WET MARKET

My local wet market is a wonderful place for buying all my fruit and vegetables. This week everything just looked so tempting. Everything is so fresh and the vendor will always make sure I get the freshest. Must be a good customer having been going at least twice a week for the last 14 months.

So with this nice box of produce I started to plan meals and recipes. Peas and asparagus, easy call, a summer soup. I like to add a few handfuls of spinach at the end of cooking as this keeps a good green colour. Then I blend it all together. Sometimes I hold back a cup of the pea mixture to give a bot of texture, other tomes I strain it for a velvety smooth plate of yumminess. Depends on my mood, and on how much time I have. I would use only the stalks of asparagus and save the tips to add to peas and small onions, with a touch of the mint it would be a nice side dish.

As there was so many peas I made some pea and chickpea falafels. Always a favourite in this house, and with a yogurt and mint dip I was on my way to using up the contents of my shopping basket.

Beetroot would be pickled. 

With left over mint there was only one way to go and that was down the mojito route. A nice cocktail before eating. A perfect beginning for a tasty supper. 

I will continue my trips to the market. I enjoy wandering round, and engaging in basic conversation. It's amazing how attitudes change when I attempt my language skills. Beat a big supermarket shopping experience anytime.

Wonder what the next season will bring.

HAINAN CHICKEN

For someone who loves to cook, I find living here in Shanghai with all it's many great restaurants, and great social life, I cook less than I normally would. I am not complaining, but when I do cook I realise just how much I enjoy it. So when we were on holiday on Hainan Island a few weeks ago I enjoyed this chicken dish. On returning imagine my delight when browsing through a Ken Hom cook book, Exploring China, there was the very recipe.

Ingredients gathered I set to work. It is a simple but tasty recipe and one I will return to again and again.

The parts of the dish are all served separately and everyone puts it together to suit themselves. It's a bit like a deconstructed chicken soup.

RECIPE (serves 4)

1x1.5kg chicken, salt, 1.75 litres chicken stock, 6 slices fresh ginger, 6 whole spring onions, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper,  1tbsp oil, 2tbsp finely chopped garlic, 400mls long grain rice, measured in a jug.

Rub chicken all over with salt and put into pot and cover with stock, add more water if necessary. Bring to a boil. Add ginger, spring onions and pepper, cover tightly and turn down and simmer for 30 mins. turn off heat and leave for 1 hour.

Remove chicken and allow to cool. Remove ginger and onions from stock and skim off any fat. Measure out 900mls of stock and set aside. Reserve the rest of the stock..

Heat large frying pan. When hot add the oil and add the garlic and 1tsp of salt, stir  then add rice and stir for 2 mins. Now add the 900mls of stock and boil until most of stock has evaporated. Cover tightly and cook at very low temp for 15 mins. Remove and let rest before serving.  

The dish is served with garnish and dipping sauces. Again served alongside the chicken and rice to be added as required. These are very simple and really add to the flavour.

GARNISH

1 large cucumber, 225g tomatoes, 2 spring onions.

Peel and remove seeds from cucumber. Slice. Slice tomatoes and chop spring onions and mix together.

SAUCES

GINGER and SPRING ONION.  4 tbsp finely chopped sprong onion, white part only, 2tsp finely chopped ginger, 1tsp salt 2tbsp oil.

Mix together in a heatproof bowl. Heat the oil in a pan and when it is hot pour over ingredients.

CHILLI SESAME DRESSING. 2 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped, 2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp salt.

Combine altogether in a bowl.

Now you are ready to put everything on the table. 

Chop the chicken into pieces and arrange on a platter. Reheat remaining stock and put in a serving bowl and put salad and sauces into serving bowls. Give everyone a bowl and enjoy.

It is amazing how the simplest of foods always taste so good. Just takes good quality ingredients.

It was good to be back in the kitchen, and with the leftovers I just put some chicken, chopped smaller, some rice and the stock and we enjoyed a delicious bowl of chicken soup for supper the following night.

