eG Foodblog: hzrt8w - A week of Chinese New Year celebration

[hzrt8w]

I have started a collection many years ago: cans of Coca-Cola bought in different countries that we visited.

After visiting the World of Coca-cola in Atlanta in the mid 90’s, I was fascinated by that Coke is sold in so many different countries. Why not collecting cans of Coca-Cola with different languages printed on them?

So far I have Cokes from England, France, Germany, Japan and China.

These three were a gift from a friend who came from Malaysia, a country which I haven’t been to yet. I think it is Malay that was printed on the can? It is interesting that in Asia and Europe, the smaller size (150 ml) is quite common. In the USA, we all settle with a 16-oz drink being the smallest that we would drink. The smaller size is about ½ to 2/3 of the 16-oz size.

[hzrt8w]

gong xi fa cai, ah leung!

...

my chinese new year consisted of just peking duck and a horrid dish of stuffed forel (not fresh!) and it cost over 60 euros (incl 2 ice creams + 2 TINY bowls of soup+2 soft drinks).

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Gong Xi Fa Cai, Mei!

When we toured in European countries we stayed away from the Chinese food over there. Unless we took my father-in-law along, who won't eat anything other than Chinese.

[hzrt8w]

What's the difference between a green onion ("scallion" in this part of the country) and a chive?

...

BTW, your food photography is fabulous; I see I'm missing some great work by not hanging out on the Chinese cuisine board.  What sort of camera do you use?  Have you considered professional food photography as a sideline?

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Sandy: thanks for the "tea" explanations.

Green onions are priced lower and their tastes are stronger than chive. Chinese sometimes use "chive" to label green onion.

Thanks. I have been using a Sony Cybershot DSC-W5 model, 5 megapixel. There are people on eGullet who can take much better pictures than I.

See Ken Wang's and Tepee's for more beautiful photographs of Chinese food.

Professional food photography? I don't think I can make that rank.

[hzrt8w]

Its nice to see the pix of Sac. Is that riverboat a restaurant now?

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No Kouign Aman. That riverboat, I think, is called the "Spirit of Sacramento". It carries passengers for sight-seeing up and down Sacramento River in the downtown area but doesn't have cooking facility onboard. There is a much bigger riverboat "Delta King" which has been converted to a hotel and restaurant. It is anchored permanently at Old Town Sacramento.

[hzrt8w]

But, in Chinese culture, we respect our elders. Unlike the youth-obsessed culture in America, we don't see somebody as peaking when they're in their 20s and everything else that follows as downhill. With age, comes wisdom. I'm really impressed by all the things you're teaching us here, and I don't think that you as a twenty year old you would have been able to pass down all this knowledge that you're currently feeding us. If you ever come down to SoCal, I want to treat you to lunch for all the things I'm learning from your posts.

My MIL is borderline diabetic, so we need to watch out.

As somebody who has a family history of diabetes, I'm curious what changes you need to make. Rice would be a no-no, right?

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Thank you leviathan. I might just show up at your doorsteps to collect that free lunch someday!

My MIL is not quite there yet but she has been adviced by her doctor not to eat sweet things and cut down on salt.

[hzrt8w]

Fantastic Ah Leung, and it's sooo much cheaper to fly in the US than the UK.(We are a flying family, daughter and son finally getting their licences, they have their eye on Cathay!) We have a C180 tailwheel (can land anywhere, beaches, fields, no need for a strip) and keep it in the field next to our house in the summer....total freedom, lovely day, just leap in and go. England is beautiful from the air. ...so flying and food is my passion (the other forum I belong to is for pilots )

ps. we beonged to the HK flying club but after a few flights realised had to hold for too long so not worth it, but a lot of our friends still fly there

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insomniac: That's fascinating to me. Have you flown in/out of the old Kai Tek airport? Wasn't that an awesome airport?

Edited February 25, 2007 by hzrt8w (log)

[hzrt8w]

I remember the first time I ever had abalone, in a similar preparation. It was asparagus, instead of the bok choy. It was among the most delicious things I have ever eaten.

Haven't had much opportunity for abalone since then, since it has become rare and very expensive.

I live on the San Mateo coast (San Francisco Bay Area) and 20+ years ago when I first moved here, abalone was freely available for anyone who wanted to dive for it.  Not the case anymore, it's now an expensive delicacy.

Ah Leung, best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year!

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Thank you Pamela! Same to you!

I have seen footages from the Huell Howser's California's Gold (love his shows) that hugh abalones used to be harvested in the Monterey area in California back in the 40's or something. Unfortunately these abalones are very rare now.

