Un-Americanized

I like Chinese food; however what we usually get here is Americanized Chinese food.  It’s not bad though I have had Overly-Americanized Chinese food which is nasty.  I have been looking for Un-Americanized Chinese food.  I once heard that a truly authentic Chinese restaurant typically only prepares one of the eight regional cuisines of china.   

I have finally found one near me house.  The Famous Szechuan Pavilion 

Its in what used to be a drive through coffee shop.  Ordering my food was difficult.  Though the owner/cook/waitress/busboy’s English was surely better than my Mandarin.  I got the Dan Dan Noodles.  When she asked it I wanted “Small or medium” I though she meant how big a bowl, you know, like a whole or half order kind of thing.  So I got the “medium” Portion size isn’t what she meant.  I found out what she meant was a small or medium spoonful of Sichuan pepper stuff.  My mouth was nice and numb after the first three or four bites.  I could still taste it, but the heat sort of disappeared.

So today at work my Chinese Cultural Consultant brought me:

Sichuan peanuts! 

Very tasty, and not mouth numbing!  The best part though was the back of the package.

I think that’s a great symbol for “CRAP THAT’S HOT!”

Carry out...

Typically I only like eating at places that have food that I can’t make, or it’s too time consuming to do at home.  Chinese food is one of the few things I don’t mind going out to eat.  I like most Americanized Chinese and all the un-Americanized Chinese food.  I also like the statues that often adorn the end of the counter.

Like Buddha,

Or Cai Shen

Or even…

So I asked my Chinese Cultural Consultant what a cat represents.  I was told very simply that that isn’t a cat, it’s a bear... 

“Huh”, I said “but it looks like a cat”

“Nope, It’s a bear.”

Then it occurred to me, why am I arguing.  Why can’t I accept that is a bear? Bears have significance in feng shui, cats don’t.   

You know, my kids do the same thing to me all the time.  I say something that I know is true, and they disagree.  I had though that it was just because they are kids; maybe not.  I’ve always joked that I’ve gotten older, but haven’t grown up.  Guess that’s truer than I thought.