One beautiful week in September, Ochro appeared in the supermarket. Mind you, I hated this vegetable at home, but when you're thousands of miles away from the people and things you love, all of that goes out the window. I immediately hauled a bag and raced home to prepare it. Problem was, since I didn't eat it that much, I didn't know where to start. So I did what any hungry person would do; I got creative or as Tim Gunn would say: Made it work. Here's a fried rice that takes Caribbean seasonings and local ingredients for the perfect blend of two homes in one.

Island Chao Fan (fried rice)

Freshly wrapped dumplings ready to boil

Let's have a quick vocabulary lesson: A Caribbean dumpling is a tight dough of flour, water and salt that is boiled and served with salted fish, stewed chicken or steamed provision. Shapes vary from island to island and include long rods, table tennis balls or flat pancake. A Chinese dumpling uses a flat, thinner dough which is wrapped around minced meat or vegetables with a sophisticated, decorative close. Like Caribbean dumplings, technique is of paramount importance, and a skilled master can fold as many as 100 dumplings in 15 mins.

I've never seen the supermarket look so orange or filled with oranges. That's my indication that autumn is drawing to a close. And to think I nearly missed out on the most amazing fruit this season. My first thought was a sun-burnt tomato but that was impossible in this weather. Then I thought maybe a hybrid of some sorts. Yep, I was pretty lost. If you haven't figured out what fruit I'm referring to, then like I was, you're in for a sweet surprise.

Heading back to the streets, I bring you le pancake. First let's take a glance at Shandong, one of the coastal provinces of China. With Korea and Japan as neighbours, the city maintains quite an economic presence but is obviously also well known in the cuisine department. How else would I taste a Shandong pancake in Shanghai, Hubei, Chongqing and Guangzhou....made by non-Shandongnians. So you know, somewhere on my 'Things to taste before I'm kicked out of China' list is a 100 % genuine Shandong pancake.

It's time to fill 'er up

KFC is best known for its 12 foot long smell but it's also known for its tasty desserts e.g. apple pie and parfait. In China, the most popular KFC dessert is the egg tart. It's a basic update of the European egg tart from the days when Portugal ruled Macau, south of China. It traveled further up to menus in Guangzhou, Chongqing and Chengdu and now, can be found in any Asian branch of KFC. Always served fresh and hot, this egg pudding is baked in either puff pastry or pie crust for a great snack to nibble on.

The filling is slightly sweet in taste, with some versions including fruit or meat. Since it became a star (got its own television commercial), it can be found in bakeries and guess what...in egg tart shops where they are bought by the dozen! With the winter close by, keep warm and eat with the fam.