A SAD DAY IN SHANGHAI

Last week was a very sad day here as I was saying goodbye to a friend. Moira and her husband Alastair had been two of the first people we met on moving to Shanghai. A lucky chance meeting in a supermarket brought these two wonderful people into our lives.

Sadly their contract is now over and they are headed back to UK.

So last Sunday night we were on our last night out with them in Shanghai. I say in Shanghai, because I hope one day we will meet up again and catch up. It would be hard to think we will never see them again. I know this is going to happen again with other friends. People come and go all the time here, we welcome them, and then we are saying goodbye. However, Moira and Alastair had become good friends, they were Scottish, so there was a natural connection in the beginning. As I got to know Moira it was obvious we liked the same things. We both loved crafts, buying stuff for our homes and of course the shopping trips to the market. She had been here for 5 years so knew all the best haunts. Thankfully I was able to benefit from her knowledge.

Anyway, our last evening together. We were headed to a restaurant we had wanted to try for some time, Mr & Mrs Bund. A pre dinner drink chez Muir, of the bubbly sort, of course, then across the river to the restaurant. On entering I immediately knew why everyone raved about it. There was a great vibe. It was larger than I had thought, it was modern and lively, I knew we would all have a great night here. I was not disappointed.

The menu looked very enticing and choices were going to be difficult. Bread and crackers were brought to the table with the restaurant's signature tuna pate, for us to nibble on while making our choices. The tuna was delicious.

I had to go with the foie gras. It is so seldom you see it on a menu, and I know I will have a lot of people hating me for my choice, but it was delicious. I make no apology for my choice.

Another starter of prawn cocktail was ordered, another foie gras and a smoked salmon completed our starters. All superb. Waiting staff were friendly and attentive but not over fussing. I like that. I hate being interrupted every five minutes to be asked if everything is ok, as my mouth is probably full of food making it very difficult to reply.

Our main courses also proved to be good choices. For me grilled jumbo prawns, for the others a lamb dish, cod baked in a bag and a tomato salad. Served with "skinny" chips it all went down a treat. The delicious wine made everything perfect.

And lastly the desserts. I am not a huge dessert fan but was tempted by a profiterole. A lemon concoction was ordered as was a chocolate fondant. Moira resisted. Such will power.

What can I say but mmm!  All were superb. However Alastair's lemon pudding was the most impressive. It was a whole lemon filled will a lemon mousse and it was all edible. The lemon must have been cooked and scooped out before being filled. I was filled with awe with this beautiful plate. Tasted good too. Thankfully these friends don't mind sharing their food.

So with empty plates and drained glasses it was time to head back across the river, for Moira and Alastair for the last time. 

As we dropped them off and said our goodbyes we were happy we had been lucky enough to have had their company for the last year, but also sad as this was our last night together in Shanghai.

So a big thank you Moira and Alastair for helping us find "our Shanghai" for helping us settle in and for being our friends. We really appreciated it. I hope when we leave we will have left someone with the legacy you left us. 

I wish them lots of luck with their future plans and look forward to seeing them sometime, somewhere. In the meantime we will be returning to Mr & Mrs Bund. A huge thanks to them for a wonderful experience in this Shanghai restaurant. We will not forget it.

ALONE in SHANGHAI, (not)

Last week my husband was out of town, in Calcutta to be precise, with a couple of days in UK tagged on to the end of his trip. Ahead of me, including a weekend lay in store. I was busy making plans of things to do while he was away.

I would fit in a pedicure, tidy some drawers, I had a couple of DVD's lined up and also a couple of books downloaded, oh and I might fit in a bit of shopping! I was going to enjoy this week. The sun was shining and temperatures due to be in mid to high 20's. It would be a relaxing week, the diary was clear. Or so I thought!!!!!

