FOLLOW DR. GORDON SPRONK’S TRAVELS IN CHINA
Dr. Spronk is sending fascinating tales of food and culture as he tours farms in northwest China. Read his recent posts below.
January 28, 2010:
This is my last message from China since I’ve completed two of my primary goals for this trip. I came here to help Boeringher Ingelhiem launch its porcine circo virus vaccine in China and to participate in U.S. Grains Council work at five locations throughout the country. (The U.S. Grains Council develops export markets.)
Our meetings on the last day were in Xian—an ancient capital that 13 emperors used as their seat of power. After 13 emperors, they got pretty good at building walls—this is the best example in the entire country of the walls used for protection (including the Great Wall). This wall goes completely around the inner city and is so large…you can ride a bike on it!
The maker of each brick was required to inscribe his family name on his work. That’s how they ensured quality workmanship!
If you’ve been following my experiences with new foods and food-preparation techniques you might expect a final photo. At last night’s meal we had these wheat puffs which were light, delicate, and very, very good.
Now it’s time to prepare for the trip home. Thanks for your interest in my adventures.
Gordon
January 25, 2010:
China: Where Finding People to Work Is Never the Issue
Watching this barn go up, you’ll see another fundamental difference about pork production in China.
Step one – Buy steel in bulk and press-mold onsite.
Step two – Hire local women in a team of 20 to carry steel—one piece at a time—to the building site (in background).
Step three – Get out of the way! You are the first Westerner they have ever seen and you are a distraction!
You’ll notice that the men are on the roof and the women are on the ground. I watched for a long time on how this division of labor worked—it seemed to be going just fine.
Gordon
January 24, 2010:
Why China Is a Study in Contrasts
Note the large-scale, new site in the background of this photo. It houses pigs from what is called a “high health” 2,500-sow farm located in Jinan, China. This operation is owned by the company with the largest slaughter capacity in China. The size and scale of all operations were impressive and this company even built its own coal-fired power plant and water treatment center.
In contrast, look at the local farmer in the foreground. He’s walking his boar home after a day of servicing sows in the next village.
Coming to terms with these contrasts presents China with a monumental task.
Gordon
Janury 23, 2010:
We found this little eating place on the way back from our farm visit this morning—Chinese version of a quick lunch (think driving back from a farm and stopping at the Leota café).
The restaurant had three tables—all empty when we entered at about 11:45 a.m. We decided to eat and quickly went right to the back of the restaurant.
Step one: Buy the chicken. 130 RMB for a 4 kg chicken—note how the chicken has been caught from the cage behind the scale. When I inquired as to the breed, I got the universal reply common in China: “local breed.” Looked like a Rhode Island Red Rooster to me.
Step two: Butcher the chicken. (I would included more photos, but the file will get too large. Besides, you have all seen mom do this many times anyway. Process is the same in China.)
Step three: Cook the chicken. This was the most interesting part—open air kitchen, coal fired, plenty of spices. And remember: this is the entire chicken, no specification of white or dark meat.
Step 4: High-pressure cook the chicken. The secret of KFC has finally has been revealed! This is also when I got the universal sign for “get out of my kitchen.” I went back inside to warm up beside the coal-fired stove by our table.
Last step: Presentation—very nice. Note head and foot in the close up. Like I said, this was a chicken meal served up for three.
Time from order to table: 50 minutes—just enough time to consume a pot of tea. We enjoyed tea and chicken (spicy and hot) while watching CCTV (Central China TV).
When I asked if I was the first American in the restaurant, the owner said, “No, but I was for sure in the first five”—I missed the honor by a couple of months. However, when I presented her with US dollars it was clear I was the first American to leave her a tip!
Gordon
January 22, 2010:
Turns out that the swine farmer that I was visiting today is also the mayor of his local village of 700. They informed me I am officially recorded as the first American to ever visit this village.
Due to this special occasion, it was necessary to sit down for a light lunch in the local restaurant for a meal with the mayor and the residing local communist official. The communist official hosted the dinner and I sat at his immediate right—the place of honor. The preferred local dish famous in the area turns out to be a “chicken hot pot.” As the guest of honor, the choice piece of the chicken was first given to me and no one could eat until I started.
Notice the chopsticks and the small glass of beer:
- It’s very tricky eating the most prized piece of the local specialty with chopsticks—need extreme confidence to avoid stabbing through to the brains, which are too mushy.
- The hot in “hot pot” does not refer to temperature but to the very spicy nature of the stew the whole chicken was boiling in. Beer is for cooling but is also important since the local communist official made many toasts to friendship with the USA.
But wait, there’s more—it seems that there is one another prized part of this local chicken. I should have suspected something because as soon as I stepped out of the car upon arrival immediately outside the kitchen , I noticed an older woman laying down a strange looking piece of equipment that resembled something I had seen somewhere before…
When this dessert was placed in front of me with great flourish, the mayor got excited. I inquired to the nature of its origin, it was then that I recalled what I had seen earlier—the shackle to hold a chicken while you butcher. It was similar to what I had seen in my youth. Yes, she was making fresh chicken blood loaf. It was the consistency of tofu, tasted salty, and had a bad effect about three hours later.
Gordon
January 21, 2010:
I am in what is referred to in China as “Northwest China”—I would call it west, but you never argue about these things.
 |
| Source: http://socyberty.com/history/the-terracotta-army |
Specifically, I am in Yangling—west of Xian (think the terracotta soldiers) about one hour. They have a huge statue here of Houji—an ancient chieftain reputed to be the father of Chinese agriculture about 5,000 years ago. (I keep trying to tell them they got one-upped by those guys in ancient Mesopotamia—but since I am a guest, I tread lightly. It is great to see them defend their claim of being first in world history to start organized agriculture!)
Words cannot describe the scene when you can be standing next to one of the most modern and largest swine operations I have witnessed in the world and look over less than 50 yards to see a cave (yes, a cave) carved out of the clay. It was a home only abandoned within the last generation, having been used for generations too numerous to count. Case in point, when asked how many generations that they could track their ancestry, they quickly replied, “How far could you?” I said 11 generations for sure. After a pause, they stated, “For sure 80, maybe 100 generations—no problem.”
Gordon
Back to top