Category archive for: Chinese Food File
Back homeCheerfully sipping from the
petri dish of life
A symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (aka SCOBY) fermenting a jar of sweetened tea into a healthy drink called kombucha. Recently my possee and I attended a party at the opening of an Amsterdam design event. Free drinks were flowing because the party was heavily sponsored by a distilled bev... Read more
Posted on February 4, 2009 19:10
Communauté Choucroute, Community Pickle,
a proposal
Jangdok are onggi or earthen jars storing jang (condiments) such as gochujang (chili pepper condiment), doenjang (soybean paste), ganjang (Korean soy sauce) or kimchi. Image from Save the Dinosaur's photostream and used entirely without permission. The following is a statement about food storag... Read more
Posted on October 30, 2008 16:48
A Kimchi Sunday
Turnip and turnip leaf kimchi in a pool of sauce shaped like the silhouette of a kimchi-lover Community/Communauté Choucroute is one of my proposals at the City Eco Lab in Saint-Étienne for the Design Biennial this November. Designing resilience into urban food systems is essential, and one way... Read more
Posted on October 27, 2008 11:49
Butterflies in my stomach
The date and milk-based cocktail 'representing' the Afrikaanderwijk is not pictured here because although scrumptious, it was not photogenic. That's always a problem with dates. Kruiskade Blossom Cocktail - chrystanthemum tea drinks in tetrapak - organic chysanthemum flowers - sour cher... Read more
Posted on May 8, 2008 6:10
What smell is this, so strong and good?
Shih ching, in C. Birch and D. Keene (eds.) Anthology of Chinese Literature (1965), pb 1967 pp. 37-8. High we load the stands, The stands of wood and earthenware. As soon as the smell rises God on high is very pleased: 'What smell is this, so strong and good?' A text from the Shih ching, (Bo... Read more
Posted on December 28, 2005 13:52
The Year of the Hedgehog
Pictured above is a Chinese cookie with a happy little girl dancing next to an ignited stick of dynamite. Boey says that my interpretations of the images on the Chinese cookies are all incorrect (see the June entries). The hedgehog turns out to be a monkey - from the Chinese zodiac, and the frog... Read more
Posted on November 18, 2004 15:18
Fashion Food
And indeed, what is UNfashionable about a fake black lacquer bowl filled with instant Tom Yum noodles? Especially if you recycle the fake lacquer bowl and use it again and again for your own stylish soup lunches. I came across this product researching what I will do for my contribution to Museu... Read more
Posted on October 3, 2004 12:04
Taiwanese Bean Beverage
Yesterday Dan said that Latvians are lucky. But today is another day and for breakfast I decided to serve up this Taiwanese Bean Beverage to my Latvian guest *Emils. Just a little good morning experiment. Emils remained cheerful throughout the tasting although shortly after fulfilling his task ... Read more
Posted on July 1, 2004 14:41
Smart Taiwanese Packaging (because you never know when you’re going to want to tuck into that Discorea Mixed Congee snack that you’ve been stowing away in your purse for special occasions)
The spoons that come with the Taiwanese bean beverages that I bought yesterday snapped neatly into the lid. Unfold and click and you're ready to suck up all the goodness. Read more
Posted on 14:04
More Chinese Food!
