American breakfast or Chinese breakfast?

[ken88]

If your wife is with you in the US, does she cook American breakfast for you or Chinese breakfast? How about lunch and dinner?

 

My wife is not here yet. But I did take her to KFC, McDonalds and some western restaurants. she did not eat even the first bite. she thinks that American food is the worst in the world. I think she is just acting up !

 

What was your experience ?

 

Ken88

[Smitty]

KFC and MickyDs are the worst food in the world....

[A Mafan]

Personally, I've always hated American breakfasts. I never really realized it, just thought I wasn't a breakfast person.

 

But then I visited China a few times.

I love hot, unsweetened soy milk. I like salty boiled eggs. Not too fond of their breakfast breads, but I love all the stuff you can put into the rice gruel (zhou1).

So put me down for firmly preferring Chinese breakfasts.

The only real limitation will be what ingredients for Chinese breakfasts she can find. If not, then probably just bread, fried egg, fruit, and yoghurt. She'll take a little time getting used to the yoghurt, tho.

[mao mao so]

KFC and MickyDs are the worst food in the world....

 

I agree! But when I visited Jie, her son who is 10, loves KFC there. He insisted on going there one day, and pestered for a while. Jokingly, I said to him "KFC bu hao", and he promptly stick out his lower lip. Needless to say, we went. The menu there is different than the menu here, but boy the prices were sure the same! It's was expensive!

 

I do like the little outside windows all the Mickey D's in China have, where you can walk up and get those little soft icecream cones. Apparrently everyone else there does too, because they always had a big line. They couldn't crank out those cones fast enough.

 

Jeff

[Guest Mike and Lily]

Personally, I've always hated American breakfasts. I never really realized it, just thought I wasn't a breakfast person.

 

But then I visited China a few times.

I love hot, unsweetened soy milk. I like salty boiled eggs. Not too fond of their breakfast breads, but I love all the stuff you can put into the rice gruel (zhou1).

So put me down for firmly preferring Chinese breakfasts.

The only real limitation will be what ingredients for Chinese breakfasts she can find. If not, then probably just bread, fried egg, fruit, and yoghurt. She'll take a little time getting used to the yoghurt, tho.

 

My wife is still in bed when I eat breakfast, so I don't know. But on weekends I cook eggs for her!

 

But she cooks American and Chinese dinners for me, so I'm not suffering.

[IllinoisDave]

For the first 4 months or so all we ate was her Chinese cooking. She's gradually become fond of some American food though. She likes hash browns,especially from McDonalds, steaks from anywhere, root beer and chocolate ice cream.(not together) But her favorite has to be Olive Garden. The food's just ok, but that whole all-you-can-eat soup,salad and bread for lunch really gets her going.

 

Not big breakfast eaters. I usually have cereal.

Edited July 1, 2008 by IllinoisDave (see edit history)

[michaln]

she rarely cooks breakfast I am not home for lunch and every night its chinese when I mentioned that I would like an American dinner she made

a chinese chicken dish put it on a french roll topped it with cheese and asked how you like my american cooking which of course I loved

[H.Woodside]

KFC and MickyDs are the worst food in the world....

I would strongly agree, however, I found that KFC is a excellent place to get a cup of coffee in Beijing, at a better price than the 25RMB a cup the hotel was asking (if you think Lao Po is going to let me spend that on a cup of coffee, you are sadly mistaken).

 

The food however is very expensive, one could eat for two day's on what they want for a chicken sandwich.

[DongDong]

I am with, A Mafan. I got used to the soy milk, congee with whatever in it, some sort of greens side dish and tea for breakfast most of the time.

 

I have to say though, we found a tiny stand in Guilin that made fresh noodles every morning for breakfast... wow!

[2mike&jin]

If your wife is with you in the US, does she cook American breakfast for you or Chinese breakfast? How about lunch and dinner?

 

My wife is not here yet. But I did take her to KFC, McDonalds and some western restaurants. she did not eat even the first bite. she thinks that American food is the worst in the world. I think she is just acting up !

 

What was your experience ?

 

Ken88

 

 

Ken88 --I don't eat anything from KFC and McD's --- why would a Chinese woman eat there?

 

Now to be serious we have been together for over a year living in Xiamen China (Studying Chinese - Awaiting K1), which has several American resturants, many Western Hotels, and the usual spread of mediocre German, Italian, etc resturants. She generally does not like "much" from any of those western places. However....

