liuzhou

Liquan Beer (离泉啤酒 ) is brewed in Guilin not far from here and is the main beer sold throughout the province. I spotted this a couple of days ago. It is a premium version to commemorate then US President Bill Clinton's visit to the city in 1998. Here is a closer look at the label. I am somewhat baffled by the "Clinton" quote featured on both the front and rear labels. The Chinese makes sense, but did Clinton really say or write "With thanks for acting a good example"? (My emphasis). It makes no sense. And is that really his handwriting? Whatever, the beer is a slightly more deeply flavoured one than most of Liquan's product. The regular stuff is fine, though as a refreshing draught in the sweltering heat of summers here.

Here is the son of another friend rolling his first rice noodle roll (肠粉 Mandarin: cháng fěn; Cantonese: chéungfán). He needs to work on it a bit, but is clearly pleased with himself.

Many years ago, I ate a wonderful asparagus starter in this restaurant in London. Stacks of beautiful local English asparagus were rolled with phyllo/ filo pastry then baked. The pencils of asparagus in the crisp pastry were served with a spicy mayonnaise. Over the next few years, I replicated the dish many times, but haven't had it in twenty years. No phyllo/ filo pastry available here in China. Asparagus is very common here in my part of China. Every market and supermarket has it. In Chinese it is 芦笋 (lú sǔn) which literally means 'reed bamboo shoot' and most people here do believe it's a type of bamboo. I also saw it in Vietnam when I was there two weeks ago and have eaten it in Thailand.

I didn't investigate too closely, but I think it's probably stability over flavor. I'm not sure a bunch of herbs rammed into the animal's rear orifice would make much difference. It certainly doesn't look very dignified.

I've eaten all sorts of pizzas over the years. Pepperoni, Supreme, Marguerita, and many more. Even Durian Pizza! But this is a new one on me! From the local Pizza Hut. Air? Pizza Air? It makes no sense. The Chinese doesn't help either. It reads: Thin Crust - Deep Flavour Thick topping. Delicious long lasting About 3mm thin crispy crust / super rich thick top / 4 flavor configuration / Extra- large satisfying size I'd try one if I could pay with air money!

Yes, that was one of the things I picked up on first. And the insistence on "oriental" sesame oil, but then using tahini! I like tahini a lot, but it ain't Asian style sesame paste. I can just about forgive the spaghetti! I'm not a stickler for so-called "authenticity", but...

One thing the Vietnamese do enjoy of an evening is a bit of grilled/BBQ'd meat with a few beers. I do too, but didn't partake as it is very much a communal activity and I was there alone most of the time. But every day as I left the hotel to attend to business, I had to pass this large grill place and negotiate my way around the sidewalk to get past where, each morning, they started roasting a whole pig in preparation for the evening trade. They did a second in the afternoon. The head and feet have been removed to be used in another manner.

Yes, there are all sorts of international food places. Both restaurants and markets/stores. I saw Indian, Syrian, Singaporean etc. There is a large Russian market and of course, a huge Chinatown, which I didn't visit. I live in China!

Squid and snow peas with garlic, ginger and chilli. With squid ink noodles.

The signs were in both Vietnamese and English. Why English? Because the vast majority of non-Vietnamese customers speak at least some English. It is the international language! And many younger Vietnamese speak English I have one good friend in Hanoi who speaks, Vietnamese, Chinese, English and French, all fluently.

I didn't taste it, but vegetable shortening would be an improvement on their usual - lard!

Yeah @KennethT. I wouldn't have thought to look for that , either. I just ran into it by accident. I got fairly adept at dancing with motorcycles by the time I left!

I'd already eaten dinner, but felt peckish later, so popped out for more fried Vietnamese spring rolls. I much prefer them to the Chinese variety. The menu. The reality They came with the inevitable noodles, salad and dipping sauce. To get to this place from my hotel, I had to cross a main road. This is what it looks like at night. In the day time, much the same. And they don't stop for anyone! Crazy!

Yeah, but if you are putting in 5 T Sriracha why also put in the chili peppers. I just find the whole recipe a bit weird.

Agreed about the buckwheat noodles. I'm mystified about how Sriracha can be subbed for Sichuan Pepper sauce, though. They are nothing like each other.

One day, I took a wrong turning and stumbled into this fantasy world. Annam Gourmet Market. This is a very international deli and café. I was almost in tears looking around. I couldn't possibly carry back all the shop, even if the customs people and my bank manager let me! The cheese! The charcuterie! The olives! The fish! The everything! I've never seen anything like this in China, even in Shanghai or Beijing. and of course Thinking about it now, I'm glad there no such place like that here in Liuzhou. I'd go bankrupt in a month! But what a way to go! Actually, prices were reasonable considering. Expensive but not insanely, so. They have a few branches in Ho Chi Minh City and one in Hanoi. I was at the flagship store at 16 & 18 Hai Bà Trưng, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh,

Yes, I use paint brushes, too

This post. Third picture

All corn is menacing! It shouldn't ought to be allowed!

Yes, Vietnamese limes are tiny - quail egg size or smaller. There are some in one of my market photos.. Never had a problem squeezing them - I just squeeze them with one hand into the other and use my fingers as a sieve. Might miss one or two, but no big deal to swallow a seed.

Thank goodness there are seeds. My beautiful lime tree on my balcony has grown from a seed from a lime I bought in Hanoi several years ago. Unfortunately, it has never fruited. Its nearest potential mate is hundred of miles away. I don't recall ever seeing seedless limes.

I have few of these scrapers which I bought from a builders' merchant market. I find them much better than the ones in kitchen shops.

Boiled duck eggs in wo wo tou buns (窝窝头 wō wō tóu) as eggcups - again. No good! Needs salt and black pepper! Much better.

One of the few food items I smuggled back from Vietnam last week was these pita breads. I've never seen them here in China and my attempts to make them haven't really worked. Cubed and fried a skinless, boneless chicken bread with cumin coriander and chilli. Stuffed pita with a simple salad of lettuce, scallion and coriander leaf - added the chicken and some real Thai Sriracha sauce. Ate. (Excess salad on the side.)