10 hours ago, Katie Meadow said:Liuzhou, I realized I didn't know where you are, so I looked it up. Pictures of Guangxi province look amazing, but given the sub-tropical climate it isn't surprising lamb is uncommon. I love that combo of lamb and cumin, but I assume that's part of a northwestern Chinese cuisine. Seems you are eating a lot of donkey these days! I had no idea.
Yes Katie.
You are absolutely correct. Lamb/mutton is a feature of north-western Chinese, although there are a lot of lamb/mutton noodle joints in town. I lived in Xi'an twenty years ago and the sheep meat was universal (partly because of a large Muslim community who, of course, shun China's default meat, pork).
Lamb and cumin on sticks (羊肉串 - yáng ròu chuàn) is, however, available all over China. I've bought those stick in Beijing, Shanghai and all points NSEW. I can even buy them in the tiny village (hamlet, really) which is my second home in the countryside, thousands of miles from where it originated.
Guangxi is stunningly beautiful. I am very, very lucky to live here.
My recent donkey obsession is simply because a new shop made it easily available to me. I always liked the meat, but until about two months ago, couldn't find it easily. Again, it isn't really a local speciality. It is more north-eastern or central China. But the locals are lapping it up. As am I. I couldn't even find a seat in the donkey noodle place yesterday noon.
Like everywhere else, people are looking outside their comfort zones for new tastes and experiences.
