I decide to throw a dinner party for
my colleagues in my new flat, something I've wanted to do for a
while, just to see if I can do it! Also when I arrived out here my
cooking was atrocious as I had to get used to completely different
ingredients, equipment and resources! As you will have seen my
kitchen is very small indeed!
So I send out some invitations and to
my surprise they all accept, meaning I have 9 guests so I borrow a
spare dining table and chairs from my colleague Adrian who lives on
the same floor.
I've been planning the menu for weeks
and it's all stuff I've made before out here, so I'm not taking a
shot in the dark!
It goes something like this:
Cold Vegetarian:
Cold Non-Vegetarian:
Hot Vegetarian:
Hot Non-Vegetarian
Beef Chilli
Seafood Paella
Yangshuo Beer Fish
Dessert:
With my wife Sarah saying to me online
“Don't overdo it” and these words ringing in my head I get busy
planning.
On Monday I buy some beer and fish
plates.
On Wednesday I get some extra tomato
paste and wasabi.
On Thursday after work I buy most of
my vegies from the local market, and carry them back on my shoulder
like a coal sack on account of the weight!
I borrow someone's fridge as I don't have room in mine!
On Friday morning I buy the fish, meat,
extra vegetables, avocados, spices etc from a Chinese supermarket in
town (there are a few and they are all really good, this one does
great fish!)
The bag is so heavy I decide to use a
little electric taxi (known locally as bun-bun, don''t
ask me why) and slowly but comfortably travel back: it's a novel
experience!
Sadly the driver
misunderstands my instructions and I have to ring the admin ladies at
the University who explain to him how to deliver me to my door.
On the way back so
many Chinese wave at me that I find myself waving back and feeling
like some royal on a procession!
Actually he does it
so well and so kindly (I mean RIGHT to my door!) that I give him a
large tip, something I rarely do as you're not supposed to here!
That afternoon I
get started on some of the dishes, steaming the rice and boiling the
potatoes. I prepare the guacamole, make the chilli and keep it in
the fridge.
At 7am the next day
I'm against the clock as they are arriving at 6!
After coffee and
some thing for breakfast I start on preparing the vegetables, spices,
herbs etc and putting them into bowls.
I also juice a load of oranges!
At 10 I pick up
Adrian's furniture. Sadly I drop a chair on the floor which makes a
loud CRASH and brings Iris, one of my neighbours, the Chinese wife of
James (who is a colleague) and also a guest: wondering if I need
help. She looks in and remarks what a big project it is!
I start preparing
the fish soon after and I know I have to make the paella before
lunch in order to have most of the work done by 4pm.
Having done this,
paradoxically I have to eat lunch out as I can't cook it for myself.
Plus I need a break!
I get back at 1.30
and steam the fish for my Yangshuo dish. Then its salad time.
I surprise myself
and have the preparation done by around 4pm.
I clean up and
arrange the room, set up the tables, get the candles and music ready,
clean the floors, and by 5.40 I actually sit down and relax with a
beer awaiting my first guest!
The evening is a
roaring success!
Here is some of the
aftermath!
The kitchen AFTER we cleaned it up!
