liuzhou

I "borrowed" some tomato and onion from a sauce I was half way through making for dinner later and used them with a bunch of "ravioli" (actually they are wontons* - what's the difference?) Olive oil and black pepper. *wontons contained pork, shrimp and mushrooms.

I see nothing in her article to suggest she was looking to be "chatted up" or would have welcomed that if it had happened.

I've put this here, because I think it goes beyond the Restaurant Life forum. A very well written and moving account of one woman's waitressing experience in a "Chinese" restaurant in Washington DC. Dealing with life, growing-up, identity, language, sexism, racism, asshole customers and more. 'Customers looked right through me': what I learned working in a Chinese restaurant

I know this is 11 years old, but I just spotted it while looking for something else, so just in case anyone is misled, the Cantonese most definitely don't come from Shandong! It's geographically similar to saying Texans are from New York! I think @Batardmeant Guangdong (although Cantonese speaking people are also found In Hong Kong and southern Guangxi). It was true in the past that most immigrants were Cantonese (no longer) and Cantonese cuisine is seldom spicy, though. ETA: Never did find what I was looking for!

Montes Twins 2012

Silky and tender, yes. Not in the least gelatinous or crunchy.

I posted my fresh day lily pictures only to friends on the Chinese near-equivalent of Facebook and I'm being beseiged by friends asking where I found them! No one seems to have seen them before! I only found them by chance! Maybe a one-off. Hope not!

I made a soup, too. Hot but not sour. I had some good chicken stock to which I added garlic, shallots and white pepper, then the flowers. Simple delicate flavour with the peppery afterkick. I was happy with it. (Less so with the photographs.)

Yes, thanks. I saw that. "He said they toned down the intensity to appease American palates." Well that ruined it, then!

A while back, I mentioned day lilies and noted that the flowers are seldom available fresh. Well they were today!

Poached organic chicken with a) carrot and coriander purée b) brocolli and garlic purée c) orzo

This isn't a Chinese wine but Spanish, but generally China classifies by varietal. It's a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 12% Petit Verdot and 9% Negral . I'm not anticipating any "alcohol burn", but will let you know.

No. They read the Chinese names which are different.

Yes we do, but no one has used it for 15 years.

Valquejigoso V2 2008 A gift from a dear friend who carried it all the way from the vineyard to China for me!

Costco must be pretty naïve then. The same thing happens everytime something foreign and exotic happens here. I'm sure they knew exactly what was going to go down.

Hardly surprising after your saline deprived recent involuntary trip away from home. Last time I fell into the quacks' hands, they put me on an unnecessary saline drip, while failing to salt anything edible. My requests for intravenous Guinness and seasoned food fell on deaf ears!

Thanks. You'd have to add a hell of a lot of vinegar to make the crust damp though, surely. I often use amchur (dried green mango) to dishes for a sour note.

Maybe I'm missing something, but what is the advantage of "dried vinegar" over a spash of the wet stuff?

The many lunatics who believe in cyronics.

Sure you can. I do it all the time.

Flat. It's how I was taught and I've never really questioned it or felt the need to do so.

I did.

Metric is standard. Only Myanmar/Burma, Liberia, and the US think otherwise.

Well just from my pantry onion seeds, celery seeds, lovage seeds. I'm sure there are more, but I'm at the other end of the day and sleepy.