[hzrt8w]

Let's all have good health in the Year of the Pig! Is there a traditional Chinese wish of health in the New Year? We Jews always wish each other a "Happy and Healthy Year" at our new year, Rosh Hashanah.

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Michael: in Cantonese we wish each other "Sun Tai Geen Hong" - good health. This phrase is often used in CNY. Health is the most important thing.

[hzrt8w]

Ah Leung, would you show the packages of the oysters and the hairy moss fungus, if you still have them?  That dish looks delicious, and I've never cooked with either of those before.  The whole dinner looks quite wonderful, in fact.

Also, I see that grass jelly in cans all the time, but am ashamed to say I've never tried it.  I'm confused - you drink it straight from the can, or you have to mix it with something?

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Abra:

The packages themselves have no label. The dried oyster I bought in San Francisco China Town. They just scooped up 2 pound that I ordered. You kind of need to recognize the item, sorry.

The grass jelly drink that I bought (16 oz can), I drink straight from the can. There are other cans of grass jelly (not drink) you can buy in Asian markets. Those are the grass jelly itself. You can dice them up and mix them with beverages. Or eat them with some honey poured on top (or sprinkle some sugar).

[hzrt8w]

Coat hangers?  I was about to ask what that contraption in the oven is and how I might make/get one myself!

Wasn't Fay Choy banned this year?

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Pontormo: Take a look at this thread for how to make the chicken hook out of coat hanger and the hooks in the oven:

Cantonese Roast Chicken with Nam Yu (南乳吊燒雞)

I don't believe Fat Choy is banned. It was advised not to consumer it, isn't that right?

Edited February 24, 2007 by hzrt8w (log)

[hzrt8w]

When I buy a can of grass jelly to drink, I always find the strands of grass jelly too long and so there's always some left at the bottom of the can after drinking it. Anybody have this problem?

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leviathan: what I usually do is to add iced water into the "empty" can of the grass jelly drink, shake it around a bit, then suck out the remaining grass jelly bits from the can.

[hzrt8w]

Ah Leung, what's the difference between the light colored dried oysters you cooked with the fat choy and the reddish brown ones your MIL used in the soup? I'm more used to eating the reddish brown ones.

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sheetz: I bought my dried oysters from San Francisco China Town. They look greener and much more moist (I need to keep them in the freezer or they go moldy quickly) than the reddish brown, dryer dried oysters that my MIL uses. The owner said these dried oysters have not go through the oyster sauce extraction process. I suppose that's why they are more moist, and do taste better than the other one. I could taste the difference.

[hzrt8w]

I've never seen the coconut in different colors before.  We've only had the white color.  I'm not a huge fan of the sweets myself, so my favorite were the seeds. 

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In China we make these coconut strips only in their natural white color. The stores that sell these are Vietnamese-Chinese run. I guess this tri-color (white, red, green) is the tradition in Vietnam? I don't know.

[hzrt8w]

Hooray! I think I have caught up and answered all the queued questions!

I am free and clear again!

Edited February 24, 2007 by hzrt8w (log)

[Restorer]

Ah Leung, does Horlicks taste like Ovaltine?  I remember Ovaltine being a little darker in color.

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Karen: Horlicks tastes different thatn Ovaltine. Ovaltine is a chocolaty drink. Horlicks is a malt drink. It doesn't have the rich, smooth feel that is in a chocolate flavored drink.

And they make Horlicks candies too! I like those.

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Ovaltine has three different varieties: rich chocolate, chocolate malt, and malt. The rich chocolate flavor seems to be the one advertised most (solely?). I currently have a jar of malt Ovaltine, only because the store didn't have the chocolate malt flavor. Ovaltine started as a malt mix.

[maher]

These three were a gift from a friend who came from Malaysia, a country which I haven’t been to yet.  I think it is Malay that was printed on the can?  It is interesting that in Asia and Europe, the smaller size (150 ml) is quite common.  In the USA, we all settle with a 16-oz drink being the smallest that we would drink.  The smaller size is about ½ to 2/3 of the 16-oz size.

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The lettering on these Coke cans is actually Arabic. The cursive script going up the side of the can is the Coca Cola logo in Arabic, and the text on the back of the other can, while quite small, looks like the ingredient list and health warnings about Diet Coke in Arabic as well.

[Domestic Goddess]

I have started a collection many years ago:  cans of Coca-Cola bought in different countries that we visited.

