A Chinese Feast
This past weekend, I went with a few of my colleagues on a whirlwind business trip to Beijing. We were going to meet up with the principal and teachers from a school there that had purchased a lot of textbooks and materials from our company. So, we agreed to conduct some trainings and seminars to help them learn about the new products.
On Saturday night, we were invited out for Peking duck with the 78-year-old lady principal and some of her staff. We went to a much smaller restaurant than I expected, but it was still in the same Chinese style: round tables with lazy Susans in the middle, chefs carving the duck at stations inside the restaurant. I don't think I have had roast duck since I was in Beijing four years ago, so I was quite excited for the meal; but I had no idea it would comprise such a feast.
Of course, we had the traditional roast duck, with the crispy skin, the juicy meat and all the trimmings: plum sauce, spring onions, cucumber and the tortilla-like wraps. My first wrap was actually made by the principal herself, as a demonstration to everyone about how to do it the "right" way.
In addition to duck, the table was crowded full of so many other types of dishes. Beef stir fry, shrimp stir fry, sweet and sour pork, all the Chinese classics. Not to mention a Western-style salad topped with Pocky sticks, which was actually quite delicious, as well as some amazing deep-fried beancurd.
Another highlight of the meal was a fantastically presented fried fish. The chef's knife skills were obviously of the highest degree because the whole fish was cut into the finest points, then deep-fried and topped with sweet and sour sauce. It was quite a sight.
I also tried a popular type of Chinese pork at the meal, but I can definitely say that I am not a fan. It was displayed in a fancy-looking clay pot, which made a nice addition to the table. However, the roasted pork was mostly jiggling fat, with a little bit of pork meat, and then a very chewy bit of skin on the outside. It was much too fatty for me to begin to enjoy.
And for dessert, there was juicy watermelon.
On Saturday night, we were invited out for Peking duck with the 78-year-old lady principal and some of her staff. We went to a much smaller restaurant than I expected, but it was still in the same Chinese style: round tables with lazy Susans in the middle, chefs carving the duck at stations inside the restaurant. I don't think I have had roast duck since I was in Beijing four years ago, so I was quite excited for the meal; but I had no idea it would comprise such a feast.
Of course, we had the traditional roast duck, with the crispy skin, the juicy meat and all the trimmings: plum sauce, spring onions, cucumber and the tortilla-like wraps. My first wrap was actually made by the principal herself, as a demonstration to everyone about how to do it the "right" way.
In addition to duck, the table was crowded full of so many other types of dishes. Beef stir fry, shrimp stir fry, sweet and sour pork, all the Chinese classics. Not to mention a Western-style salad topped with Pocky sticks, which was actually quite delicious, as well as some amazing deep-fried beancurd.
Another highlight of the meal was a fantastically presented fried fish. The chef's knife skills were obviously of the highest degree because the whole fish was cut into the finest points, then deep-fried and topped with sweet and sour sauce. It was quite a sight.
I also tried a popular type of Chinese pork at the meal, but I can definitely say that I am not a fan. It was displayed in a fancy-looking clay pot, which made a nice addition to the table. However, the roasted pork was mostly jiggling fat, with a little bit of pork meat, and then a very chewy bit of skin on the outside. It was much too fatty for me to begin to enjoy.
And for dessert, there was juicy watermelon.
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