liuzhou

Yes, I guessed that but couldn't resist.

Corn flavored ice cream is quite a thing here. What are they thinking of? Why do I stay?

Did the yogurt really have 0% fruit? Or was there no fruit yogurt?

Not the prettiest dinner, but tasty. Chicken and red lentil curry with rice.

Of course. I was merely pointing out that the "fresh" mangosteens in the US might not be so "fresh" after all. I'm not only in China right now. I've lived here a quarter of a century.

It ain't my URL. And anyway, the URL doesn't mention pizzerias. The image in the article that URL leads to shows clearly it's a pizza and sandwich shop.

I don't squeeze them. When they are really fresh, I can get through the skin with my thumb nail and peel like an orange (although admittedly a little tougher).

That's not a good sign. I get them almost year round and they can easily be opened without the use of a knife.

It isn't a pizzeria.

I think the white fleshed variety works best in a mixed fruit salad. More for visual effect than taste. But the red ones I'll happily scarf on their own.

When I started this topic two years a go, the last thing I wanted was for anyone else to suffer what I did. Your food looks a lot worse than what I got. At least mine looked like food and I could choose what variety of unseasoned, overcooked sludge I preferred. Get out out of there ASAP, please!

Yes it's a cactus. And they are night flowering.

The taste is mild, yes. I find the red ones tastier. Certainly what I ate yesterday (and today) were tasty, but they were literally straight from the plant. Still a bunch more in the fridge.

P.S. THe Chinese for 'dragon fruit' is 火龙果 (huǒ lóng guǒ), which translates literally as 'fire dragon fruit'.

P.S. THe Chinese for 'dragon fruit' is 火龙果 (huǒ lóng guǒ), which translates literally as 'fire dragon fruit'.

Yesterday, I visited a small village in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, so-named as it is where the vast majority of the Zhuang ethnic minority live. Most are subsistence farmers, meaning they only really grow what they consume themselves with no surplus to sell. They are looking for ways to improve their lot and I was invited to attend discussions on how to move forward. Of course, we also had a look around. First some setting. The village is about an hour or so south of Liuzhou where I live. It is surrounded by karst hills. Admiring the View The lamps are on the expressway which passes by the village. Most of the villagers' land is given over to rice production. They concentrate on the staples. Rice Paddy Miles of Rice That woman is attempting to water her vegetable garden among the rice from a plastic bucket. One visitor from the city becomes inordinately fascinated by rice growing. I Can See the Rice Grow Other plants are crammed into corners. Bananas Gourds Chilies Meat - Very Free Range Different Meat - Ditto Fish Pond - More meat Farming Fish on the River Until recently, the village homes were rather primitive, but in recent years the young have shunned the rural lifestyle and fled to the cities seeking employment. They send money home, when they can, and this has nearly all been invested in building more comfortable homes. However, many of the older buildings remain. Recently, with government aid, the villagers have built themselves a village library. It is in this small three-roomed building which is totally empty. Not a chair, desk or a single book. Quite sad really. But they were proud of it. Following this visit and lunch, I relocated a couple of miles to the south to visit a dragon fruit farm. Details here.

Lunch yesterday in a small village in the countryside south of Liuzhou. Typical Zhuang ethnic minority cuisine. Unfortunately, the lazy Susan was lazier than usual and wouldn't turn, so I had to shoot some of the dishes from afar! Everything was grown, raised or foraged in the village. The Spread Fried River Shrimp Braised Duck Pork Bone and Winter Melon Soup Mixed Pickled Vegetable Foulness Emanating from the Pits of Hell Poached Chicken Green Beans with Pork Rehydrated Dried Tofu, Glass Noodles and Wood-ear Fungus Fried Rice Paddy Fish with Chilli - My Favourite. for a bit of background to this meal, see here.

Yesterday, as part of a seminar discussing ways to promote local rural tourism, I went off to visit, among other things, a dragon fruit farm in southern China. The area is home to the Zhuang ethnic minority. Dragon Fruit Plantation New plants being grown from cuttings Cuttings awaiting planting Unripe Fruits Ripe Fruit My harvest

I spent a large part of today on a Dragon Fruit farm a couple of hours from where I live. The farm specialises in a red variety. Of course, this included eating rather a lot of the things. Straight from the fields. I shall elaborate tomorrow on another thread, as the day didn't only involve fruit.

Amusing, but a fine looking meal.

Linguine with wild shrimp, garlic, chilli, wine and red lumpfish roe.

Chinese mozzarella. The yellowness is more to do with the lighting than the actual cheese.

Insalata Caprese Sinensis Pork, long marinated with garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt, cayenne pepper and ras el-hanout. Braised with wine, olives, yellow peppers and coriander leaf/cilantro. Served with rice.

Stornoway black pudding has nothing to do with a "full English", on account of it being part of a "full Scottish". Totally different thing!