After visiting the World of Coca-cola in Atlanta in the mid 90’s, I was fascinated by that Coke is sold in so many different countries.  Why not collecting cans of Coca-Cola with different languages printed on them?

So far I have Cokes from England, France, Germany, Japan and China.

These three were a gift from a friend who came from Malaysia, a country which I haven’t been to yet.  I think it is Malay that was printed on the can?  It is interesting that in Asia and Europe, the smaller size (150 ml) is quite common.  In the USA, we all settle with a 16-oz drink being the smallest that we would drink.  The smaller size is about ½ to 2/3 of the 16-oz size.

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Ah Leung,

My father also collects Coca-Cola cans. He has cans from Thailand, HK, Korea and of course the Philippines. If you like, you can send/PM me your snail mail addy and I can send you a couple of cans of Coke from Korea. We got the short fat one, long thin one and the regular size one.

[Priscilla]

Ah Leung, your foodblog is absolutely fascinating and delightful. And this on top of your pictorials!

Best wishes for your new year, and here's hoping that, esp. now that your flying dream is well on its way to fulfillment, the RV part is not far behind.

And, when in OC, have you ever eaten at China Garden in Irvine? Dim sum there in particular is highly thought of, locally.

[Dejah]

I have started a collection many years ago:  cans of Coca-Cola bought in different countries that we visited.

After visiting the World of Coca-cola in Atlanta in the mid 90’s, I was fascinated by that Coke is sold in so many different countries.  Why not collecting cans of Coca-Cola with different languages printed on them?

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Ah Leung,

My father also collects Coca-Cola cans.

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For those interested in Coca Cola memorabilia, here's a Coca Cola Christmas my hubby put up and adds to constantly:

http://www.hillmanweb.com/xmas/xmascoke.html

It focuses mainly on the Santa image rather than the cans tho.

Ah Leung: Why does the label on the duck leg package say" Pork Blood?!"

It seems Coke is collected by a lot of people. A friend of ours in Chicago has his whole basement decorated in the Coke theme. He has everything, and done up like a soda shop.

http://www.tarzan.org/dumdum05/1430f.html

I always drink diet Coke with Chinese food IF there is no accompanying soup. Does anyone like the diet Coke with lime? It doesn't have quite the zip the "other" brand has.

Ah Leung: Why does the label on the duck leg say "Pork blood?!"

That "simple dish" - I can smell it! I have a whole lap gnap here, but hubby says we can't have any until we lose a few lbs.

[hzrt8w]

And, when in OC, have you ever eaten at China Garden in Irvine?  Dim sum there in particular is highly thought of, locally.

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Best wishes for you in the new year too, Priscilla! No I have not tried China Garden. Thanks for the tip. It will be on the agenda for the next trip.

[hzrt8w]

Ah Leung: Why does the label on the duck leg say "Pork blood?!"

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They mislabelled. Happens often.

[hzrt8w]

My father also collects Coca-Cola cans. He has cans from Thailand, HK, Korea and of course the Philippines. If you like, you can send/PM me your snail mail addy and I can send you a couple of cans of Coke from Korea. We got the short fat one, long thin one and the regular size one.

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Fantastic! Thank you for your generous offer, Domestic Goddess! I am sure many people like this popular drink. Nowadays there are so many varieties, diet version, Cherry, Vanilla, Cherry flavored... I only like the "oriignal recipe", quoting Kentucky Fried Chicken.

[hzrt8w]

The lettering on these Coke cans is actually Arabic.  The cursive script going up the side of the can is the Coca Cola logo in Arabic, and the text on the back of the other can, while quite small, looks like the ingredient list and health warnings about Diet Coke in Arabic as well.

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Arr! Thank you maher! Arabic! Very interesting.

[hzrt8w]

Ovaltine has three different varieties: rich chocolate, chocolate malt, and malt. The rich chocolate flavor seems to be the one advertised most (solely?). I currently have a jar of malt Ovaltine, only because the store didn't have the chocolate malt flavor. Ovaltine started as a malt mix.

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Thank you Restorer! I didn't realize Ovaltine is a malt mix too. The ones I have seen seem always chocolate flavored. Perhaps that's what most popular here.

[eje]

A Geek’s World

Welcome to my study room, which doubles as a home office, which triples as a computer lab.

[...]

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Wow!

I'm going to have to show this to my wife to prove to her that there are other people with more old computer stuff than me!

That preserved duck leg cooked on rice looks like a great weeknight dinner.

Definitely something I will try in the future!

Edited February 24, 2007 by eje (log)