Eating in China
Eating in China
A couple days ago I went to the Liwan District in Guangzhou because all the travel blogs told me to. So here is my photo story!
I love going to new places and just wandering. I was told to take a good several hours meandering the streets, taking in the beauty of the atmosphere as I go. I saw this messenger bike and was inspired to make it the focus of my photo. Somehow the humble playfulness of the clotheslines in the background added so much Chinese personality. I snapped a photo and was so pleased with the colors. Isn’t it wonderful how beautiful daily things like this can be such art if we take a moment to appreciate it?
The guides told me to find Qing Ping Market. It is an open market that sells all sorts of food…dried goods, Chinese herbs and medicines, fruits, veggies, you know the usual.
But I need you to prepare you eyes for the next one. You musn’t scroll down further if you have a weak stomach. And don’t tell me I didn’t warn you. The Chinese are known to eat about anything.
The blogs and forums told me that I will see some of the weirdest stuff being sold as food. I didn’t think much of it until I saw the creatures in action…
Ugh. I cringed when I walked past this lady selling turtles, eels, all sorts of fish, and…scorpions. SCORPIONS!!!! OK, I’ve been to Chinatown a million times growing up so the other animals didn’t scare me too much (although I felt so sad because I have a pet turtle…) but bugs?? BUGS!! I hate bugs. I can’t even look at one! Put it in my mouth! Ahhhh!!!
So of course I had to go and research the reasons why ANYONE would eat a scorpion! According to traditional Chinese Medicine:
“Scorpion has pungent and neutral properties, and is associated with the Liver meridian. It is extremely toxic. Scorpion is used to stop spasms and subdue endogenous wind, and to dispel toxins and wind. Scorpion is sometimes combined with other herbs as part of a larger formula to treat convulsions and spasms of the hands and feet. Some practitioners may recommend scorpion as a treatment for headaches and pains in the joints.”
That was scary. But what was more scary was the below photo. Again, please prepare your eyes.
Do you see what’s sitting in that board? Yup. It’s alligator meat.
OH
EM
GEE
Ok, look, I’ve had alligator one time in college as a part of a Mardi Gras thing but wow, to see the skin of an alligator still ATTACHED to the meat is another thing. A whole ‘nother thing. I cringed so bad. I literally had chills run down my spine every time I looked at it. The picture is far away because I didn’t want the lady to shoo me away and because well, I think you see enough.
And the chickens. The frogs. You know, if I ever had to kill my own food, I would 100% be vegetarian. I can’t imagine killing. We are SO FAR removed from where our food comes from that eating meat is like nothing. But when you see your food alive and walking, it is truly something else. Makes you think a few times before you eat.
I then wandered out of the food market area which really for me was a cross between a wine & dine experience and a zoo of sorts (well for a Westerner that is) and did some shopping. I successfully bargained for a dress IN CHINESE!!!! My translator taught me how to say “how much is this” and “cheaper!!” – I mean that’s all I need to know right. Haha, she also taught me how to count. So there was this super cute dress from 39 RMB. I came up to her and said “Pen yee den” (cheaper) and she said 35. Then I said “sam sup” (30). She smiled at my weird Chinese-American accent (coming from a Chinese looking girl) and said ok. Haha, I felt SOOOOOO accomplished you have no idea. Just for your reference, 10 RMB is about $1.58 USD.
Umm so what have I been eating? Well, I haven’t been eating rice which makes the people I go out with think I’m crazy town. But it’s not like everything else I’ve been eating has been healthy AT ALL. My mouth feels smothered in vaseline after every meal. I mean, here’s a picture of a meal I really really tried to make healthy. Broccoli, onions, an egg, a piece of steak. But wow, look at that steak. It’s glossy. And that piece of fat right there. OMG. Heart attack anyone?
It’s funny, I’ve been ordering tofu every time I have lunch and dinner. I really do love it so much. And not because I saw those meats in the market. (BTW, I did not see dog meat, but I also chose not to turn into a butchery area…that’s probably where it was.) I’m not going to commit to 100% vegetarianism like I did back in the summer and early fall, but I will try to eat less of it when possible.
