Addiction

So...I have certainly found my absolute favorite thing to eat here in China...and I might be slightly addicted...

These are Huang Fei Hong peanuts which I translate as Hot and Numbing (although I have no idea what it really translates to).  They are perhaps the most amazing taste experience I've ever had...and they are super cheap at 8.8 RMB a piece from the local convenience store.  I find myself secretly plotting how I am going to get a whole suitcase of these things back home to the states.

The thing about these peanuts that makes them so great is they come with a TON of two different types of dried peppers mixed in.  The first is the long skinny one which you see on the picture which is really HOT!  The second is called ma pepper (pronounced ma ah if that makes sense).  This pepper is little teeny tiny and is a numbing pepper which literally numbers your lips, tongue, etc.  I try not to eat this pepper directly but inevitably 'accidentally' get a few...which makes the whole experience even better.  Today I discovered that enjoying with a carton of almond milk makes for pretty much the most amazing snack ever.

Other than that, the only other thing I typically buy at the convenience stores these days  are these...

Now you may be saying to yourself...isn't that just Ramen Noodles?  And the answer is 'yes'...but 'no'.  The Ramen Noodles here are about 3 RMB (maybe about 45 cents...so more expensive then ramin in the states...and more expensive then a huge bottle of beer!) and worth every penny.  The ramen here is done RIGHT.  These are always full of spiciness and dried meat that actually tastes decent once it is boiled...the flavors cannot be compared to that in the states...not a bad dinner if I do say so myself.

The other exciting food news is that I found an Italian Restaurant...Luigies!!!  It is ON CAMPUS too!!  AND the best part is that it is open all day (because of my teaching schedule I like to eat at around 2-2:30...and NOTHING else seems to be open anywhere at that time...but Luigies is!!).  It does its best to represent Italian food with the restraint that cheese is very rare and hard to come by...but they do have it!!  I would say their Italian dishes are probably on scale with a very very low scale Italian restaurant (probably wouldn't eat at it in the states)...but it is a nice treat to be able to enjoy those dishes at all here.  The other thing is they make a type of dish almost like risotto that is DELICIOUS.  It is basically a cooked/baked rice with pizza toppings and cheese...mmmm!  Oh and one more great amazing hugely awesome fact...they know their audience.  The menus come in ENGLISH as well...so you always know what you are eating (or at least their best English translation which is really cute) and they are super nice.  O.k. yes, new favorite restaurant.  Is it sad I've already been there three times this week?  (Do keep in mind it is almost impossible to eat in our rooms so we have to eat out a lot...and it is rather cheap...the rice dish I like is about $2.20.)

O.k. I think that's enough about food...you people are going to think all I ever do is eat...but that is something that all of the faculty have in common...we all have to eat.  So it is something we can bond over.  The other happenings here involve the Chinese National Holiday.  Apparently, everyone in China gets the ENTIRE NEXT WEEK OFF.  Brilliant!  The U.S. seriously needs to discover this concept.  It is awesome because families can really travel together because their kids in college and in regular school get the holiday off, they get the holiday off, their grandparents get the holiday off.  It really is a great idea.  I just have to figure out what I'm going to do with my holiday.  Any suggestions?  I did finally get my passport back (multi-entry...wohoo).  But by the time I got it back it was too late to plan any exotic vacations.  So I'll have to think of some fun things to do around here.  Maybe the Summer Palace.

Well, I better run...I'm the only faculty member who has class tomorrow (so my students are the only ones with class the Friday before Holiday...might make for some crankiness...I hope not).

Zaijian,
Gary

Learn Chinese:  Jega-This One  Niga or Nega-That one (Very useful when ordering food).