Shanghai Cooking

I don’t cook in Shanghai. Once in a while I’ll fry up some veggies but in general I can walk across the street with a bowl from my house, get it filled with some delicious local fried food and be back on my couch within about 5 minutes. It costs about $1 US. So, I don’t cook.

This morning, as I lay in bed, I faced a dilemma. I had to get up and make a quick move if I was to get the delicious breakfast crepe available only in the mornings. I would describe this crepe to you in detail but it is such a thing of beauty it really deserves its own post. Still, this seemed like far too much work. I could go buy eggs and make breakfast… uggghhh. I could go to the fancy restaurant down the street. Yet I’d already exceeded my limit of bourgeoisie meals for the week and I just wanted something simple.

As I pondered this I was hit with the happy realization in the kitchen, hidden away under unused pans, I long ago purchased oatmeal and honey! Perfect! I happily entered my kitchen only to find my honey mysteriously missing. After scouring my entire house for the honey I was left one option, creativity. Upon examination, my fridge offered three options, italian salad dressing, hot peppers or blueberry jam. As I open up the oatmeal and blueberry jam I notice the oatmeal smells salty. Strange, but whatever. But as I stir it becomes clear that this is oatmeal that is filled with corn. Kind of a porridge. Something I would never have bought intentionally, if I were capable of reading all Chinese labels.

Surprisingly, blueberry corn porridge is pretty good! As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.