CHINALAND: My First Dinner Party in China!

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:

Salad
Potato Salad
Guacamole
Salsa
Crusty Bread
Boiled Eggs Marinated in Tea (Chinese salad Dish)

Cold Non-Vegetarian:

Sashimi with Wasabi and Soy
Cold Chicken Salad

Hot Vegetarian:

Paella

Hot Non-Vegetarian

Beef Chilli
Seafood Paella
Yangshuo Beer Fish

Dessert:

Pancakes and Fruit

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!