I have gotten really good at faking knowing people’s names here.

String Potatoes

Ingredients

-3 Potatoes

-3-4 cloves of garlic

-1 Anaheim Chili

-3 tsp. salt

-2 tbl .vinegar

1. Skin potatoes, thinly slice potatoes

2. Thinly slice chili

4. Chop garlic in large chunks

5. Cover wok with oil heat garlic, add potatoes

6. Add a little soy sauce for color, stir

7.  Cook for about 1 min then add half a wok of cold water.

8. Cover and let simmer until potatoes are soft.

9. Add salt and vinegar to taste.

Cabbage

Ingredients

-1 leek

- 1 Anaheim Chile

- 1 Cabbage

-  1/3 cup of oil

- 1/2 tbl. white vinegar

- 1 1/2 tsp. salt

1. Chop 1/2 leek and thinly slice chili

2. Cut cabbage into thick short slices

3. Heat oil add leek cook for 30 sec.

4. Add cabbage and chili, stir continually

5. Watch heat, don’t burn cabbage.

6. Add vinegar, continue to stir, add salt to taste

Cold beans in tomato sauce, Navajo fry bread, scrambled eggs & plenty of condiments

 As sad as it is this is my idea of a complicated complete homemade meal.  

Those who know me know I’ve never been one to cook. In college I bought the food and had roommates prepare it. I’ve always admitted my idea of a stocked kitchen was a variety of take out menus neatly organized by the phone.

I had invited a few girls over for the afternoon hoping to get some tips on Chinese music. I want to start listening to Chinese music to increase my exposure to the rhythm and pronunciation. In exchange I gave a quick run through of English artists.

 It was starting to get late and I knew they would have to return to their classrooms for the nightly lock-in. I really don’t know what I was thinking when I asked if they wanted dinner. I guess I was eager for company. I didn’t promise anything fancy and boiled up spaghetti.

We had a delightful dinner, spaghetti, bread and butter, and a tomato and cucumber salad with ranch (Thanksgiving leftovers). It turned out to be a real hit and they all were thrilled to eat with forks.

It was nice to cook for a group. So maybe there is hope for me and cooking in the future. After dinner I wrote them all excuse notes and they stayed the evening chatting. I had a splendid evening. Maybe there are some perks to socializing.

Emily is on my left, Navy across from me and Hedy is on the front left.