Yes, that's a hedgehog riding a donkey! This Chinese cookie is made from fortune cookie dough. Normally I never eat fortune cookies, but these were so beautiful... that I can't eat them either. (more...) Read more
Posted on June 25, 2004 23:59
A bite of heaven
The dumpling is a perfect food. This one is from a shop on the HuaHaiLu in Nanjing. Read more
Posted on May 11, 2004 16:53
Clams, mud, blood, bike…
You can use the bike to get away from the clams, mud and blood. (This photo was taken in front of the market in Nanjing, PRC.) Read more
Posted on May 9, 2004 16:51
Eat Yer Snakes
"Well because my Auntie was a Mormon missionary and she was actually E A T E N A L I V E by snakes. Ever since then I haven't had much appetite for snakes. " "Nope, not even if they're skewered." technorati tags: China, Nanjing, snakes, outdoor market Read more
Posted on May 8, 2004 16:48
The Tofu Section
A tofu stand at the open market in Nanjing. The black tofu is 'aged' and has a smell that takes some getting used to, but once you get past the aroma it is very mild of taste. It might take awhile to get past the aroma. I didn't succeed. Click image to see a different tofu stand. Read more
Posted on May 7, 2004 14:50
Culinary Experimentation
This is the wierdest thing a chef dished up for the author during her stay in PRChina. A r�sti bound with sweetened mayonnaise surrounding a watermelon morsel and with a bit of modifictaion it could be delicious. Click the image, see the morsel. (more...) Read more
Posted on May 5, 2004 14:39
Duck Entier
A complete duck, completely chopped. Note bill. Read more
Posted on May 4, 2004 14:37
Nomadic Banquet mobile kitchen
Mobile kitchen number 59. (more...) Read more
Posted on May 3, 2004 13:43
Black Pearl
This is a delicious milky 'iced' tea drink with black rice gluten balls drifting around the bottom of the glass. The straw is huge but never huge enough to ensure smooth sliding! Read more
Posted on May 2, 2004 13:40
Don’t Spit Everywhere
No one seemed to be paying a whole lot of attention to these wonderful posters. (more...) Read more
Posted on May 1, 2004 13:32
Cooking out of doors
An outdoor kitchen on a Shanghai street corner. This restaurant was serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. (more...) Read more
Posted on April 30, 2004 13:30
Hot Dog
Notice the way the bun has been cut to accomodate the sausage. Read more
Posted on April 29, 2004 13:27
God’s Own Fodder
A selection of kimchis including radish and cabbage and wakame cucumber. Read more
Posted on April 28, 2004 13:20
New Logo
This is not a KFC. Read more
Posted on April 27, 2004 13:18
Peking Duck
Slices of crispy duck fat dipped with HoiSin sauce and wrapped in thin rice pancakes. Roll it up with some green onions, slices of cucumber... Read more
Posted on April 26, 2004 12:55
A Single Grain of Rice
Yi Li Mi = A Single Grain of Rice in mandarin neon. A Single Grain of Rice is a project for a culinarily oriented fasting restaurant that I am initiating. Future entries in 2006 will explain this project in greater depth, but at least I've got the neon sign. technorati tags: fasting, China, neo... Read more
Posted on April 25, 2004 12:49
Water distribution by bike
2L PP PD = Two litres per person per day. No gettin' around that. Now get it out there. Read more
Posted on April 24, 2004 18:09
Pink and Greens #2
Grassy tasting greens, 1000 yr. eggs and mushrooms. Read more
Posted on April 23, 2004 12:33
Snack
'Tamari' marinated peanuts with something delcious yet unidentifiable vegetable matter. Read more
Posted on April 22, 2004 12:32
Korean Food in China
... is a 'welcome change'. Korean BBQ'd beef served with F R E S H lettuce and God's own favourite food, KimChi. Read more
Posted on April 21, 2004 12:29
Nomadic Banquet
A tea jar holder in a taxi. Read more
Posted on April 20, 2004 12:24
Coffee Backpack
A multinational corporation is trying to share the goodness in Nanjing. Read more
Posted on April 19, 2004 12:20
Nectar of the Gods
Pickled daikon radish and pickled cabbage. The author of this blog can get rather excited about pickled vegetables. These examples were homemade in the dumpling stall of a street vendor. She served these while you were waiting for your dumplings. Read more
Posted on April 18, 2004 12:14
Pink and Greens
Garlic fried greens turn everything pink. Read more
Posted on April 17, 2004 12:11
Custard and Clams
Baked custard with clams. Read more
Posted on 12:09
Marinated Chilled Silken Tofu
Chilled sliced tofu served on a beautiful plate. Read more
Posted on April 16, 2004 12:06
Smokey Dates
Dates marinated in yellow wine (a sort of sweet sherry). The dates have a smokey taste to them and this is an excellent palate cleanser. Read more
Posted on April 15, 2004 12:05
The Single Most Delicious Pork Fat
