"So where are you headed to in China", an acquaintance asked me a few months before our trip. I quickly named the destinations I was sure of. When I uttered "QingDao", she stopped me, and went, "wait, wait…. QingDao? Oh, man, you're going to love the seafood…. you're going to looooove the seafood!"
Mr Li dropped us off at the train station in Beijing. My MIL had taken one of the Missus's Aunt's advice and gotten us first class train tickets, which had actual seat assignments…. a great idea, because I noticed jockeying for seats in the other coaches. Also, folks seemed to be trying to sneak into the first class coach and poach a seat if possible. This doesn't include the people sitting on pieces of cardboard on the floor outside the restroom at the end of the first class coach. And just one piece of advice about the restroom……. make sure to go early in the trip, about an hour into the trip, and well….. let's not go there. Pity the folks who sit on the floor outside the restroom, because there are wet footprints….. uh, forget it, let's not go there either.
The six hour ride goes through most of the large cities enroute to QingDao, including Jinan and Dezhou, home to Dezhou Pa Ji (Dezhou Chicken), a famous braised chicken that the Missus loved so much, She wrote Her one and only post about it. Anyway, here are some carts in Dezhou station.
Amost exactly six hours later we arrived at busy QingDao Railway Station.
Looks very European, doesn't it? Which makes perfect sense… you see QingDao has a very unique history. In 1898, China ceded what was then a small fishing village to Germany. This village eventually became a strategic port…..QingDao. The train station was built in 1899. What's really impressive is that the station nearly sits on the shores of QingDao Bay….exit the train station, and you can see the ocean. We were met at the station by the Missus's Fifth and Sixth Aunts….. who laughingly presented me with a bouquet of flowers! I knew instantly that this was a family who shared a great sense of humor……
After a few photos, we maneuvered our way around the moving vehicles on the busy street street, terrified MIL in tow, and somehow made it intact to the Missus's Third Uncle, and the car that took us but a few blocks to the place we'd be staying….. the Zhanqiao Prince Hotel. My goodness, the Missus's Aunts had generously put us up at a beautiful hotel…..
The very Old World European looking Prince Hotel was built in 1911……. here's a photo I took of it at night.
Beautiful, isn't it? You almost expect a Maybach to drive up and unload fellows in tophats sporting canes. We also had a wonderful view of QingDao Bay and Huilan Pavillion.
After a brief freshening up we headed off to the Missus's Fifth Aunt's for lunch, something I was looking forward to. In the Missus's family, everyone acknowledges that Her Fifth Aunt is the best cook. On more then one occasion, when I've asked my MIL about a certain recipe or dish, an immediate call would go out to the Missus's Fifth Aunt, and an answer would be forthcoming. Of course the recipes from relatives were sometimes quite interesting. As we caught a cab to the Missus's Aunt, She was conversing with the cab driver when She started laughing…… you see, the Missus suddenly realized Her "Qingdao Hua" (青岛话), the unique accent of QingDao had surfaced! QingDao has it's own unique accent, different from the rest of Shandong. The Missus had left Her Beijing accent behind……
We arrived at fifth Aunt's home of over thirty years…. and of course greeting us, along with much smiles, conversation, and laughter, was quite a spread.
This was to be an especially memorable meal. Though the food looks very "homestyle", I was to experience some new and wonderful dishes along the way.
First up was a revelation….. the Missus's Fifth Aunt still makes her own Chinese Sausage by hand!
So much great pork flavor….. the essence of five-spice was amazing. Of course, once I mentioned the wonderful five spice flavor, a jar of it made it's way home with me. The perfect ratio of fat….the sausage is air-dried, and I couldn't get enough of it. I believe she is the only one in the family who still makes this the time honored way; and she even offered to teach me! I didn't think I was up to the task…. but perhaps the next time.
More Lup Cheong and smoked pork.
A excellent fried fish, which tasted like it was first marinated in five-spice, wine, and other seasonings and then fried. Crisp on the outside, moist on the inside…. and had me wishing fo rice.
Strangely enough, about the only time I craved for rice in QingDao, Beijing, or Jinan.
Succelent shrimp… and don't waste them heads!
The starch here is provided by mantou and Baozi!
The local clams, which we saw everywhere, and had many times. Very flavorful…..
Cucumbers stir fried with shrimp that I believe the Missus's Fifth Aunt dries herself.
Delicious…..
Zongzi and Eggs that are steamed with the Zongzi:
And then another remarkable dish…. which made the Missus go: "oh my god, how I miss this…." before inhaling a good amount of it.
Looks sort of like eggs with leek, or perhaps scallion? Not quite right….. it is a classic preparation of scrambled eggs with Xiang Chun Ya, the young and tender shoots of the Chinese Toon or Chinese Mahogany Tree. The fragrance is unique, and the flavor is like a more herbaceous, mild garlic – leek….. that's about as far as I can go because there's nothing quite like it. It was a taste of the Missus's childhood, and something She greatly missed. And it is indeed very, very, tasty…….
Lunch was finished off in the family tradition, with a rich, but light noodle soup. According to family tradition, the first meal when visiting should always conclude with noodle soup.
After lunch the Missus and I took a much needed stroll around the neighborhood (a later post), and on the way to the street the Missus pointed out the Xiang Chun Ya tree:
And indeed there were some folks picking off the young and tender shoots……
I'm actually looking for some seeds……
We met up with the Missus's Fourth Aunt, who took us…well me to get fitted for a suit… we decided that it would be easier to just get a suit made in QingDao, and took a walk around the neighborhood. When we returned, Fifth Aunt was at work making Jiaozi.
And Fifth Uncle, home from coaching ping-pong, waved me over and with a smile gave me a sneak peek at our other "dinner guests":
In the bowl were very, very, live and energetic Mantis Shrimp! I'd read about, and seen mantis shrimp on various shows, but had never had them. Let me tell you now, they are delicious….. The texture of the flesh is like lobster, but the flavor much sweeter and complex. Fifth Uncle, always the patient teacher, instructed me in the way of eating these. First, the flesh cannot be removed easily. So what you do is face the bottom of the shrimp toward you. Gripping the shrimp with your thumbs on the thorax and the other four fingers on the top shell, you gently flex up and down the segments until you hear a gentle "crack". You can then remove the top shell…. and gnaw the meat off the bottom shell, it feels primevil, but the flavor is fantastic.
You remove one of the claws and use it to pick out the even sweeter meat in the tail portion….. Of course, since I needed much instruction, Fifth Uncle filled my plate with Mantis Shrimp he had already peeled….. Man did I love this family!
And two dozen Jiaozi….. I mean I also ate two dozen delicious Jiaozi which topped off the meal for me.
This was a most memorable meal, and in my mind as good as any banquet we attended. There was one thing even more remarkable; all of this came out of a tidy and clean, but quite humble little kitchen; no drawers full of special gizmos or gear, nor shelves full of special spices and ingredients. It really does get to the point of it all….. cooking comes from the heart. And Fifth Aunt's got a lot of that…….