Beijing Summer: The Beijing Battalion Part 2

The Beijing summer can be a long, hot, sweaty experience for a pasty-skinned Welshman. Apart from slathering on sunscreen lotion when the sunlight burns through the smog, there are other things you can do to alleviate the uncomfortable heat.

Firstly, wake up early in order to enjoy a hearty breakfast in the shade before the temperature gets too high.

Sitting outside in the shade of a tree while watching breakfast being prepared was the perfect way to start the day. This tasty feast of baozi (包子) and wonton soup (馄饨) was the delicious and kept me full for a good few hours.

Next, invest in some electrical appliances that will make the summer months just a tad more bearable. Now that the long, harsh winter is a distant memory, Peter and Rita the heater are no longer needed. Instead, I require the help of the following additions to the Beijing Battalion:

Don the Air-Con

Don has had a rather relaxed period up until recently. He was quite grumpy when woken from hibernation and often complains about being overworked. This results in him weeping and leaking his tears onto furniture as he protests about constantly cooling the apartment.

Stan the Fan

                                  

Stan is my biggest fan. Haha. He helps out when Don decides to imitate a waterfall. Stan offers support at those crucial moments when it gets too stuffy. 

Glenda the Blender

Glenda is the latest recruit to join the Beijing Battalion. When the temperature soars to mid-thirties, I generally lose my appetite. Glenda can offer a tasty soup or a thirst-quenching smoothie for the rare occasions when a full, stodgy meal does not appeal. 

Finally, the last piece of sage advice is to militantly binge on ice cream. 

Ở Bắc Kinh, nắng hè nóng hừng hực. Một trong những thú vui nhỏ trên đời là được uống một cốc nước trái cây tươi vào một ngày hè nóng bức. Làm sao giữ mát mẻ trong những ngày oi bức được?

Mike's Chomping Cheesy Chinese Chow Challenge #3 - Baozi

Despite being immensely busy with the end of academic year looming, I have gallantly continued on my adventure to add cheese to Chinese food. I shall not leave any snack “un-fromaged” until I have found the perfectly delicious combination. 

Following the successful yet rancid research into the unification of stinky tofu and blue cheese, I decided to try a slightly less nauseating experiment. 

Baozi (包子) are steamed bread-like buns which can have a variety of fillings. My personal favourite filling has to be pork. What is not to like about a bready, porky, cheap snack. But what harm could come from adding cheese into this equation? 

I carefully escorted my newly purchased baozi back to the safety of my apartment and cautiously placed it on a plate. Then I realised I had almost committed a rookie mistake and still needed to remove the nappy-like paper from the bottom of the bun. 

I didn’t just want a cheese-coated baozi, so I decided to get all up in that baozi and cut it in half, allowing me to stuff some grated cheese inside.

After much deliberation, I came to the conclusion: the perfect ratio of meat to cheddar is achieved by taking half of the baozi and filling it until it is completely crammed with a cheesy-pork mixture. 

Had I transformed this fluffy baozi into a cloud-like burger? A baoger perhaps? 

I had no doubt that the cheese would taste great with the pork filling – after all, I was playing it safe after my previous stinky experiment. However, I hadn't prepared myself for how delicious it really was!

This will not be the last time I grate some cheese into my baozi...

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