for anybody familiar with Guangzhou

[jim404sea]

We all know that food is a very big deal in China, and when I was in GZ, my wife and all of my new friends wanted me to make them a western meal. I'm not the best cook in the world but I can make a pretty good meatloaf, which I thought would be pretty different than what they're used to. My wife took me to the supermarket and we spent way too long looking for ingredients that are common in US grocery stores but could not be found at all there.

I'm sure the people at the consulate know of places where you can find those things, but of course they can't recommend one, so I'm wondering if anyone here who has spent more time than me in GZ can point me to the right place for when I'm back there and giving it another try ?

 

For the record, there was no meatloaf dinner - after more shaky substitutions on the ingredients than I felt comfortable with, it occurred to me to make sure she had a big enough pan to cook it in, and that's when I found out that she had no oven. Some things you just take for granted until the rug comes out from under you - one of the most fun parts about this whole cultural differences thing, I think.

 

A quick change in plans in the middle of the market resulted in hamburgers with corn on the cob and a green salad. They werent so impressed with the hamburgers (couldnt find any plain old yellow mustard in that market so we had to go with mayo), and they were skeptical of the corn on the cob till my brave step-daughter saw me butter it and then she had to try it and loved it. The green salad with real bacon bits and slices of hardboiled egg was the real success - cumin was an unknown to them and they loved loading a ton of it on the lettuce.

[Dennis143]

We all know that food is a very big deal in China, and when I was in GZ, my wife and all of my new friends wanted me to make them a western meal. I'm not the best cook in the world but I can make a pretty good meatloaf, which I thought would be pretty different than what they're used to. My wife took me to the supermarket and we spent way too long looking for ingredients that are common in US grocery stores but could not be found at all there.

I'm sure the people at the consulate know of places where you can find those things, but of course they can't recommend one, so I'm wondering if anyone here who has spent more time than me in GZ can point me to the right place for when I'm back there and giving it another try ?

 

For the record, there was no meatloaf dinner - after more shaky substitutions on the ingredients than I felt comfortable with, it occurred to me to make sure she had a big enough pan to cook it in, and that's when I found out that she had no oven. Some things you just take for granted until the rug comes out from under you - one of the most fun parts about this whole cultural differences thing, I think.

 

A quick change in plans in the middle of the market resulted in hamburgers with corn on the cob and a green salad. They werent so impressed with the hamburgers (couldnt find any plain old yellow mustard in that market so we had to go with mayo), and they were skeptical of the corn on the cob till my brave step-daughter saw me butter it and then she had to try it and loved it. The green salad with real bacon bits and slices of hardboiled egg was the real success - cumin was an unknown to them and they loved loading a ton of it on the lettuce.

Too funny and very challenging for you too. I salute you for your attempt.

 

If I recall, meatloaf requires baking and ovens are virtually nonexistence in typical Chinese homes. Trouble is, I think our best and most traditional dishes are oven baked too...

 

Try pancakes and maple syrup with hash browns and bacon or sauage...OK, maybe just pancakes and you can bring your own next time.

[pkfops]

Better to let them do the cooking.

 

When I need a food fix we go to a western resturant.

 

Other than Mcds & KFC, Pizza Hut has pasta. We also went to a

steak house in Panyu but I forgot the name.

 

You got them to eat salad?

 

When I buy lettuce, it usually gets cooked with something.

 

Did you try Carafour, it's a French chain.

Edited December 24, 2007 by pkfops (see edit history)

[jim_julian]

It's not advisable to eat raw vegetables in China, due in part to the "fertilizer" used.

[jim404sea]

Too funny and very challenging for you too. I salute you for your attempt.

 

If I recall, meatloaf requires baking and ovens are virtually nonexistence in typical Chinese homes. Trouble is, I think our best and most traditional dishes are oven baked too...

 

Try pancakes and maple syrup with hash browns and bacon or sauage...OK, maybe just pancakes and you can bring your own next time.

Thanks, I guess I already was so aware that I was in a 5000 year old culture, I just had to try to prove that yes, we have at least discovered fire and figured out how to cook with it

 

Yes, I've since learned that ovens are the exception there - I've been starting a collection of recipes that don't need one. I think I have some no-bake cookie recipes that might light up a few faces.

