4/29/2009 The Market Report

Someone asked what are the supermarkets like in China?  Well, they are similar to ours, but the products are different.  You will find some things that you are familiar with, but some things will be missing, while others will be just a little different.  No butter, no mayo, yes ketchup, yes chocolate. Now this is Xinyu.....the bigger the city, the more the options.  But for Chinese, they have everything they want and more.

But these supermarkets are boring compared to the fresh markets....that is where the fun is.

There are tons of fresh veggies.......

Straight from the fields.....every kind you can imagine....some you know....

And some you do not.....like the broad bean.

All kinds of fresh fruit.....

Melons,

Pineapples,

Tangerines,

Plums,

Berries,

And even durian, the king of fruit....some say, but not me.

With a smell like it has, I would call for the "king" to be exiled to Antarctica. 

Spices are everywhere, and there are many kinds.

Ground dried red hot peppers....smokin'.

Ginger, garlic, and others.....

 Plus all kinds of nuts and seeds to eat.....

.....and seaweed and kelp....

Along with fried tofu of many different shapes.

You can also buy raw eggs....and not just from a chicken.

Or you can buy tea-stained and salted hard-boiled eggs with sticky rice, ready to eat.

The fresh markets always have lots of sea and freshwater food,

like these small live eels.....

And these larger, teethy sea-monsters.

There are squids.

And even frogs.

And different kinds of fish, like carp, which is a Chinese favorite,

and these aggressive bass-like fish.

And if you like, it can be processed as you watch.

You can even choose the piece you like instead of buying the whole fish.

Don't forget some turtle to make some soup with.

Can you blame this one for trying to make a break?

Pick up a few chickens while you are there.

You can have them processed while you wait, too,

But you might not want to watch.

or maybe a duck to be used in making some Beijing Duck,

or as I like to call it, a duck burrito.

These little guys are called black-boned chickens,

and their meat is black, too.

And the end result is.....well you've seen this before.

There is lots of beef and pork ready to be taken home,

but don't waste your time looking for hamburger meat in Xinyu.

I have already wasted enough for both of us.

This is the butcher's main tool in China....it is razor sharp.

Of course you have to pay for what you get, but first it must be weighed. I saw some electronic scales, but I think they perfer doing things the old way,

With hand-held manual scales.

But that is not all that goes on at the market.

Wherever there is a market, people will be playing cards....

......and mahjong......

.....or just chatting with an old friend,

because fresh markets aren't just about food.

At least not in China.