“Real” Chinese Food

When Americans think of Chinese food, they typically think of things like sesame chicken, chow mein, egg rolls, and fortune cookies.  But these foods are actually “American Chinese cuisine” and differ significantly from original Chinese food.  Whereas Americans typically view vegetables as a side dish or garnish, authentic Chinese cuisine really emphasizes veggies and uses them in most dishes.  Authentic Chinese food also tends to be more pungent than its American counterpart and is made with less oil and salt and takes more time and energy to prepare.

 

Well, we can certainly now say that we’ve experienced “real” Chinese food…  Some of the more unique menu offerings that we have seen so far include snake head, duck tongue, goose liver, jellyfish, turtle, goose intestine, bamboo chutes, donkey, lotus root, frog, starfish, and goose egg, though we weren’t brave enough to try many of those things.   Not to mention that when you get a pot of chicken, you’ll also receive the head and feet, which are considered delicacies here!

 

During our few days in Qingdao – known for its seafood as it is a port city – we’ve also gotten to

experience some authentic Chinese seafood.  You walk into a restaurant, pick out the fish or shrimp you want (swimming in a tank), then you sit down and they cook the food you chose and bring it to you.  Of course, they don’t skin or de-vein the fish or shrimp, and they often come out with the head (and eyes) still attached.  This is something that is obviously somewhat foreign to many Westerners that are accustomed to the very processed seafood that is available in America.

 

Needless to say, a few of us got our feel of authentic Chinese cuisine and decided to try out some of the

Western restaurants that China has, such as KFC, Subway, McDonalds, and Pizza Hut.  These establishments are “fast-food” in the US, but are actually places to go on a date here in China, and many dates we did see.  They often have much more ambiance with dimmer lighting and a nicer environment, but also tend to have Chinese cuisine in addition to the Western offerings and a much bigger menu.

 

 

Last but not least, I have to leave you with a little about the potato chips here in China.  The flavors are just … different from what we’ve seen in the States.  Take a look for yourself!

Hmm… I think I’ll try some Blueberry Lays now!

 

 

Ni Hao and Welcome to Shanghai!

By: Marijana Guduric, Alexandra Koller and Ijeoma Ohiaeri

Our first days in Shangai…

Fighting the jetlag!!!

Just keep moving (or eating.) Despite blinding exhaustion, we soldiered on to enjoy some free time in Shanghai, upon our arrival. Fortunately, there are three members of our class who speak Mandarin, Rui, Yi and Michael, who just moved back to the states after living in Shanghai for three years. Who better to help us navigate the city, and a menu!?

 

 

A few of us went out to eat in Xin Tian Di at the Xio Nan Guo restaurant. With the help of Rui and Mike we enjoyed some authentic local fare.

 

A cultural pearl of wisdom…when dining out in China, he who does the inviting pays the check.

 

Next stop – a local mall, where some of the guys had their haircut. It looked like it could have been anywhere in the US, complete with the requisite Starbucks. On one hand it was nice to have some familiarity in a country whose language is so different than English but at the same time is this the best culture export we have to offer, swanky shopping and coffee shops? Thankfully, it is not, nor is it the only American offering that the Chinese have embraced. The automobile is beginning to hit its stride here.

On our first company visit in China we had the opportunity to spend time at Ford-Shanghi. Randy Creel from Ford Motor Company helped us gain a better understanding of what that means logistically, economically and environmentally. One of the key take aways in his presentation was how utilizing a Just-in-Time versus a Just-in-Case delivery strategy can create vulnerability in a global supply chain. Of course, he was referring to the recent tragedy in Japan and how that has affected multiple industries and products, including Ford. What has become one of the most effective ways to realize profit in an ever-commoditizing world can quickly become your Achilles heel. Outsourcing over the past two decades has been the answer to eking out profits where businesses were previously seeing them dissipate. Additionally, the diversification of the supply chain can protect a company from collapsing due to unforeseen disasters, like the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. On the other hand, if there are key elements in your supply chain that are located solely in one country, it may still bring production to a screeching halt. The lesson in this for managers and businesses is continue to globalize your supply chain but consider where duplication or overlap may be considered insurance rather than waste.