Slabs of Butter

At the breakfast joints around here, when toast is ordered, the bread comes mounted with a large yellow slab of butter, at least an inch thick. “What would you like today, sir?” “A butter sandwich, with extra butter. Make it two inches thick today, thank you.” I did not know butter could be the centerpiece of a meal, much like ham in a ham sandwich or jelly on a toast or a turkey on thanksgiving. Most usually in my eating, butter is a melted layer used to prevent my cookies from sticking to the baking sheet. I find out now that butter has many more uses.

So I am not going to write anything else because I do not feel like writing verbose, irrelevant paragraphs. Also, slabs of butter are far more significant than anything else. Today will be mainly captions.

We went to this hole-in-the-wall breakfast place that my grandma always takes us to when we visit. It’s a pretty dirty, scroungy place – the type of place where you would definitely rinse out your cups and bowls and utensils with a bit of tea before using them. However, a lot of movie stars regularly frequent the place – the breakfast place lets them autograph drab, cardboard-looking paper which then serves as wall decor, as shown in the background.

The food is really delicious at this place. It’s no big news that I am a heavy addict of bread, so my grandma ordered me the pineapple sweet bun.

Finished in no more than a minute. Steaming hot and very soft, but a bit doughy for my taste.

This was the best part of breakfast – Hong Kong-style French Toast. It was probably the best French toast I have ever had. Ironic that the best French toast I have ever had was in Asia, but you know, that’s just the way things go around here.

I slathered it in a golden, orange syrup. I am a big fan in citrus-flavored things. Like when everyone always wanted the pink and red starbursts, I wanted the yellow and orange ones. Also, I don’t like eating any jams or jellies – only orange marmalade.

My grandma and my dad each ordered scrambled eggs and beef sandwiched between two thin slices of white toast.

We sauntered around the place a bit.

We went to a bakery. See how my cravings for bread are constantly fed and satiated (cyclically).

Asian bread, so good.

Ahhhhhh, bread galore. I love the way raisins look in bread, like craters or blackened pimples.

We bought this Hokkaido Milk Bun. So fluffy and airy, with a touch of sugar – barely sweet, but just enough.

My grandma shops all over the place for her groceries and such. This is the butcher’s shop where she bought some bbq pork for my grandpa. Notice the extremely ironic presence of a happy little pig in a chef’s hat in the left bottom corner, right below all of his deceased, slaughtered relatives (who are not so happy now, are they?!).

Some deep-fried part of a pig, which is very not appealing to my gustatory and olfactory senses.

Next we went to the fish market, which definitely has its own unique pungent smell. Behind all of the dead fish (notice all those open mouths; that scares me a little) are tanks of live fish, which are periodically caught and slaughtered for sale (very very fresh fish).

Farmer’s market everyday, basically. All of the sellers in here knew my grandma. Most of the people shopping in here though were Philipino helpers/maids; my grandma is one of the few people who actually buys her own groceries haha.

Back at my grandparent’s house, my dad pointed to a beehive which has been progressively growing in the corner of the balcony. Looking at this picture gave me shivers as I could feel the buzzing and tickling of bees around my face.

You see, shortly after breakfast is lunch (dim sum!).

I love the translucent, slippery quality of this dish. It is so white and fresh.

Fish dumplings.

I hate translating Chinese dishes to English, so I will cease to do so when it causes me too much headache.

Ha-Gao (shrimp dumplings?)

The fish broth in this was really rich and flavorful.

Dim sum is so good.

This was one of my favorite dishes! Deep-fried pumpkin mochi-textured dough balls!

Then we went shopping at Time Plus, a little area of small shops and boutiques. Reminded me of China (It should be apparent by now that all I do here is spend money and gain weight).

Not speaking Cantonese but appearing to do so (because of my dad and grandma) is quite awkward in a shopping environment.

After lunch and shopping is dinner (see how each day is essentially compartmentalized into two activities – eating and shopping?), which we ate at CRC.

Black sesame soup (my sweet tooth has grown bigger since I’ve gotten here, I swear!).

While people eat and converse, I read, which I know is either extremely antisocial or scholarly of me (I’d prefer to think the latter, but I know the truth lies in the former explanation). I finished one book, and now I’m trying to get through a whole volume of C.S. Lewis works.

Post-Disclaimer: After awhile, all of these posts about Hong Kong will seem the same. The activities, food, people, shopping, etc. will all definitely be the same. However, if all of this food does satiate your cravings/Epicurean needs as much as it does mine, feel free to continue coming back to this blog. I am only trying to preempt your (perhaps) bored and weary reactions.