Friday night cocktails on Jason Atherton's roof terrace 5-00pm Debbie's text said. Saturday lunch at new Deli said Fiona's text. Sandra's text was very similar, drinks on terrace of Puli Hotel followed by dinner. My weekend was full. Of course I accepted all three invitations, and so happy I did. Debbie's invite ended with dinner at Paula's apartment, a casual relaxed evening. Good conversation, and as this was the first time I had met Paula, a Boston native, I was delighted to be included.

Saturday lunch was another relaxed affair. Sitting outside enjoying lunch and watching people promenading along the street. This is one of the newest areas opening up in Pudong and a five minute walk from the apartment. Think I could spend a lot of time there this summer.I loved the sun. Not yet humid, so able to enjoy it.

                                     Manage to fit in pedicure on the way home.

On to Sunday. Was picked up at 4-30 driven across the river to pick up my friend Sandra. Her husband was at a meeting and may or may not join us for dinner. Sandra and I have been friends from my first weeks in Shanghai.

We arrived at the terrace bar and I was slightly surprised to see everyone lolling across very wide sofas. I have to admit they were not the most comfortable unless you actually did lie back, but hey that made my drink too far away and crawling to pick up a drink is not really cool. We sat as elegantly as we could, trying to look trendy and cool. Think maybe we were the oldest people there. But no problem, sun was still shining and we were in a beautiful environment, and the conversation was good, as always. A cold glass in hand and all was well with the world.

Dinner was delicious, and although Sandra's husband got stuck in a meeting, it did not detract from our evening. Sorry Melvyn, not to say evening wouldn't have benefited from your company, but we did the best we could!  Back across the river and safely home I was thinking what a great weekend I had had.

It is so great to know that in a strange city I never need to feel alone. After just one year here I have a wonderful group of women who all look out for, and care for each other. We are all experiencing the same things, husbands away, different customs and cultures and at times it can be difficult but knowing there is a friendly face always willing to share a cocktail or two, lol, makes it all seem so much better.

Now when can I get those DVD's watched and the books read?

XIANGLONGBAO RESTAURANT gets MICHELIN STAR

When people come to visit here in Shanghai we try our best to take them to all our favourite places. Places to see, places to eat, to drink and places to view the city at night. It gives people a glimpse into how we live, although we don't, as we do when they are here, do it every day and night.

A trip across the river with a visit to a rooftop terrace is always on the agenda. The views across the river never fail to impress. My brother in law and his wife were blown away with the views, and of the city. Well it's difficult not to be impressed by what Shanghai has to offer.

Another favourite place, this time to eat lunch, is a xiaolongbao (dumpling) restaurant, Din Tai Fung, which is located in a mall about a 15 minute walk from us. Again everyone loved the food on offer. A selection of delicious dumplings, the xiaolongbao, being the famous Shanghai one. As you bite into it a warm soup escapes. Delicious, but needs care when eating otherwise it lands everywhere except your mouth, and it is really hot. Unlike fast food chains it does not come with a warning that it is hot! I'd be disappointed if my food wasn't hot in a restaurant.

One big surprise on this visit was that it has been awarded a Michelin star. Yes this place, in a shopping mall has achieved an award for the food. I am so happy, and yes I think it is deserving. Apart from delicious food the staff are excellent, always smiling and welcoming. I love the large open kitchen where you can watch the chefs at work. It is nice that a place like this can achieve Michelin status. No need for starched table covers, snooty waiters and waiting lists of months. I hope more like this will follow.

Din Tai Feng is a chain and is in cities from Tokyo to Sydney and many places in between. So if you come across one on your travels it is worth your while stopping by. You will be happy you did.

So my guests were impressed that we had taken them there, and as with everywhere we went, they were impressed by the city. The old parts especially as it is there you really feel you are in different culture. Still four days isn't really long enough to"do" Shanghai, although we gave it a shot. When they left I was relieved to be able to sit down and catch my breath. With my hubby off in India there is no need to cook, clean or do anything I don't want to. Ahh, peace perfect peace.