Cubes of marinated and roasted pork fat atop aromatic stewed seagrass. So far this is the most delicious thing I have eaten in China. (more...) Read more
Posted on April 14, 2004 11:33
Attempt #3 to Acquire the Acquired Taste
This image represents the third attempt to acquire the taste for stinky tofu. Here the S t o f u is served behind a bush of coriander. Read more
Posted on April 13, 2004 11:28
Tea House Tea
In a beautiful and calm (!) tea house in Nanjing we enjoyed this chrysanthemum and red date tea. Read more
Posted on April 12, 2004 11:25
No Drinks in the Lecture Hall
Nanjing University Students leave their thermos' of hot water outside the lecture hall and somehow remember which one is theirs when they leave the building after the lecture. Read more
Posted on April 11, 2004 11:21
Love of the Lamb
Thank GOD for the love of the lamb. In this image a student of mine is intervening at a street vendor's BBQ. This image is part of the Nomadic Banquet Website that documents the workshop I gave at the Nanjing Art Institute College of Design. Read about it here: Nomadic Banquet Read more
Posted on April 10, 2004 11:18
Street Food
Posted on April 9, 2004 11:12
Attempt # 2 at Acquiring a Taste for Stinky Tofu
I like the i d e a of stinky tofu but I haven't yet acquired a taste for it. The version depicted above is fried. I thought this would diminish the aroma reminiscent of human excrement that this foodstuff can't help but exude. Sadly the frying seems to have had no affect upon the smell of stinky t... Read more
Posted on April 8, 2004 11:05
Wonton Soup
Heaven in a bowl. The wontons look like almond tree flowers and just melt away in your mouth. The soup broth is seasoned with little itsy bitsy salted dried shrimps. At first you think an insect has gotten into your bowl but then you realise its an a q u a t i c insect and its all OK again. Read more
Posted on April 7, 2004 10:52
Chinese Frozen Food Code De-mystified
Packets of sticky rice in the frozen food section of the supermarket. The green string tying it all together indicates a vegetable interior, the pink string signals pork and the yellow string is a sign for chicken. In the supermarket there is a GREAT assortment of these in a frozen foods section w... Read more
Posted on April 6, 2004 10:59
Rice Crispy Treats
First you are served sizzling rice cakes. Then you dump an entire terrine of soup over the rice cakes and the whole lot sputters like a physics experiment. This is delicious and fun to eat texturewise although you constantly run the risk of burning your tongue. Read more
Posted on April 5, 2004 10:41
Eaten Alive
"Well you see, my maternal grandfather was a merchant marine and he was actually EATEN ALIVE one day by an octopus and ever since that day I just can't eat octopus anymore..." "No, not even if its dead and skewered." Read more
Posted on April 4, 2004 10:37
Lotus Root
Lotus root stuffed with rice and then ruined I mean draped with an orange shimmery gloss. Read more
Posted on April 3, 2004 10:24
Feeding the Animals
A shellfish as large as your arm. That's good eatin'. Read more
Posted on April 2, 2004 10:17
Mystery Food
I will cook a nice meal for the first person that can tell me what this manufactured food source is. Hint: Although reminiscent of, it is not 1000 yr. egg. Read more
Posted on April 1, 2004 10:05
The Most Beautiful Dumpling in the Entire World
This is an image of what I consider to be the most beautiful dumpling that I ever have seen. It was also rather delicious, and the texture was... curious. Steamed rice gluten, chopped spinach interior with egg and spring onion. Read more
Posted on March 29, 2004 9:22
Dumpling Array
A dazzling array of dumplings! Read more
Posted on 9:19
Sparkling Dumplings
This image shows what a little tapioca can do to an ordinary steamed bun. Read more
Posted on 9:15
Dumplings
Egg dumplings Read more
Posted on 8:47
Porridges and Fruit Soup
From Top Left; millet porridge, black and white rice porridge with red dates, sweet adzuki bean porridge From Bottom Left; wonton soup, je ne sais quoi, fruit soup with plums, lychee and some prickly sweet fruit not mentioned in Jane Grigson's Fruit book. Read more
Posted on March 28, 2004 8:44
Attempt #1: Learning to Love Stinky Tofu
The Chinese call it 'Stinky Tofu'. And they're not lying. It's aged tofu that many a left coast university student has inadvertently made by just leaving the tofu to its own devices. Eating Stinky Tofu requires acquiring an acquired taste. Every image of this food in my Chinese Food point-it wil... Read more
Posted on March 27, 2004 8:27
Eggs and Pears
From left-to-right; tea eggs, roasted pear, salted duck eggs and roasted yam. Read more
Posted on March 26, 2004 8:18
Duck Entier en plastique
Duck under plastic wrap at a food-court style restaurant in Nanjing, PRC Read more
Posted on March 25, 2004 8:12