People from different countries, regions, even states all eat different things and it is spectacular to be able to glimpse into someone else’s daily life through their culinary ways. But at the end of the day, we eat what we can hunt and gather in our environments and we eat what we are told to eat. The latter you can control though. Yes, I am talking to you with the parents.
Fascinating, just fascininating.
Now tell me, what’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten???
27 thoughts on “Eating in China”
There are 27 comments posted by our users.
haha, my mom had sheep brain soup when we went to china 2 years ago. i couldnt even look the soup in the eye. eewwwwww
eew!
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I’m a vegetarian living in Northern China and I’m soooo glad that I am! Though it’s pretty hard here, it’s really comforting knowing that I’m not eating dog meat or any other kinds of weird meat. However, I did eat congealed pig’s blood a few years ago when I was in Taiwan. I wouldn’t suggest it.
Your blog is so much fun, everything from exercising to healthy food 🙂
I also liked very much one of your previous posts “Running – the best way to tour a new city“. I can not believe I’ve never thought of that, one of the best things I heard recently.
Keep it up! 🙂
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thanks for that tumblr blog!
i love reading this… makes me feel like im in china too! ive been to china once for family vacay… we went to ocean park and ate lots of noodles and drank lots and lots of tea! lol oh, and don’t forget the duck!!! yummy! 😀
I had a dinner involving raw fish head, raw oysters and a bowl of glass noodles topped with raw egg in Japan. Amongst other items I couldn’t really identify. Attempting to eat it (we were in a group) turned into more of a contest than an evening out, haha. I managed fine though, but I’m the adventurous type.
Those chicken in the coup are huge.
if i were to travel to China i would eat all the weird stuff because if people there eat it and they are ok, then it must be good for me too.
weirdest things (according to others, not myself) i`ve eaten are fried pork brains, tripe soup, a stew from cow tongue and others involving internal organs.
wait… is that the size of a normal chicken? why do they look so plump?
I think thats a normal chicken??
I ate a piece of chicken heart once, in North Carolina. It was kind of rubbery. XP
Not sure if you have covered this on your blog. But your avoidance of rice and love of miracle noodles made me want to suggest you try ‘cauliflower rice’ for one of your great cooking videos.
This version:
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbsidedishes/r/caulirice.htm
uses a microwave, which I have never done, but I have steamed, fried, and eaten it raw after chopping/grating it. Yum! Kdx
Ahh yes I made cauli cilantro lime rice once! It was delish.
Wow! So interesting! Thanks for sharing! I have to agree with you on the if you had to kill your own food you would be a vegetarian! I definitly could not handle it!
I have never eaten anything weird at all! Hahah boring? Maybe…but I am so picky! I will stick to the normal stuff…thanks!
The weirdest thing I’ve eaten was raw cow’s stomach.
Whoa!!!! That is pretty intense! I’d say raw cow stomach is much grosser than any alligator, insects or scorpions!
The weirdest thing I’ve ever eaten is sea urchins eggs. That is a special food in some Greek islands , like Crete. It used to be a very expensive delicacy, but now the fishing of urchins is illegal.
The weirdest thing I’ve ever eaten is…tiny grasshoppers… in a taco (in the native Mexican pre-Columbian style). It didn’t taste bad, just a bit crunchy, but I don’t think I’ll be eating them again.
The weirdest thing I’ve eaten is …frogs, but i’m french, and this belongs to our (old and strange) cooking traditions. I tried it once only, though it’s not that disgusting. Nowadays eating frogs has become very unusual in France and it’s quite difficult to even find some in stores. However we still eat…snails and oysters on special occasions 🙂
Extra proud vegetarian after seeing this post lol!
I was meant to the the same 😉
Agreed! Go veggie! haha
The weirdest thing I’ve ever eaten was snake. I had it at a restaurant in China when I visited last year. 🙂 Hope you are having a blast!
“Ugh. I cringed when I walked past this lady selling turtles, eels, all sorts of fish, and…scorpions. SCORPIONS!!!! OK, I’ve been to Chinatown a million times growing up so the other animals didn’t scare me too much (although I felt so sad because I have a pet turtle…) but bugs?? BUGS!! I hate hugs. I can’t even look at one! Put it in my mouth! Ahhhh!!!”
You hate hugs?!
Sorry, occasionally the grammar nazi in me comes out.