I plopped down into Grenada smack dab in the middle of Mango and French Cashew season. Talk about good timing!

Freshly picked French Cashew

Cashew Apple or English Cashew (local names from our colonial days) is a fleshy fruit that carries a nut embedded at its base. In Grenada, and I'm sure in other parts of the world, there are many species of the Anacardium occidentale. Presently, the 'nutless' version, known as French Cashew (fries aren't the only thing the French stole), is at the height of its season, sold on every sidewalk and bursting from every tree. A sweet, ripe cashew can more or less be guaranteed by a rich, royal red skin. The occasional poke from a bird is not only further confirmation of ripeness, but a warning that if you don't eat it, he will.

Compliments Google

When shopping in China one must not leave the house with this one thing...sunglasses.... because cashiers, customers and even babies are undercover paparazzi. What is most important though, is a translator. My Pleco translator always saves the day when I'm in the vegetable section and despite names like Granny Lettuce and Moonlight Tomatoes (no I didn't make those up), my meals are always healthy and tasty. Today however, we hit a bump in the road. While perusing the brown sugar section, I encountered an immense challenge. As hard as I searched for raw brown sugar, I only found ginger, pepper, jujube and lots of something called Ejiao brown sugar. Excited about a new product, I plugged in '阿胶' into Pleco and got the following result:


Yup...that's right. Donkey skin. After all these years, I can still come face to face with food that leaves me speechless. Needless to say, brown sugar shopping was left for another day.

All of my Caribbean childhood, I was taught that brown sugar is healthy because of its unrefined state. In China, however, the clean appearance of refined white sugar is preferred and so in order to sell brown sugar, it is often enhanced with various functional foods and nutrients. The appearance of these sugars are usually dark, powdered and sometimes damp. Ginger provides antioxidants and can sooth the digestive system. Pepper provides antioxidants of a different family which are considered anti-bacterial and anti-carcinogenic. Jujube or Chinese dates nourish the nerves, strengthen skin and intensifies the effects of other herbs.

Donkey hide gelatin

Donkey hide gelatin steals the show. It promotes stronger bones, improves immunity, helps with anxiety, improves the function of the circulatory system and here's the bonus, enhances natural beauty. Who said no new friends for 2014?

Donkey hide gelatin brown sugar

Any of these sugars can be mixed with herbs and hot water at the beginning of the day to promote a healthy lifestyle. Interested anyone? Let me know below.

When it comes to Chinese desserts, 'chocolaty' and 'creamy' aren't the first words that come to mind. And that's actually a good thing. After eating heavy meals, something more relaxing on the tummy should be considered and that's where Chinese desserts take the cake, no pun intended.  They balance salty with sweet, spicy with bland or hot with cold right next to yin and yang, food for the spirit man.

One night, after a pepper-laden dinner, there came Snow Fungus soup to rescue my roaring insides. From the first bite, I immediately knew that the world would be a little safer that night.



Tremella fociformis is commonly known as Snow, White Wood or Silver Ear Fungus and is the main ingredient in this soup. It works well for anti-aging, dry coughs and boosting the immune system when eaten over a long period of time. In the short term, it cools down the digestive and circulatory system so it's perfect on hot days with hot food.

The soup is so easy prepare. It can be flavored with nuts, fruits and spices to blend with the soft, yet crunchy yumminess of the fungus so feel free to make it as nutritious as possible.

Snow White Forest Soup

As I have mentioned in my profile or somewhere in this blog, adapting to food customs of a different culture can be both exciting and challenging. I panicked for the first couple months when I couldn't find cheese. (What was I going to eat with watermelon? Yikes?!) Then I complained when I had to travel for hours to find it. Then my cheese shopping days became an impromptu food safari as I sampled the local delicacies and street food around me. Before I knew it, six months passed without me using or tasting cheese and even butter.

Pizza from a local Pizzeria

Those food safaris were scary at first. Bugs on a stick, hundred year old egg, stinky tofu. I know. Nothing sounds appealing here. But what it did teach me is that there's a lot of variety if we just look around a bit more. For instance my calcium intake decreased with my lack of dairy. Soon I discovered a love for soybean products such as soy bean milk and tofu, seaweed, bok choy, day lily flower all containing acceptable levels of calcium and as a bonus avoiding the high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol that hide in the shadows of dairy products.

Stinky Tofu sold street side

Many people find eating healthy to be very boring or difficult because of the restrictions but as my eyes have opened, I see tons of possibilities, avenues for creativity and exposure to more nutrients in your diet. When eating with my Chinese family and friends, they have never once mentioned calories, saturated fats, radicals and other factors we tend to obsess about. And here's why:

Water

Tea

Meal portions

Dinner for the fam

Time

Spontaneity is fun but let's face it, our bodies need routine. I mean every time our hearts skip too many a beat, we run to the doctor. My friend taught me a very valuable lesson in Chinese culture: Eat before you're hungry and sleep before you're tired. So firstly, try not to skip meals. Secondly, try to eat them at the same time everyday. This one's a bit tough if you're a workaholic or live alone but it's really worth the try. Thirdly and most important is your last meal. Just like our eyes follow the second hand at 3:59 with bag in hand, our bodies have their closing time. And when the boss calls you in for overtime, don't you work as slow as you can so you get more pay. Guess what currency your body pays in. Having dinner between 4 and 6 pm gives the body enough time to digest and pack up for the night. "But Kizzy, those worms in my tummy are keeping me awake." No problem mon. Try fruits that are low in fiber or yogurt which is low in fat. And maybe some Zentel?

Let's get physical

Honestly, I love this section the most because it really captures the Chinese view on health. On my way to school and back, I'm guaranteed to meet Tai Chi folks, pole dancers (not what you're thinking) and professional walkers. They are mostly over the age of 70 but they don't look it at all. Over 40ers are mainly into waltz and traditional Chinese aerobics and fill any park or square with up to 60 women and sometimes men every night. And we young folks take the jogging. Just 20 minutes of your day can make a big difference in your blood circulation, digestion and metabolism. That means you get to enjoy life much longer.



The world is being saturated with too many weight loss plans that keep you from enjoying your food. Be honest with your body. Choose options over restrictions and have fun eating.



Not to sound too commercial but check the link to read more about this topic in
Why the Chinese don't count calories by Lorraine Clissold. I'm still trying to source the book but from the preview, it gives the whole nine. In the mean time I have to go figure out a new book to write....