 

Breakfast has been somewhat of a success. We have Metro (German Wall Mart) and they have Betty Crocker Pancake mix. If you tell your lady that it's "Mian Bao Mix - Bread Flour" and you let her select what she wants to put on the pancake...I think she will like it. If she's from the north...just say it's Moa Moa. Ok, my gal likes honey on her pancakes -- but is not fond of the syrups - we have tried 3 and her take is they are too sweet.

 

Also, she likes toast with honey, and Raisen Bread Toasted with Honey or (This was a big surprise) "Cream Cheese" warmed and slightly spread like butter -- but not like we glob it on a bagel. We are testing bagels this week!

 

I also cook her "2 egg whites" in a teflon pan - and split it on two pieces of toast for "egg sandwiches".

 

EGGS: She'll eat them, especially if boiled, fried (no yolks), or in omeletts. Scrambled is OK, but NO CHEESE. Anything resembling bacon, ham, etc....is a non-starter - at any time. Anything that is a fruit or vegetable is a big YES.

 

Hash browns, cereal with "soy milk", onions, or "vegetable-stuffed buns", (Cai Bao) are fine with her. We also have the boiled rice - with various veggies, pickled items, etc --- and I have grown to really like all of it.

 

We will be moving to Hawaii at the end of the next school semester and/or the K1 thing is done - whichever comes last. Everything that she eats here is AVAILABLE in Hawaii -- which is good for me. ALso, I eat every little meat (if any) so veggies - cooked the Chinese way, noodles, etc are fine with me. Today we had "fangbian mian with tomatoes-with broth" (Fast noodles with Tomatoes) for breakfast.

 

Bottom line; If you work with her, over time she will find the things that she likes and you can learn to appreciate "most" of the food items that she likes. If you will "TASTE" everything that she makes or orders for you --- then you can appeal to her sense of fairness in tasting and trying western food. Try spaghetti first -- it looks like noodles...make sure you don't try meat, or cream sauce- suggest Aribbiati - since it's spicey.

 

You need to show her that there are some things that she will like from the western bill of fare -- but you both need to work on blending the "food culture". I'm very lucky, I agree with YOUR LADY...WESTERN Resturant FOOD GENERALLY is UNHEALTHY and contains way too much sugar and fat. FYI - my gal and I have a deal....she has to try eveything - at least a bite -- and I have to try everything at least a bite...EXCEPTIONS --- I eat NO WORMS from the OCEAN -- and she eats NO MEAT! (Last's nights dinner with friends - 2 dishes were "sea worms - 1 in clear jello the other - actual worms in long reed looking things -- I ate the Jello one with wasabi --- not the other)

 

Bon Appetit!

[Maxal]

Are you sure you love your wife! I mean KFC and McD's!!

 

Maybe you were just trying to show her what NOT to eat in America.

 

I have to say the breakfast choices sound a lot like what my Japanese friends would prefer to eat.

 

I enjoy honey in my coffee so I have that around the house all the time and it works on oatmeal also!

[Guest Tony n Terrific]

My wife is not here in the US yet. However she is a very good cook and is she quick!. We both love to cook and it has been a battle to see who will cook breakfast. She has said to me "I do". and we have had so much fun in preparing dishes together. In China you do not eat a traditional breakfast as we do here in the states. It is more like rub a dub - a dub lets get the grub. No holds are barred when it comes to breakfast.

Edited July 1, 2008 by Tony n Terrific (see edit history)

[ken88]

If your wife is with you in the US, does she cook American breakfast for you or Chinese breakfast? How about lunch and dinner?

 

My wife is not here yet. But I did take her to KFC, McDonalds and some western restaurants. she did not eat even the first bite. she thinks that American food is the worst in the world. I think she is just acting up !

 

What was your experience ?

 

Ken88

 

 

Ken88 --I don't eat anything from KFC and McD's --- why would a Chinese woman eat there?

 

Now to be serious we have been together for over a year living in Xiamen China (Studying Chinese - Awaiting K1), which has several American resturants, many Western Hotels, and the usual spread of mediocre German, Italian, etc resturants. She generally does not like "much" from any of those western places. However....

 

Breakfast has been somewhat of a success. We have Metro (German Wall Mart) and they have Betty Crocker Pancake mix. If you tell your lady that it's "Mian Bao Mix - Bread Flour" and you let her select what she wants to put on the pancake...I think she will like it. If she's from the north...just say it's Moa Moa. Ok, my gal likes honey on her pancakes -- but is not fond of the syrups - we have tried 3 and her take is they are too sweet.

 

Also, she likes toast with honey, and Raisen Bread Toasted with Honey or (This was a big surprise) "Cream Cheese" warmed and slightly spread like butter -- but not like we glob it on a bagel. We are testing bagels this week!

