2011 Day 3-5 - Baiju - the gift that keeps on giving

2011 Day 3-5

Sent 1/14/11

I apologize for falling so far behind.  I had a pretty rough couple of days with jet lag after what looked like a pretty easy start, waking up at 2:00 AM wide awake after only 3 hours of sleep only to crash a few hours later.  I did not feel much like writing but I am much more awake now.

Rather than give a day by day breakdown to get caught up, I think I will try something different and just pass along a few highlights and observations.

Ganbei – pronounced like “gone-bay” -  An important part of the business culture in China involves drinking – a lot of drinking.  Any important meeting is followed that evening by a big meal where the guests toast each other again and again and again.  I am not sure the direct translation of Ganbei, the word used when toasting.  I have been told it means “empty glass”, but I have also been told the meaning is closer to “bottoms up”.  In any case, you get the picture – One person raises his glass to another, says “Ganbei” and both down whatever they are drinking.    Ganbei can be done with any liquor, wine, beer, etc…, but usually Baijiu, the potent Chinese liquor is most commonly used.  This clear and colorless liquor comes in all different levels of quality from the top “Moutai” which sells for hundreds of dollars per bottle and tastes like mid-range vodka to real rotgut stuff that tastes more like a cross between cheap tequila and rubbing alcohol. 



Maotai - the good stuff!



Larry gave me a couple of bottles to take home last time, one of which I gave to a nephew as a reminder of his time in China – this stuff was so awful I am surprised he is still speaking to me!  Ironically it was packaged in a very elaborate box and a beautifully decorated porcelain bottle.  All beauty on the outside and downright rotten within – kind of the Paris Hilton of bottled beverages

 Sometimes a special guest is targeted for toasts one-by one from all present, sometimes the fun is more democratic.  I was the special target on this past Wednesday night and the Baijiu, sadly, was more towards the rotgut end of the scale.  Fortunately there were only three of my Chinese friends present and one of them was Larry whose tolerance for alcohol is amusingly low.  That said, I was toasted one-by one at least 4 times by everyone, that’s twelve shots for me if you are counting and only four each for them.   I survived the night nonetheless. 

Baijiu has some interesting side effects: First, like reliving a bad dream, the taste will suddenly appear and then go away hours after you are done drinking, especially if it was cheap, bad tasting stuff– Not sure how that works.  And secondly, Baijiu gives you a strange warm feeling in your head and seems to make everyone’s face glow bright red.  This effect intensifies as the night wears on.  We all left the restaurant looking like we had been under a sun lamp too long.  I doubt this stuff is something I will ever acquire a taste for.  Sometimes you just do what you have to.

Chinese Food – Where food is concerned, the Chinese eat pretty much everything that flies, crawls or swims.  I have not been served any bugs, thankfully, but I would not be surprised if they eat them too.  I used to have a strict rule never to ask what I was eating, but I have become desensitized to the point where it just doesn’t matter anymore.  Today at lunch I asked the person sitting to my right what was in the bowl which had just been placed on the table.  He thought for a moment, admitted he did not know the English name and then pulled out his phone which has a translation program.  After poking a few buttons he smile and said “Ah yes, jellyfish!”  I thanked him and ate it…  At Yesterday’s dinner I was once again “honored” with the fish head.  Today alone I have had jellyfish, swan feet, whole baby shrimp which are far too small to peal – you eat them shell, head and all,  and sea cucumber which looks like a large slimy slug and has the texture of chicken fat.  Larry tells me “this dish very good for the man!” meaning I guess it has some aphrodisiac properties.  There’s the difference between China and the west; if you’re having trouble “downstairs” in America you can pop a Viagra, in China, eat a slug.