This entire summer I cooked an astounding TWO times excluding the times I boiled water for cup noodles, dumplings, and wontons. What a feat. Once was scrambled eggs. The other was your typical tomatoes and egg, red-roasted chicken, and stir fry. Thus far it doesn't look like my goal to become a great cook is off to a good start. Sadly enough I think my cooking skills have actually regressed.
To break out of the poor eating habits of a bachelorette I hit up T and T again today. (INSERT HALLELUJAH CHORUS FROM HANDEL'S MESSIAH) I needed inspiration to start cooking. The items on on the shelves were just screaming, "Cook me!" I bought some much needed ingredients that were hard to find in Guelph, but there are others that are still missing. I was so tempted to buy those prepackaged jars of sauces to cook with, but I am resolved not to cop out. Seriously how much authentic Szechuanese food can you get in Toronto? All those signs and labels claiming to be from Szechuan? LIES!
Aye, there's the rub. I long for the delicious food from my childhood, and long to make them, but I lack ingredients and an authentic teacher. Even the best cook in our family can't make REAL food from our province because of the lack of ingredients. No matter how much those labels claim to be from Szechuan, they're not. There are some ingredients that just can't be imported. Like Panda liver. Just kidding. So until the day China really takes over the world I'll have to make due with pseudo Chinese food whilst outside the Motherland.
Read: If my cooking sucks it's because I lack ingredients.
Dude, I think you beat me for times cooked (although I have baked some good stuff). Mostly I want you to live closer so you can make me tomato and egg. And panda kidney, much juicier than liver.
ReplyDeletehow do u know that stuff isn't actually the "real" stuff?
ReplyDeletewhat if the label is in chinese and everything? i mean, i'm not expert, but doesn't ALL panda liver taste the same, irregardless of where the panda was raised?
katie:
ReplyDeleteyou're going to south america! you'll be having your fill of "tex mex" food. woooow! you wouldn't want panda kidney.
dlu:
fyi they have english/pin yin labels for illiterate "cbcers" like us. i call myself a cbcer because sometimes i might as well be.
AND...of course it matters where the panda was raised. the climate, the habit, and the feed all have an effect on the way the meat tastes! pffft. amateur.
Are you guys sick? Eating Panda?
ReplyDelete