Picture spam + trip details

[oyceter]

I am very proud of myself! Lately I have been consuming all-Chinese media in terms of TV and reading, with the exception of the internet! One hopes that my Chinese is improving marginally, or at least that I am recovering some long-forgotten vocabulary. And better yet, I got a membership card at a local book rental store—book rental stores here largely stock manga, romance novels and wuxia novels—so I can sample a lot more manhua without having to buy everything.

It was about $2 to borrow 7 books for five days; not up to par with a public library, clearly, but still not bad, especially as I don't know how the state of Taiwan's public libraries are. I also suspect that they don't shelve as much manga as the rental stores. I am hoping that the manga rental store will have out-of-print titles as well, though I'm still looking for a copy of Yazawa Ai's Last Quarter so I can reread it and take it home.

A friend of my mom also lent me some kdramas, one of which is the Gong Yoo teacher drama. Aiiiieeeee! Maybe I will watch one episode to give it a fair chance and then quickly return it. The others are Miss Mermaid and Queen of the Game, neither of which I have heard of. I query my FL for help! Also also, I keep seeing box sets of Dal Ja's Spring and Coffee Prince here for about $40, and I want them SO MUCH! I have only been refraining because they only have Chinese subtitles, and that will put a damper on my plan to sic them on as many people as possible.



Mmmm, first tuna pizza of the year.




Possibly Taiwan's version of Jesus Christ Superstar?




Sesame baozi that we made! Well, that we watched the teacher make, dough and insides wise. But we made the bao!




The baozi, risen and ready for the steamer.




Cooked baozi. The teacher said the insides ended up being too dry because she didn't add enough lard.




Hunan tofu, fish head stew, and pork and bamboo.




Onion ribs, cold tofu, and fish with bamboo and a picked vegetable (xue cai).




Giant banyan tree. I used to play with them all the time in school, since they grew around the volleyball and basketball courts.




Avocado, tuna and roe spread with toasted bread. Very tasty, although I wanted more chunks of avocado.




Sashimi, whoo!




Grilled pork bits. This was tasty as well, but I didn't eat as much because of the mayo.




Grilled salmon jaw! I wanted it slightly saltier on top and with even more lemon, but that is because I like my fish jaw puckeringly sour and salty and then oily and soft underneath.




Beef tataki salad.




Spider crab rolls!




This very tasty mochi thing in a brown sugar syrup. Brown sugar seems to be very popular here, but I'm not complaining, as I like it better anyway.




OMG this was so good! Black sesame panna cotta with corn flakes on top. Do people put corn flakes on panna cotta in the US, or is that an Asian thing? Anyway, it is an excellent thing that contrasts perfectly with the creaminess, and there was a bit of grittiness of the sesame and the smell of the sesame mixed with the creamy panna cotta. OMG so good.




Watermelon!




Mmmmm, pretty mangoes.




And lichis! We had some last night, but because I don't know how to pick good ones yet, they were a little watery.

Comments

[vonnie-k.livejournal.com]

OMG DROOOOOL. The spider crab rolls look scrumptious. And that sesame panna cotta is totally making me salivate.

[oyceter]

OMG sesame panna cotta should be served everywhere!

[maerhys.livejournal.com]

nom nom nom

Please be sending me all of that food.

[oyceter]

I wish! I want to have sesame panna cotta every day now!!

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I'm so jealous! Fresh lichis! Black sesame panna cotta! Brown sugar on everything!

I think corn flakes as a dessert topping is an Asian thing, as I've only ever encountered it here in Asian restuarants. Though I think in the midwest they're used like panko.

[oyceter]

I ordered the sesame panna cotta with you in mind ;).

I loooove the corn flakes thing now! I had some today under green tea ice cream, and the crunchiness is perfect.

[estara.livejournal.com]

I've only had watermelon like these in Syria. I'm so hungry now. A lot of the other food didn't just look beautifully presented but very tasty.....
*goes off to make herself a snack*

[oyceter]

Soooo tasty. I haven't even had watermelon at home yet...

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

Brown sugar seems to be very popular here

That tears it. I was re-thinking my commitment to Taiwan because the school there is giving me a wee bit trouble; but no. I must persevere for an abundance of brown sugar.

[oyceter]

HEE! I think that is an excellent reason to visit somewhere. Also, eeeee, how long would you be here for?

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

I would be there for a year, at least. (They insist on a year-long commitment.) Longer if I enjoy the situation and work, maybe..? It would be a way to start saving money for grad school while working on my Mandarin skills.

[oyceter]

Oooo! Ooooo! May it be during a time when I am still in grad school so I will have long vacations there and can drag you to favorite fooding places!

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

That would make me so happy! I am going to hold you to that, heehee. (Right now I'm aiming to head over in December.)

[oyceter]

Excellent! Also, December: not as hot!!!

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

Hah! I admit to being a little wary about the weather situation. I'm an admitted heat-freak, but then I've never been in a truly tropical climate... How are you handling it?

[oyceter]

Uh. Ah hahaha. So far, my solution is to stay indoors and in air conditioning as much as humanly possible! I also carry an umbrella around everywhere in case I have to walk in the sun, but that is because I really hate the heat.

I still am not sure how I managed to spend eight years here, since I cannot stand the humidity AT ALL.

[shewhohashope.livejournal.com]

Is it wrong that of everything, I envy you the watermelon?

I have no car and any watermelon I get will have to be carried up te giant hill I chose to live on for some stupid reason.

I'm considering the Gong Yoo teacher drama, I've heard that it's pretty good. I haven't heard of the other two, so I have no advice to give there.

[oyceter]

I know! I don't buy watermelon in CA for the very same reason! Also, even after I haul it home (I have a car, but still, annoying), it is very difficult to consume an entire giant watermelon by yourself.

Oooo, if you watch the Gong Yoo teacher drama before me, let me know what you think?

[estara.livejournal.com]

Indeed! We all seem to have similar problems - especially the eating watermelon alone one. Occasionally they sell some small ones in quarters or halves - and if they are very fresh I buy a quarter.

Still, I've never seen those watermelons from your picture except for my grandma's house in Damascus.

[hysteriachan.livejournal.com]

*dead from food envy*

[oyceter]

Mission accomplished!

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

Wow. Amazing food!

[oyceter]

So tasty! It almost makes up for the horrible heat...

[keilexandra]

Oooh, cool tree. And I'm jealous of your abundant source of mango!

[oyceter]

I love the banyans! And so far, the mangoes here have been ok, but I had a few of the little green wild mangoes and those were awesome, peeled and eaten right at the sink, no cutting, just digging in with juice dripping down to my elbows.