 

I also cook her "2 egg whites" in a teflon pan - and split it on two pieces of toast for "egg sandwiches".

 

EGGS: She'll eat them, especially if boiled, fried (no yolks), or in omeletts. Scrambled is OK, but NO CHEESE. Anything resembling bacon, ham, etc....is a non-starter - at any time. Anything that is a fruit or vegetable is a big YES.

 

Hash browns, cereal with "soy milk", onions, or "vegetable-stuffed buns", (Cai Bao) are fine with her. We also have the boiled rice - with various veggies, pickled items, etc --- and I have grown to really like all of it.

 

We will be moving to Hawaii at the end of the next school semester and/or the K1 thing is done - whichever comes last. Everything that she eats here is AVAILABLE in Hawaii -- which is good for me. ALso, I eat every little meat (if any) so veggies - cooked the Chinese way, noodles, etc are fine with me. Today we had "fangbian mian with tomatoes-with broth" (Fast noodles with Tomatoes) for breakfast.

 

Bottom line; If you work with her, over time she will find the things that she likes and you can learn to appreciate "most" of the food items that she likes. If you will "TASTE" everything that she makes or orders for you --- then you can appeal to her sense of fairness in tasting and trying western food. Try spaghetti first -- it looks like noodles...make sure you don't try meat, or cream sauce- suggest Aribbiati - since it's spicey.

 

You need to show her that there are some things that she will like from the western bill of fare -- but you both need to work on blending the "food culture". I'm very lucky, I agree with YOUR LADY...WESTERN Resturant FOOD GENERALLY is UNHEALTHY and contains way too much sugar and fat. FYI - my gal and I have a deal....she has to try eveything - at least a bite -- and I have to try everything at least a bite...EXCEPTIONS --- I eat NO WORMS from the OCEAN -- and she eats NO MEAT! (Last's nights dinner with friends - 2 dishes were "sea worms - 1 in clear jello the other - actual worms in long reed looking things -- I ate the Jello one with wasabi --- not the other)

 

Bon Appetit!

 

Good response 2mike&jin.

 

I agree with your ideas. I am also essentially a vegeterian. But you do not get many veg dishes in China, except spinach boiled whole. In Cantonese preparations, they put no spice, no salt, no pepper and no nothing, except soy sauce.

 

I told my wife that I will try every dish once, except fried insects, worms, frogs, snakes and dogs.

 

Ken88

[gunsmokebob]

My wife is not here in America yet. She is convinced that everyone in the small town that I live in, will want to come to our house to eat Chinese food when she gets here. She is even taking cooking classes there in China while we wait for our application to leave the DHL facility.

On my two trips to China, I ate a lot of foods that I was not sure what they were. Some I liked, some I do not care to try again. One thing I do not like is the hot soy milk.

I believe that meals in our home will be blend of Chinese and American. I cooked for her and her family on my last trip there. Her mother is very traditional Chinese and had a hard time with a man cooking in her kitchen. After spending a great deal of time in the supermarket, I finally found the things I needed to fix something American. I settled on fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy. I also added cheeseburgers. (Damn hard to find buns in China!) I could not find a potato masher, but was able to make do with a slotted spoon! If you want a good workout, try mashing potatoes in this manner! I also got some fuuny looks when I cut the neck, head and feet off the chicken and threw them in the trash!

The cheeseburgers were a big hit the whole family. They did not seem to care for the chicken or my good homemade gravy, but the mashed potatoes were a hit. They loved them! My wife and her mother tried to make them after I left, but had a hard time getting the lumps out. I promptly sent her a potatoe masher by Expess Mail.

I know it will be an adjustment for her and me. But, I am looking forward to our cooking meals together. I live in small town in the mountains of Colorado and it is a 2 1/2 hour trip to a Chinese market in Denver. She will just have to learn to cook Chinese dishes with deer elk, moose and antelope meat. I harvest, clean and butcher all of my own meat. I make many types of sausage from the ground meat.

I can imagine a lot of trial and error in the preparation of meals. I have told her that life in America will be an adventure and trying new foods will be part of it.

[Jay & Ping]

I'm a breakfast guy. My splurge of the week is Sunday breakfast at a local joint. I hope she'll join me. The girls like pancakes and a little maple syrup. It took me 20 minutes to convince them it came from trees! You should see them eat pancakes with chopsticks! I made little silver dollar ones the second time. I think they might like waffles with strawberries (no whipped cream). We do make fried eggs and she likes taco beef mixed in with scrambled eggs and scallions.

The only thing she likes at McD's are the hash browns.