It was Jonathan and Stan (his dad)'s birthday week, so we had dinner!!
Having smuggled Huo-Guo spices home on the last trip (thanks to our friends in Zhongshan!), we were ready to once again try re-creating this special winter dish at home in Montana. In China, the Guo-guo restaurants might even have a gas burner built into the center of the table - we improvised with a two-burner hot plate. Two pots meant we had both a mild and a spicy version of the broth, and Jon's big "present" this year was his new meat slicer-- he had a great time freezing and then thinly slicing pork and beef that we immersed in the boiling broths and cooked at the table.
(Yes, he IS growing his hair out..... discuss!!)
Stan and Bev brought several baggies of cut up vegies - in China there would not be so many, but here, we have to accomodate Robbin's vegetable fetish. Friends Boris and Kate appreciated all the different tastes. Each person creates their own version of a dipping sauce from our selection of: Hoisin, oyster, and chile-garlic sauces, soy sauce, rice vinegar, wasabi-paste, toasted seasame oil, minced ginger and chives, and sliced jalapenos. Carnivores swirl their meat-o-choice through the broth, veg-heads let their carrots and bokchoy stew a bit - pull them out, dip in your sauce, and yum yum yum!!
Another "Chinese" tradition is that when you are eating Guoguo to warm up in the winter, you accompany your meal with Hennessy Cognac - that is not a misprint. Hennessy in particular is very popular in China! So, with that in mind, we all had a bit of the spirit, and between the steam, the spice and the cognac, were all a bit flushed before 8 p.m.
A Daring, and rather satisfying Birthday Feast! Topped off with Stan's homemade ice-cream and apple crisp, Kate's coconut-ginger cake, and the remainder of Jon's Super Fudgy chocolate cake.
Feb. 9/edited to change "Guo-guo" tp the more proper "huo-guo".
Having smuggled Huo-Guo spices home on the last trip (thanks to our friends in Zhongshan!), we were ready to once again try re-creating this special winter dish at home in Montana. In China, the Guo-guo restaurants might even have a gas burner built into the center of the table - we improvised with a two-burner hot plate. Two pots meant we had both a mild and a spicy version of the broth, and Jon's big "present" this year was his new meat slicer-- he had a great time freezing and then thinly slicing pork and beef that we immersed in the boiling broths and cooked at the table.
(Yes, he IS growing his hair out..... discuss!!)Stan and Bev brought several baggies of cut up vegies - in China there would not be so many, but here, we have to accomodate Robbin's vegetable fetish. Friends Boris and Kate appreciated all the different tastes. Each person creates their own version of a dipping sauce from our selection of: Hoisin, oyster, and chile-garlic sauces, soy sauce, rice vinegar, wasabi-paste, toasted seasame oil, minced ginger and chives, and sliced jalapenos. Carnivores swirl their meat-o-choice through the broth, veg-heads let their carrots and bokchoy stew a bit - pull them out, dip in your sauce, and yum yum yum!!
Another "Chinese" tradition is that when you are eating Guoguo to warm up in the winter, you accompany your meal with Hennessy Cognac - that is not a misprint. Hennessy in particular is very popular in China! So, with that in mind, we all had a bit of the spirit, and between the steam, the spice and the cognac, were all a bit flushed before 8 p.m.
A Daring, and rather satisfying Birthday Feast! Topped off with Stan's homemade ice-cream and apple crisp, Kate's coconut-ginger cake, and the remainder of Jon's Super Fudgy chocolate cake.
Feb. 9/edited to change "Guo-guo" tp the more proper "huo-guo".
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