Full details to follow on this Farm to Table Dinner!
Chinese Take Out
Forbidden City Food Vendor; hoping that GQ is coming by soon.
Did I happen to mention that my most recent (last week) trip to China was 6 days and 5 hrs, take off to touch down, back in NYC?
The flight alone is a solid 14-15 hrs…each way! That really left me with about 5 days on the ground and needing to cover 4 cities and multiple factories. I scoff at The Amazing Race.
With an itinerary like this, I certainly wasn’t enjoying any leisurely, multiple course, meals at the hottest new dining establishments on the Bund, Shanghai. My meals more consisted of ….well, let me show you.
Day One …an 8am flight, followed by a 3 hr car ride, to my first appointment…
The S is silent.
(Meet Mr. Heather)
…found me dining, at a roadside truck stop, with my factory owner and 3 other dragon garlic breathing employees. This bright-eyed belle below served me up homemade, truck stop, udon noodles with bok choy and enough garlic to defend myself against the other dragons. Point Mr. Heaaaather!
Say OOOH for Udon!
Dinner that night, well, they say a picture is worth a 1000 words. Now I know that the “they” in this saying, is the Chinese. Proceed with caution.
Antler?
Or…
I say Naaay!
…and then I really lost my apetite and called home to check on my…
Dog Gone Dinner 
I obviously woke up hungry on Day 2. Breakfast buffet was a bevy of beautiful 100 year old eggs. MMMM MMMM. Pass the Tabasco and a close pin for my nose.
Eggs, 6 ft Under
Day 3 I discovered a whole new meaning to “Buns of Steel”. Filled with a divine mixture of pork, green onions, garlic and parsley, they were served up with a spicy vinegar. I caught up on lost calories from Day 1 and 2.
Day 4, I, am embarresed to say, found me eating, McDonalds chicken (I hope) McNuggets with soy sauce at the Shanghai train station; while on a 14 hr road trip that included planes, trains and cars. Hey, it happens.
Day 5, I was back to scrounging food off the streets while moving from appointment to appointment. Things started off really well. Fresh boiled edaname and salted peanuts while walking through a random neighborhood.
Later, I ran across a food market, on a back alley, that took advantage of all those crunchy critters we cringe at. Where to start? Scorpions, centipedes, roaches or spiders?
Crunchy Bugs
Around the next corner I came face to face with the woman, personally, responsible for China’s problem with dragon breath! Boy did I give her a dirty look. Her’s back to me was so much better! Must work on that. On the upside she is one tough vampire slayer.
Vampire Slayer or Dragon Breath Demon?
Nearly starved and creeped out, literally…I found a farmers market. Peachy Keen!
Peachy Keen!
Sometimes finding the most familiar of foods, while travelling…are the most exotic and precious of all.