However, it won't be long before I'm wishing our next visitors would hurry up and arrive and we can do it all over again. I love when people come to visit us in Shanghai, indeed anywhere. I love Shanghai and want to share my time here with family and friends.

Luckily we have a list of people all wanting to visit with several people already having flights booked. So it will be a busy year, but so much fun.

IKEA SHANGHAI STYLE

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of this week have been public holidays. The sun has been shining and we have been able to take advantage to the full.

However, with visitors arriving tomorrow, Thursday, there were a few bits and pieces I needed to help make their stay more comfortable. Nothing major just a few cushions, candles and plants. Ikea seemed the best place to go to pick up all items in one place.

Reluctantly my husband came along. As soon as we arrived at the car park we realised we may have made a huge mistake visiting on a bank holiday. Down and down we went into the bowels of the car park, eventually our driver had to drop us and drive off to find somewhere to park. The omen wasn't good.

As we entered the store we were faced by swarms of people wandering aimlessly, and often against the direction of the arrows, horrors of horrors, they were committing the ultimate Ikea no no, one which my husband cannot resist doing when he is directed on where he should walk.

But the really strange thing was that the Chinese seem to view Ikea as an extension to their own homes. In fact we were left wondering whether some of them had actually taken up residency. There were people sitting around on the chairs reading, or in some cases taking a quick nap.

In the areas where room settings are on show people were making themselves quite at home. No one was bothering them, and Ikea staff seemed happy to leave them to it. In UK I was told to leave the store for photographing something! I couldn't help smiling when I saw one family eating some food and checking their phones in one of the room sets, they had even pulled in a high chair for the little one. Somehow I don't think Ikea in UK would put up with this.

Kids were drawing in room sets and older people sitting around on beds as if ready to take a nap.

The lady above looks as if she has had enough and is pondering on whether she should have a lie down. Also I couldn't help thinking that someone had already had a quick nap in this bed! 

 "Who's been sleeping in My bed?"

sprung to mind when I saw this unmade bed.

We arrived at the cafeteria and realised a coffee was out of the question. It was full and overflowing, not a spare seat anywhere, and it seemed many had brought along their own food to be consumed in the comfort of the Ikea restaurant. Once again I swear it seems as if people have moved in and treat it just like home. So on we went picking up the items on our list as we went. The crowds thinned out the further into the store we went, and by the time we got to check out areas it was practically empty, once again enforcing my theory that people were actually living in store, lol.

Think it's time for a bedtime story before this little one goes to bed!

So all in all a very interesting visit to Ikea Shanghai. Take out the people and you could be in an Ikea anywhere in the world, and I've been in a few. Put the Chinese people back in and it reminds me of just how different the culture is here in China, and that at every turn I am reminded of it. That's what makes my experience here so exciting and so different. It is an amazing experience, they are warm and welcoming people. I am so happy to be able to enjoy this time.

Still don't think I'll be able to drag my husband back any time soon. He's done his "duty" visit to Ikea China, just enough to keep me happy. Never mind there is always someone who will go with me, just next time I think I will avoid the public holidays when I visit.

A YEAR ON, the STORY so FAR

A year ago today my husband left for work and I was left alone for the first time in what was to be my new home for the coming years. It felt strange. It almost felt like I was on holiday, especially as I looked out I was seeing a beautiful blue swimming pool. However, a reality came over me as I realised this was to be my life. I may look out over the pool but I also had to get over the holiday feeling and start living this new life.

So as I ventured outside the apartment the temptation to drop white pebbles was high in my mind. I wasn't sure I'd find my way back to the apartment never mind what might happen when I left the complex. But on I went. Soon all worries of getting home vanished as I had to concentrate all my energies on crossing the road. I would worry about getting home later. As I was attempting to cross 10 lanes, just to get to my local coffee shop, I was bewildered by all the noise, all the chaos and the fact that although the green man was clearly visible traffic was still coming in all directions, motorcycles and bikes were even heading right towards me. Safely tucked into a crowd of locals I made it across.