 

Pancakes and bacon for sure - don't remember if I saw maple syrup in the store, but I definitely did not see potatoes that werent the yam variety (the carrots and celery I saw were very sickly too). But yes, after onion/bacon/cheese omelettes with buttered toast and a US brand of coffee, I owned breakfast My wife says she and her daughter still have that meal every saturday morning.

[jim404sea]

Better to let them do the cooking.

 

When I need a food fix we go to a western resturant.

 

Other than Mcds & KFC, Pizza Hut has pasta. We also went to a

steak house in Panyu but I forgot the name.

 

You got them to eat salad?

 

When I buy lettuce, it usually gets cooked with something.

 

Did you try Carafour, it's a French chain.

Yes, we hit Mcd and KFC, and had some pastries at starbucks, but my wife drew the line at pizza, although her daughter loves it.

 

Carafour is a restaurant, or a grocery store ? I'll ask my wife to locate one, it will be good to try, either way.

 

To tell the truth, I think they mostly went for the salad because at least it was green, and so looked the most familiar

 

But of course, there's always a twist when dealing with the Chinese culture - they loved the water that the corn on the cob had been boiled in... I guess they thought of it as kind of a corn soup.

[warpedbored]

A make shift oven could be made with a large pot with a rack in the bottom. You could also use a microwave recipe http://southernfood.about.com/od/meatloafr.../r/bl20908e.htm

Try Carrefour markets. They have some western stuff. There is a

Carrefour store located in the Guangzhou City west region. Guangzhou store is adjacent to the famous tourist attraction -- Chen Ancestral Temple.

[jim404sea]

It's not advisable to eat raw vegetables in China, due in part to the "fertilizer" used.

Yes, we washed the veggies thoroughly before using them.

 

No one at the dinner but me had ever had a meal like that, while all the other 20 days I was there, it was me eating food I'd never had.

 

So take a guess - out of the entire group of people, who was it that had no digestion problems the entire 3 weeks except for the whole next day after eating their own cooking ?

[pkfops]

Carafour is a store.

 

The same one that three people were killed due to a sale on cooking oil.

[Shenzhen K-1]

Better to let them do the cooking.

 

When I need a food fix we go to a western resturant.

 

Other than Mcds & KFC, Pizza Hut has pasta. We also went to a

steak house in Panyu but I forgot the name.

 

You got them to eat salad?

 

When I buy lettuce, it usually gets cooked with something.

 

Did you try Carafour, it's a French chain.

 

Funny posts here, my feng does not have an oven now that I think about it!

 

We ate Pizza Hut once first trip so I could get western for a meal, she was not impressed!

 

Beijing we ate KFC for breakfast two days, nothing like wings in the morning!

[rogerluli]

and they were skeptical of the corn on the cob till my brave step-daughter saw me butter it and then she had to try it and loved it.

 

I'm surprised at this... Roasted corn on the cob is widely available at markets and from street vendors in China when in season...

[shaffej7070]

I attempted to cook Thai food for the family with limited ingredients. The reaction was favorable amongst the group except Lao Po. She said "No delicious." A few months later, she revealed they did not like it.

[jim404sea]

and they were skeptical of the corn on the cob till my brave step-daughter saw me butter it and then she had to try it and loved it.

 

I'm surprised at this... Roasted corn on the cob is widely available at markets and from street vendors in China when in season...

ok, so maybe they were just skeptical of my cooking, I was trying not to consider that possibility

[rogerluli]

and they were skeptical of the corn on the cob till my brave step-daughter saw me butter it and then she had to try it and loved it.

 

I'm surprised at this... Roasted corn on the cob is widely available at markets and from street vendors in China when in season...

ok, so maybe they were just skeptical of my cooking, I was trying not to consider that possibility

 

I think you may have gotten it there Jim...

[pkfops]

If you are talking about GZ, then that means Cantonese.

 

Very picky about food.

 

You may try to meet them half way by learning to cook things

like sheep's stomache, duck's tonge and the famous chicken's feet.

 

When it comes to western food; my wife will only trust her cousin.