The Shanghai hairy crab 'experience'

I've eaten crab before, but Shanghai hairy crab (大闸蟹) is a different experience altogether. I had heard about these furry creatures (and their claws are quite furry - hence the name 'hairy' crab) since I arrived back in March. The famed 'hairy crab' season is a special two-month period from mid October to mid December where all of Shanghai (and Asia for that matter) erupts in a frenzy for the delicacy. They're everywhere - from the raw seafood shelves of my neighborhood Tesco hypermarket to the eight-course tasting menu at the Ritz Carlton's Hanagatami restaurant.

Eating the crab is an experience all in itself, and my first true taste of it was in the most classic of settings - a homemade Shanghainese meal. A's parents graciously invited me over to their home for a hairy crab feast, as A's dad had just brought back eight crabs from the most prized region of China - Yangcheng Lake. I was excited, not only by the prospect of sampling China's finest but also watching A's mom prepare the meal. (I love observing domestic goddesses at work, and with my best friend all the way in Thailand and my mom back in California, I've felt at loss of a role model - until recently. :))

The classic way to serve these crabs is steamed with a simple but fragrant ginger vinegar sauce that enhances the delicate flavor of the sweet meat. It's a true example of how simplicity and an appreciation of fresh, original flavors can produce something truly exquisite. The Shanghainese also pair the crab with rice wine (shaoxing jiu) to add a 'warming' balance to the otherwise 'cooling' crab.

But the reason I call Shanghai hairy crab an 'experience' is because of the arduous but oh-so-fun process involved in eating it. It's something like performing surgery (not that I've ever done it) where you meticulously dissect your subject in front of you, removing inedible parts such as the stomach and lungs while preserving the juicy and cholesterol-heavy orange roe. Eating one crab (and it's a small creature about the size of my fist) took me over half an hour. But the effort was more than worthwhile and the entire process fantastically messy - which is the only way to do it (or so I tell myself).

Looking back, there are a few of lessons I took away from the whole affair - one, do not wear white while you're eating crab, two - practice does not make perfect (I was far more impatient on my second crab), and three, homemade meals really are the best. The food is prepared with such love and the meal experience is so comforting. It's only at home that you can let loose and sit around the table cracking crab legs in your teeth, laughing over the carnage in front of you, and taking crazy pictures of all the embarrassing slipups ... it was truly an unforgettable and warming (not because of the alcohol) experience ...

Good friends, dinner parties, and my first homemade panna cotta

I love food, and I love spending time with friends and meeting new people. Dinner parties are a perfect venue for that. So when one of my favorite BCG gals and fellow foodie announced that she was holding her first dinner party here in Shanghai, I was thrilled.

Preparing and executing a successful dinner party is not an easy event, so a huge thanks and warm hug to the gracious hostess for a truly wonderful evening. Not only is there the planning, tasting, and precise timing needed in cooking a delicious multi-coursed meal (particularly difficult in Shanghai as many Western ingredients are not easy to find) but equally important is the ambiance including the dining setup with the appropriate china/silverware, the mid-table fresh-flower display (or other decorative item), the music in the background, the wine/drink selection for your alcoholic (and non-alcoholic) guests, the hors d'oeuvres to whet the palate, and many many more details that we often overlook because our hostess (or host!) makes it look so easy.

The evening started with a fantastic Prosecco from our hostess. (For a full list of wines served, see below.) A also brought a great bottle of Pinot Noir from our favorite wine bar – Just Grapes. It's too bad I don't drink because I don't have enough (experience or quantity!) to fully appreciate. But there was, of course, a wide selection of non-alcoholic beverages, so as the light drinker, I made a mango 'schorle,' a mixture of sparkling water and mango juice (a tribute to my apfleschorle that I had enjoyed so much in Germany).

The menu consisted of lovely Italian fare accompanied by carefully selected wines and served in the classic five-course fashion - antipasti (appetizer), primi (first course - usually soup, pasta, or risotto), secondi (second course - usually meat), contori (side dish - usually vegetables), and dolci (dessert). We devoured the appetizer almost immediately as we stepped in the door, eating, drinking, and chatting all at the same time. Our hostess had laid out beautiful plates of tomato and mozzarella bruschetta - the flavor and color enhanced by the fresh basil topping it.

After an hour or so, we were all seated to begin our meal, beginning with the first course, an orrichiette pasta (after 'orecchio' or its 'ear'-shape in Italian) in a creamy pesto sauce topped with fresh parmesan and accompanied by a wonderful, hearty bread from Paul, courtesy of one of our guests. Our second course was beef filet accompanied by a side dish of colorful sautéed vegetables including red pepper, yellow squash, zucchini, and onions. The filet – done medium-rare – was fantastic, lightly spiced and incredibly tender. All us guests were surprised that such a great piece of meat could be found in China and at Carrefour of all places, but the credit of course goes not only to the quality of the meat but the skill of the chef who prepared it!

