Teaching with Chopsticks: Food Glorious Food!

Chicken and Boiled Rice.

So I have always been a bit of a 'fussy eater', but as I have gotten older I have been more willing to try new foods. And it is just as well, because it would be impossible to live here and not be willing to be adventurous with food. Every meal is something new and mysterious; from squid soup, to pineapple curry. I am usually not quite sure of what it is I am eating, but I always try it no matter how strange looking it is. It's generally hit and miss as to whether or not I like the taste of the food, but more miss than hit. It has only been a few weeks however, so hopefully I will have more positive things to say about the food in the future.

There is something which is always consistent with the food here, if anything can be guaranteed with every meal it is this one thing.... Freshness. The food is cooked right in front of your eyes, with the freshest ingredients. The vegetables were probably picked just that morning, and the meat killed hours before, or in the case of fish, killed minutes before cooking, after you have chosen your own fish of course.

Take your pick.

I haven't tried this kind of fish yet, I have tried squid, and some other kind of seafood which was not to my liking. I look forward to giving this a try, I am not sure how I feel about seeing Nemo alive and swimming before I eat him, but if he is delicious I am sure I won't be complaining!

Another aspect of food here which is consistent, is that soup is served with every meal. At breakfast, lunch, and dinner some kind of soup is served alongside the main meal. And by soup, I don't mean chicken and bacon straight from a tin, it is always freshly made with added seaweed and seeds. Some of the vegetable soups are very tasty and refreshing. Others, like the strange looking one pictured below, are not so appetising, and certainly not refreshing.

Soup... I think.

In this small village, there are no major western food outlets such as Mcdonalds, or KFC. These can be found in the larger cities, but I have been warned on several occasions not to trust the Chinese version of these places; 'the meat is not good', were the words used. I can't say I have missed western food that much yet, I have been too busy being thrown head first into this new way of life to notice. And besides, I am enjoying trying all of these new foods, even if they are not all as delicious as a Sunday roast!