The Chinese never cease to amaze me. For a country that supposedly lives on rice and rice alone the sight of a rice cooker baffles them. On two occasions have I come across their astonishment. The first was when I was tutoring children at my old apartment. When we were going over household vocabulary we took a tour around the kitchen. When I pointed to the rice cooker I asked them the name. They had no idea so I asked them what it did. Again no reply, when I finally told them the name and use they asked if I had brought it from America.

You know the thing that cooks rice

Incident two. Today on my lunch break I went to Yoga, pat on the back for moi, and then ran some errands. As if running errands on my lunch break isn’t strange enough around here I showed up with a rice cooker. Again after looking over the box they asked for an explanation. Umm a rice cooker…its a thing that cooks…rice? Work is in the middle of home and yoga so I didn’t have enough time to go to yoga, shopping, home and then back to work so I just brought my shopping to work to take home after. I just don’t understand how its not a given when I say RICE COOKER. Oh well, I guess I’d have nothing to blog about if life was the same as it was State side right?

My new Kitchen

 For all of you who remember the toaster oven incident please keep me in your prayers. This kitchen only has a gas stove. Umm I think investing in a hot plate might be in the best interest of my life. The rice cook was to decrease my chances of death by kitchen fire but there are still plenty of other hazards I’ve yet to explore in this kitchen.

 I promise to give an apartment tour in the next week.

So I’m in love! Yes you read that correctly, Kayte Reagan has fallen and fallen hard. The object of my affection is a gift of the gods, the ultimate in take out food and the one thing I shall spend the rest of my life craving. The direct translation is Fire Hand!

The woman who started it all...

Yumm street food, just thinking about it makes me hungry. Hou Shou 火手is a sandwich of sorts that comes in a myriad of varieties. My two favorites, egg & pork and beef & chilies.  The filling is stuffed in a pita like bread that has been warmed.

I'd devoured half before I thought of taking a picture.

Outside of the middle school I teach at on Monday and Tuesday is the most delicious Huo Shou 火手. The woman is there every morning with here cart that is attached to her scooter. She fires up the grill and we’re in business. Plenty of grease, a herb mix to die for and a I”m in heaven. For Y2 really can you ask for anything more?

I few few weeks ago I decided to branch out and try a new variety. I think it might have eclipsed my love for egg and pork. It is juicier and the bread is always fresh rather than rewarmed.

Okay now I want one...bad.

The beef and chili is sold by the vendor next to the other woman but I’m pretty sure their related so no hard feelings for the switch.

At lunch they are not there so I go for a deep fried chicken version, smack, delicious. Oh yes, I’m in love.

In China I’ve come to accept certain facts of life, the following being one of them…

There is the Original, the homemade rendition, then the jerry rigged-strange substitutions-something is definitely off China version of everything.

Hello, my name is Kayte and I'm a Chocoholic.

When I returned to China, among the exactly 99.6 lbs of luggage I brought back, I lugged a six pound bag of Toll House Chocolate Chips. I’ve yet to find Chocolate Chips in any import section in China and chopping up Dove bars gets expensive quickly. I’ve been hoarding my American food but finally realized if I don’t start eating it I’ll be home by the time I do.

So I went online found my favorite recipe and went to cook. I was soon back at my computer looking up substitutes when I realized I didn’t have baking soda. By some stroke of luck I lucked out inheriting a container of Glabber Girl Baking Powder with my last apartment and discovered that by tripling the baking powder it will substitute for baking soda, the taste will be affected according to the website but I didn’t see any other viable options.

Next the sugar. Finding a decent sugar in China is like trying to find a decent boy to date in Tulare. Okay that was harsh, there are some usable sugars in China you just have to hunt for ages then pray that brand will still be there the next time you go to the store.  Our current white sugar is on the moist side while the only edible brown sugar won’t pack, for all the tea in China. Once creamed it maintains its granulated texture and never fully blends with the butter.

I was smart enough to bring back my own vanilla extract another product not to be found on the import shelves at, Jusco, Tesco, Walmart, RT or Carefour. Eggs are still abounding in our apartment, although the bottom of the second box is beginning to see some daily light. Land o’Lakes butter has become a household name here thanks to our frequent visits to Qingdao.

yumm nothing says delicious like chocolate chip cookie dough

Once all was creamed and the dry ingredients added the dough lover that I am dived right into to the bowl. I know Mom, one day I’m going to die of salmonella p0isoning but not today. As if eating raw egg in the states wasn’t unhealthy enough you’d think I’ve strong sense to stay far away from Chinese raw eggs. But the allure of cookie dough is just too strong for this girl. So if I do die of salmonella one day at least I know I went out with a smile on my face and the great taste cookie of dough.