I was responsible for bringing dessert. Normally, I would bake some chocolate item because as a chocolate lover, I am somehow convinced that it is a universally appreciated food (please don't burst my bubble by telling me that is not the case). Unfortunately neither I nor our hostess has an oven (Chinese folks don't seem to bake), so I opted for a creamy panna cotta, a classic Italian dessert to round out our Italian meal. The preparation is simple and the recipe versatile, as it can be served in anything from cocktail glasses to empty eggshells and adjusted for sweetness, creaminess, and accompanied with different flavors. My most difficult part was securing the ingredients. Unflavored gelatin powder is a mystery to the Chinese consumer but thanks to our import supermarket, I found everything I needed.

Panna cotta is a rich, milk and cream based dessert. The recipe called for a topping of fresh berries, which I have never seen in Shanghai. So I opted to make a grape/berry gelee mixed with bits of dried cranberries and topped with whole dried blueberries, all the fruit courtesy of my parents in California. A loved it and scraped every bit out of the glass – but then again, as my biggest fan, I think he would love anything I made, even if it was just a cup of boiling water. Personally, I was pleased with the result, although next time I think I would make smaller portions (as it is quite rich for one person at a sitting), lower the honey/sugar factor, and experiment with different flavors (e.g. espresso topped with white/dark chocolate shavings).

All together, the evening was fantastic from the company to the Jay Chou mix playing in the background (prep for the upcoming concert in two weeks!) Good friends + good food (especially homemade) = good times. :)

Evening's wine list (in the order it was served)
* Carpene Malvolti Prosecco di Conegliano Extra Dry DOC
* Feudi Di San Gregorio Greco di Tufo DOCG
* Donnafugata Sedara Sicilia IGT
* Penfolds Club Tawny (Port)

Living JJ Lam's '豆浆油条' (a breakfast date of soymilk and fried donut)

If any of you have heard JJ Lam's song 豆浆油条 ('dou jiang you tiao'), this entry will be of particular amusement to you. (If you haven't, it is a must listen - it's the cutest song! Listen here.) The name refers to a popular Chinese breakfast of hot savory soymilk accompanied by a savory donut. It's certainly not the healthiest thing for you, as the donut is essentially a deep-fried stick of dough, but it certainly is yummy.

A and I love the song, as it uses the two breakfast items to refer to a couple that compliments each other. A is the 油条, and I am the 豆浆. We have listened to the song so much and have always said that the meaning would be enhanced if we had the breakfast together. So to celebrate a sunny Saturday and a fantastic song, A and I ventured on a classic Chinese breakfast 'date' at one of Shanghai's most popular joints – 永和大王 (originally called '永和豆浆') near the Ritz Carlton Portman.

The venue, despite being a local joint, is quite clean and warm. It's almost the equivalent of a Chinese McDonalds establishment where local residents come to get soymilk or sit down for a quick meal in the morning. A and I decided to live the experience in full and seated ourselves in the busy dining area. We ordered two bowls of savory soy milk (xian dou jiang), an egg pancake wrapped around a savory donut (dan bing you tiao), and a beef pancake (niu rou bing). A full breakfast, which all together came to 21 rmb!

I was quite pleased with the entire event. The savory soy milk contained pieces of seaweed and green onion, which was new to me but really enhanced the flavor. And of course, it contained crispy bits of the fried donut, which despite swimming in a bowl of soy milk was so fresh that it still had a nice crispy bite to it. The egg pancake, which I love so much and used to eat all the time from food stands in Taiwan, was done slightly differently because it contained the fried donut itself along with a spicy sauce that gave it a nice kick. The beef pancake was equally good, essentially fried up with shredded beef and of course, lots of oil. The breakfast was by no means 'what the doctor ordered' in terms of healthy ways to start your day but completely hit the spot on a Saturday morning in Shanghai.

I left with my stomach happy from an indulgent yet oh-so-homey breakfast and my spirits warmed from living the lyrics of the song. It's a meal I would definitely have again and a local establishment I would happily return to. A and I loved the experience and both agreed it was a fantastic way to start our weekend. (The only point of contention was one we happily have over many of our favorite Chinese foods – whether it is more Taiwanese or Shanghainese. :) But that is a discussion for another day!)

永和大王 (yong he da wang)
南京西路2-68号新世界商城地下一层
+86 21 62900555
http://www.yonghe.com.cn/