Living in the south of China has its perks. While my friends are complaining of knee-deep snow, I'm still sporting my sneaks. But I must be clear. These warm days are totally sporadic, so unfortunately the flu crept up on me. My aversion to pills had me up at dawn searching for soothing throat relief. With no citrus in sight, I turned to the next best thing: Pineapples.

The following recipe is great because 1) pineapple has a rich Vitamin C content, the official go-to for colds and flu, which gives the immune system a boost 2) pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain which can reduce pain, swelling and mucus 3) ginger, in addition to that beautiful burning sensation, also contains antioxidants and nutrients that you body needs at this time 4) honey has wonderful antibacterial properties and 5)wine...at dawn...need I say more....actually I do. My original intention was temporary comfort but then the next day I felt so much better: headache and sore throat all relieved. Thank God for pineapples!

People often compare life to a 'Rat Race' but across here I feel more like a part of an ant colony. We  They all walk the same, headed in the same direction and if one person breaks pattern then confusion is amiss. But if you are one of those who think that all Asians look alike, like me, you would discover differently.

China is mainly comprised of the Han nationality, along with 55 recognized minorities. But you don't notice it at first. I'll admit I was one of those who though everyone was cut from the same cloth and at one point even distinguished my classmates by hairstyles. But now, I graciously admit my error and even discovered that most locals have a hard time distinguishing me from other foreigners. So please, no need to take offense. Now back on topic.

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.

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.

Rummaging through my spice basket, I came across some home-grown and dried rosemary. I always cook rosemary and garlic flavored rice but I longed to do something more challenging. Then I remembered the oil bottles that lined our kitchen counter.  Infused oils are really simple and gives food a whole different scope.  Seasonings such as rosemary, cloves, chili pepper and garlic are a great place to start. They are great in salads, meats, baked goods etc. Here are two simple recipes, one for the cooks and one for team natural hair. As always, I encourage experimenting in the kitchen.

I have a deep love for pastry that followed me all the way to China so I am always on the lookout for a new sweet treat. After eyeing this lady for awhile, I finally got the courage to take it to the next level. Turns out she is quite the romantic herself. Wife cake, also known as sweetheart cake, is linked to many heartfelt, love sacrifice stories as is common in Chinese culture. This pastry is very popular in my city Chongqing and most of South China. Tasty puff pastry layers hug a sweet, sticky paste of wax gourd, sesame seeds, rice powder and sugar and is easy to fall in love with. The fact that there's more filling than pastry is a plus. I always eat these when there's no chocolate to pick up my mood. After all, who doesn't like a good wifey to make the day all better?