I’m still trying get the hang of our oven. I’m sorry I just don’t understand the Celcius system. But from experience the temperature dail straight up for 10  minutes makes for chewy cookies.

Seriously shall we play "Guess How Many?"

Yesterday was a national holiday here in China.  Tomb Sweeping Day. It is a day families visit their relatives’ graves to clean and pay their respects. For this holiday in usual faculty appreciation custom James dropped off a gift. He had called ahead to tell us he would be dropping off a box of eggs for each of us. I was not expecting a crate!

I've yet to see a single batch of eggs all the same color and now that I think of it I've yet to see a white egg.

Just back from the Farm collecting eggs.

Now the trick is eating them before they all go bad. So I now plead with anyone reading this blog, if you love me at all or at least would rather not see a post about how sick I’ve become from eating scrambled eggs please send me an egg recipe!

Scrambled or Hard Boiled, that's going to get old real fast!!

Even after tonight’s over proteined meal we’ve yet to make a dent in the eggs. By the way we did not eat all the hard boiled eggs tonight. We are preparing them for deviled eggs tomorrow.

On a more serious note, I do find it interesting that Tomb Sweeping Day falls close to Easter. That begs to question what is the deal with Eggs and this holiday?

I came back to China prepared this time! That included a family size box of Bisquick! Oh yeah!!

Bisquick and Land o' Lakes!

Nothing beats an American Breakfast

So we didn’t have syrup but thanks to the Browns I knew a delicious substitute! I side with Charlie and went for the white sugar, Kelly is with Luke on the brown.

So omelets and pancakes it was and a delicious Breakfast dinner it was.

I know the pancakes are slightly browner than I prefer but hey I’m still learning the ins and outs of hot plates. They are not the easiest things to cook on. I’m beginning to understand why my mother prefers gas or electric!

Oh how a simple herb packet can mean so much.

Kelly made dinner on Sunday and it was delicious! She brought herb and marinade packets and now we’re reaping the benefits.

Its simple western seasonings that I’ve taken for granted my whole life that I now treasure so dearly. The oven we purchased has begun paying itself off quite nicely. I can’t wait for future dinners!

This evening Peter and Wendy came over and cooked a delicious meal! I’d been telling Kelly about Peter’s amazing cooking when we went out to dinner last week and Wendy volunteer for an encore!

My two favorite Chefs!

They came around 6 and insisted we just sit back a relaxed, Wendy would come ask for help if they needed anything. Kelly and I waited in the offices as tantalizing smells drifted in from the kitchen.  My mouth was watering by the time Wendy announced dinner!

The dishes included (clockwise) top, 100 year eggs, potato slices (my fav), tomatoes and eggs (another fav), yam slices and the final dish a sliced onion dish.

100 Year Eggs - about as delicious as they sound.

Peter knew my two favorite dishes, Tomatoes and Eggs and Sliced Potatoes! I must admit I did miss good Chinese while I was back in the States, not so much the above dish.

Dinner was most enjoyable as usual. Peter and Wendy are always a pleasure to spend time with. Peter’s English pronunciation is getting really good. I can finally compliment his cooking in complete sentences! After some rather comical stumbles we agreed that our language skills are about even. Although I still think his English is a little better.

I don’t know what I would do without those two!

With the purchase of the toast oven I have a new resolve to actually cook. Really I just want my money’s worth out of that appliance. This semester I also plan to eat healthier and exercise to try and minimize the gap between me and the entire population! I know high hopes but hey if I was able to lose 10lbs last term doing nothing things are looking good.

The first step in this lofty goal was switching from fried foods to baked, that’s where the toaster oven comes in. I’ve also learned the nifty trick that you can put chopped veggies in the steamer over the rice and get perfect vegetables by the time the rice is finished! Oh how I love quick meals.

Breaded zucchini with sauce and sausage

Here is my first attempt at a halfway decent meal. Breaded zucchini topped with red sauce and sausage, a family favorite that didn’t turn out so well. Kelly was a good sport though and praised the meal.

I used the wrong bread crumbs, these are great when frying but not so much when baking.

BEFORE: Navajo fry bread with mayo, ketchup and scrambled eggs, I promise it is more delicious than it sounds.

AFTER: Fluffy rice, fresh veggies and zucchini patties, I will miss my junk food.

 Lets hope this new trend stays, I know Kelly is hoping it does, she didn’t find my previous meals that appealing from the pictures.

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.