One year on, I barely hear the horns beeping, and no longer jump out of my skin every time one beeps, in fact I barely react. I swerve in and out of the traffic, around buses u-turning and cars double u-turning without a second thought. Well most of the time anyway!

On the way back I decide to try and buy some fruit and veg from the local wet market. Here there was a total assault on all my senses. Noisy, very, but it was the unfamiliar smells, not all pleasant, the sight of live frogs and turtles in tanks, fish I had never seen, and veg I didn't know what I needed to do with it to make it edible. Fortunately I am not at all squeamish and  managed to get around the market with no problems. With no Chinese and the stall holders having no English there was a bit of pointing and smiling going on. But once again I was successful and even came home with a few free samples.

One year on the man at the fruit and veg stall is helping me with my Chinese, I know nearly all the fruit and veg now, in return I help him with the English words. Win, win. He also gets me things I ask for, but keeps getting them, this is the reason I have jars of pickled beetroot to last me for a year! I don't like not to buy it when he has gone to the trouble of tracking it down. Hoping it will go out of season soon. He also gives me tips on how to cook some of these unusual veg. I now enjoy my trips to the wet market.

The first week I arrived and found I could navigate my way around I went to a coffee morning arranged by Brits Abroad. Here I met Sandra. It was a good day. Sandra and her husband Melvyn have become very good friends, and we have had lots of good nights with them. Later in the year I met Leslie, a fellow Scot, very soon we were introduced to her husband Alasdair and again we had found more good friends to enjoy our time in Shanghai with. Moira and Alastair also found their way into our lives, again fellow Scots. We have been so lucky to find such great friends here. I have a good network of wonderful women who make my stay here so easy.

So life here is good. Our local just happens to be the highest bar in the world, cocktails don't come cheap, but on the plus side our local restaurant is fantastic. On friday night 11 of us ate there for 1400rmb, so about £140 including drinks. Not bad. For the first time I booked the table in Chinese, so it was a great step forward. My language skills are improving, getting taxis, ordering food and drink, buying clothes and shoes all within my means! This is all thanks to YoYo my language teacher. She never tires of my never ending requests for questions out with the programme. She is always smiling and so very patient. In return I do my homework and try so hard to make her proud of me.

So a big thank you to everyone out there who patiently listens to my attempts at Chinese and encourages me. From the staff at the coffee shop, my maid, my driver, yes I am spoiled, my dry cleaner and my husband's colleagues who have helped make the journey a smooth one. I cannot thank them enough. We now enjoy lots of fun nights out with them. Jack, my driver has been especially kind. Making sure I'm safe, getting me to where I need to be, opening the car door, which I have to say takes a bit of getting used to, for waiting for me with an umbrella to get me to the car dry and for carrying my shopping to the lift. He is the best. I am wondering how I can arrange for him to go back with me when the time comes! 

So the first year has been good. Lots of new experiences, mostly good. I have mastered chopsticks, I realise I don't mind eating jelly fish, I do mind eating sea cucumber. I love sushi, especially sea urchin, however I do not like congee, a type of porridge made with rice. I can eat prawns including the shells, but still prefer shell off, and will never be able to spit out shells and bones onto the table!  But I am giving it all my best shot, apart from the spitting that is! However I will never, ever put stinky tofu in my mouth. I cannot even bear the smell of it. On the other side a salted duck egg is not so bad.

On the negative side I miss my family and friends, Skype helps, but it's not the same as hugs and kisses from Daisy and Archie. This week I go home for what will be my 4th visit in the year, so not so bad. I am looking forward to all those hugs, lots to catch up on.

 I also want to say thanks to all the people at home, family and friends who always welcome me back, to those who make the trips to visit us wherever we are in the world and for keeping in touch with news form home. It makes it all so much easier. Thanks.

So now lets see what another year in Shanghai can offer.