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Why is cancer striking earlier? One answer could be a diet of ultra-processed foods.

I too, see no shaming or compulsion whatsoever. In fact, as the writer points out the article is aimed at "anyone new to the spicy food world or who just wants go to the next level". My emphasis. It also suggests serving chilli as a side rather than incorporating it in dishes "to balance the spicy fans with those who aren't" The notion that merely offering advice or information on how to do something somehow implies you should do it is ridiculous. On that basis every educational establishment is telling us we should study every major. My neighbour teaches flower arranging; is this a subtle ruse to turn me into a decorative horticulturist against my will?

One of my favourite snacky things is 牙签牛肉 (yá qiān niú ròu), literally 'toothpick beef'. Beef tenderloin is thinly sliced and cut into roughly 3 x 5 cm / 1¼ x 2 inch pieces. These are marinated overnight in soy sauce , Shaoxing wine, with flaked chilli, cumin powder, Sichuan peppercorns and crushed garlic. Next day, the pieces of meat are threaded onto pre-soaked toothpicks and briefly fried in a wok. The beef cooks almost instantly. After draining the beef, they are tossed in more chilli (if required) and sesame seeds, then served. This originated in Sichuan but is now available all over. Some supermarkets sell them ready made, but most people make them from scratch. It's important not to overcook them, something no one has apparently told he supermarkets. Great for snacking or finger food at a buffet - or beer food.

Mayo* on a tomato sandwich? What is wrong with you people? A balsamic vinaigrette is what you need. As for mayo with the yellow devil droppings is beyond redemption! * Not even my homemade mayo. Certainly not mayo from a factory. 🍅🍅🍅

She did it his way.

Yes, I guess deep fried. I received them 15 minutes from them leaving the store, so still hot and crisp. I followed the driver on the way to the store, then to me, using the delivery company's app GPS map.

香辣海虾 (xiāng là hǎi xiā) - Spicy Sea Shrimp*. Large shell-on shrimp (eaten shell, head and all, with green and red chillies. I was surpried how many shrimp they sent me. Tastiest dinner for a long time, although others have been good. ¥29.40 - $4.12 USD * literally, 香辣海虾 (xiāng là hǎi xiā) translates as: 香(xiāng) fragrant; sweet-smelling; aromatic; scented; savoury; appetizing. 辣 (là) spicy; hot. 海 (hǎi) sea. 虾 (xiā).

Tonight, 子姜炒鸭 (zǐ jiāng chǎo yā), young ginger fried duck; with rice. There was also an unphotographed side of 空心菜 (kōng xīn cài) stir fried water spinach / morning glory. Young ginger

They're raw.

Delivered to my door this evening. 1 kg of them. Frozen. Will appear on the dinner, lunch or perhaps breakfast topics soon. Or snacking. Or all four.

绿茶佛饼 (lǜ chá fú bǐng) These popular cakes are made from glutinous rice, green tea and toasted sesame seeds. The one on the right is upside down to show you the bottom. Approximately 6.5 cm / 2½ inches in diameter. I had them delivered and they arrived still oven warm. There wer eight in total. $0.33 USD each.

But I wasn't talking about the US. As I said, people here use Starbucks for the wi-fi.

麻辣无骨酸菜鱼 (má là wú gǔ suān cài yú）Mala (hot and numbing), boneless grass carp with pickled mustard greens. A Sichuan classic, the fish and greens are served in a (very) spicy soup with Sichuan peppercorns and raw garlic. With rice, of course. Grass Carp

This is restaurant related so I think fits here. From a bar/restaurant menu in Shanghai.

Another non-pretty delivery dinner. 香菇蒸滑鸡 (xiāng gū zhēng huá jī), steamed slippery shiitake and chicken. 虫草花乌鸡汤 (chóng cǎo huā wū jī tāng), cordyceps militaris black-bone chicken (silkie) soup. 米饭 (mǐ fàn), steamed rice. This is considered medicinal, especially the soup. A general tonic. Sorry, I tried several times to get a decent picture, but the soup is camera shy. Cordycep militaris Silkie (Black-boned chicken) It may seem strange to have two chicken and mushroom dishes together, but in Chinese thinking it's acceptable so long as the cooking methods are different. Cost ¥24.80 ($3.45 USD) including dellivery to the door. Arrived in twenty minutes. It certainly looked better in the delivery app listing, but the tastes were on point. Delivery app image

A small but growing amount of coffee is grown in China's Yunnan province (云南省 - yún nán shěng) which borders Guangxi and also Vietnam (which has excellent coffee). Much of the Yunnan coffee is snapped up by Starbucks, a lot goes to making instant coffee and only a little reaches the market as beans. A little of that little gets to the international market. It is usually labelled as Blue Mountain. Yunnan "Blue Mountain" Coffee - Image from listing on www.taobao.com, China's leading online shopping portal But Nescafé is what people mostly drink. It is predominantly sold as 3-in-1 (instant coffe premixed with sugar and whitener). There are local clones, too. Whether Nestlé uses Yunnan beans, I don't know.

I don't think they actually drink it. It's just a ticket to the wi-fi. At least, I hope that's the case.

As far as I can make out, the main reason people here use the SB stores is to access the free wi-fi. People sit there nursing a cold coffee all day while tapping away on their laptops.

全家福海鲜铁板炒饭 (quán jiā fú hǎi xiān tiě bǎn chǎo fàn), Family portrait seafood iron plate* fried rice (with extra shrimp). Contained the augmented shrimp plus scallops and squid. No egg. No c⊘rn. * Iron plate cooking is the origin of both the Japanese word teppanyaki and the technique.

皮蛋瘦肉粥 (pí dàn shòu ròu zhōu), century egg and lean pork congee. The red bag contains 香辣萝卜干 (xiāng là luó bo gān), Spicy dried daikon radish, a Chinese forerunner of kimchi.

What is common is something called 二米饭 (èr mǐ fàn) which means 'two rices'. This refers to 米饭 (mǐ fàn) - rice and 碎玉米 (suì yù mǐ) - crushed corn mixed together. That's what I thought they had sent me but on closer investigation it seemed they had run out of corn and substituted 小米 (xiǎo mǐ) - millet. Most unusual except in congee where mixed grains are very common.

Update: The consensus is that it is millet. Certainly looks like it.

I've been trying to work that out all evening! It's not the dreaded yellow devil seeds. I'll have to get back to you on that.