Supper in Shanghai

We are very lucky to have a wonderful Chinese daughter-in-law.

For blogging purposes, I call her Poppy, although her real name is much prettier.

On Poppy's first visit to Lincolnshire, she was amazed and delighted when she saw all the poppies

which lined the lanes and were scattered in the fields, 

something which wouldn't be permitted in China under article 351 of Chinese Criminal Law.

So when I decided to start afresh with blogging,

giving everyone an alternative name,

Poppy seemed appropriate.

Miles and Poppy live in Shanghai - although we hope that it won't be too long before they come

home to the UK to live in Cowslip Cottage which they bought last year

and which Max is working so hard to help renovate.

Communication is so much easier these days,

vastly different from the 80's when Max worked in the Middle East

and one brief telephone call a week 

plus the occasional snail mail letter

was as good as it got.

We get to chat to Miles and Poppy several times a week, via Skype, we also use email,

as well as this blog,

to keep in touch, which is great.

Poppy is an excellent cook and I have decided to share some of the wonderful suppers which

she prepares for Miles.

The main dish here is a home-made sausage, which has been cooked and drained, to remove as much fat as possible.   It is eaten with garlic... as Poppy says,

it should be eaten when you don't plan to do much socialising

because although it tastes delicious, the garlic smell does tend to linger!

There is also a dish of sour beans and mince, another favourite, all served with fluffy rice.

A dish fit for a king.

I know that Max would be very happy to tuck into some of that - and I would be delighted to have a bowl of rice and sour beans (I don't eat meat) - mind you, if he ate the garlic he could find himself banished.

More dishes from Shanghai next week.
xxx