So Many Fun Things Since Last Time!!

Its been along time since I updated you on my adventures out here.

Ok first thing, I would not survive out here if it weren't for Shaolong Bao...an essential in any Chinese diet. Not healthy at all but this little delicious steamed soup dumpling will blow your mind. Think of it as a sister to a pot sticker but with soup and pork inside...you can never go wrong with that combo!

Shaolong Bao Queen doing work!

Now onto SPICIER things! :D Sichuan HOT POT!!
My absolute favorite food in China so far! You'll be sweating the whole time your eating this meal but grantee you will be loving it soo much you will be smiling the whole time!

Everyone orders their individual Hot Pot soup base which is served over an open FIRE and BLAZING hot.

Next you order FAMILY STYLE...lamb, beef, cuddle fish, shrimp balls, string mushrooms, noodles, heads of lettuce, peppers, etc....
....here is the best part....THROW IT ALL IN!!

Now GO FISHING! So entertaining because you are always finding new things in your soup you completely forgot were in there.

                                                 

See I told you.... NOTHING but SMILES...

                                                

Ok Ok enough of Shanghai...Lets talk about a THE VEINCE OF CHINA......XITANG...

a beautiful lil water town a little north of Shanghai.

Tiny cobble streets, boat rides, cafes, and lots of GREAT LOCAL FOOD!

FRUIT STANDS!!

REAL ROASTED PEANUTS!!

and MUCH MUCH MORE!!!

Well that all for today! Until next time!! 

再见！吃，住，爱很多！！

Learned Alot. Ate Even More.

I'm coming up on the end of my second week here in lively and non stop bustling city of Shanghai. This city has everything from tiny back alleys with street venders making every kind of seafood imaginable to immaculate five star restaurants and night clubs on The Bund.

It's two drastically different worlds here. In the evenings as I walk out of my campus gate I am bombarded with the smell of fresh muscles, clams, oysters, and crawfish mixed with garlic and peppers. MMmmm. The streets are filthy, loud, and always full of locals, there are no foreigners here...well except me...this is the true Shanghai.

But jump in a cab and 10 mins later you are downtown and surrounded by Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton along with a few thousand high rises. The streets are clean, beautiful, and full of foreigners.

So....back to the food. Only after being here for 2 weeks I have learned more about chinese cuisine than I did in my 20 yrs in US.

 Back home people think of Chinese food as ...well...just Chinese food... Wrong! Its like we took ALL the different kinds of Chinese food and came up with Orange Chicken and Panda Express.

Your brief guide to REAL Chinese food:
1. Sichuan: SPICY! Full of vibrant colors and eye watering peppers!!
2. Shandong: Focuses on freshness and tenderness. Milder flavors.
3. Huaiyang: Stewng, Braising, and Roasting is their thing.
4. Cantonese: (aka Dimsum style) Lighter colors but full of flavor and GREAT to share with friends!


I'll leave you with a few dishes until next time: Beijing Glazed Roasted Duck or Spicy Sichuan Hot Pot

......if that doesn't make you hungry, I don't know what will.....  :D