Week 3 - May 31-June 6

Hey guys! This week I wanted to talk a little about the food here and how we are adjusting to it, but I also want to talk about the adventurous eating I have found myself taking part in. First of all, the food is different than what I pictured. Because of the Chinese restaurants at home I had an idea that maybe the food would not be so good. I have also heard that it takes the western stomach a lot of time to adjust to the cooking style and all the spices that is used in other countries but for me I have eaten everything without fear and so far I have been rewarded with a happy stomach. Now food is served different here and eating styles are also very different. First and foremost are the chopsticks. The chopsticks will make you or break you and it seemed the first time we sat down for a meal that not one of us was very proficient with them but the native eater seems to have some problems with it as well so now I don’t fell like such a klutz at the table. Another huge difference is the way that food is served. Now if you are simply eating by yourself, of course you have your own food and you will not be sharing with anyone, but if you have a group of friends the food is served family style much like eating Sunday dinner at my grandmothers' homes as a child or even now for holidays. Everyone eats from all the dishes. Another thing that is a little strange to the western way of thinking is that you are not given napkins at your meal. Most Chinese people know to bring their own. Now for the best part the dishes and the taste. Chinese food and I mean food that Chinese people actually eat is simply prepared. Most people ask for a bowl of rice with their meal because rice is a very simple source of nutrition. When a population is as big as China’s there has to be a simple and cheap way to feed everyone. The dishes are usually always served with a huge amount of vegetables within each dish. Peppers and cabbage are widely used for dishes. The dishes are usually made up of beef, pork, chicken, or lamb. Lamb is not as widely used in the states but you have local spots that really know how lamb should be cooked. Out here lamb is used more than any other meat except pork. Another difference is that China is a tea culture so usually green or black tea is served with every meal much like the complementary glass of water that is given in most western restaurants. Ok, enough about tradition let’s get into what Chinese cuisine is really like. Street food is king here. No matter where you go in the city there are local vendors at every corner serving up tasty treats to the masses. I guess I have watched too many food shows on the travel channel because I search out for the strangest things that I can find and boy did I find it. Our first step off of campus and on to the streets of Xi’an your nasal cavity is bombarded with the smell of stinky tofu. If I could describe the smell to you the closet thing I could compare it with is the smell of rotten plant matter mix with sweaty feet. I know that it does not sound appetizing at all but once I tried it I was completely hooked. Now every time I smell this horrible smell I go in search for the vender. It is horribly wonderful; this is the only words I can use for it. Many Chinese people find the slightly fermented taste to be extremely appetizing. Although this type of taste is one that we do not have at home I really enjoy it. My next culinary adventures also took place on the street by eating skewered pieces of meat cook in a mysterious liquid filled with spices that make one’s mind more interested in eating what is cooked in there. But it is not for the faint of heart because most of the meats that are cooked within this are parts that Americans usually don’t eat such as beef lung, eye balls, pig toes, and other such body parts. If you have never tried intestinal organs of animals you probably will gag at the smell due to the freshness of the meat, but if you are an intestine lover these are the carts for you. I have tried everything possible and I have yet to get sick but they say there are some absolutes here and one is if you are foreign you will either throw up a lot or have diarrhea before your journey ends but luckily I am still in the clear. Other than street foods there are some styles of food that are cultural treasures here in China and one is called Chinese hotpot. Chinese hotpot is a style of eating that I have never seen before coming here. It is like fondue except you are cooking raw meat and vegetables. The pot or hotpot is brought to the table usually it is split into two sections one for the spice lovers such as myself and the other for the non-spice lover. Usually the meat, which is generally lamb, is sliced super thin so it cooks fast is brought out first and then the veggies follow, but there is a definite procedure to cooking the meat. First you must wait until the soup inside the pot is boiling then the meat is dropped in. After the meat is dropped in the soup will calm but the key is to wait until the soup boils the second time and then the met is ready for you to eat. This style of eating is not only a way to enjoy good food but also a way to enjoy good friends and conversation. Most importantly you do not want to over fill the containers with too many items because then it takes a long time to cook and you risk getting sick from eating semi raw meat. Moreover, hotpot is really a chance to get to know or enjoy engaging conversation. A big difference in the way many American restaurants atmosphere is and the atmosphere that Chinese restaurants have is that usually in American restaurants people generally talk very quiet among their perspective group, but here it is very common to be loud and enjoy yourself and enjoy your company while sometimes even engaging strangers. Food culture is amazing here it seems every city has local treats and rare foods that I have never even heard of. Everything I have eaten has been wonderful. The other students in our group laugh at me for trying all these strange foods but I tell them I have a cast iron stomach and can eat just about anything. Next week we are heading to Beijing to see the sights there so stay tuned for the next episode.


From Kaci -- Here are a couple of food pics he sent. I believe he told me there were meatballs in the middle of these rice balls.



Notice the family style dining he mentioned...