I Can Get it, I Can Get it

A good friend gave our son a great Eric Carle book "I Can Do It".  Perhaps because I am now reading it again with our 2nd child the catch phrase "I can do it, can you?" has been stuck in my head.

Unrelated to the book but being stuck in my head people are always asking us what the food situation is like.  Visitors from Los Angeles were at our synagogue a few weeks ago and a woman came up to me and asked me (as if she was asking me the biggest secret in the world) "what do you do for kosher food here? where do you get your chicken?" I replied, "Downstairs!"  She looked at me quizzically.  I told her behind the very nice white drapes are full size refrigerators that are open during the week (not on the sabbath) and inside the Chabad sells a wide variety of chicken and beef products." She was shocked.  Her next question, "what do you do about other food?? spices, snacks, baking stuff?" I was afraid to burst her bubble even more but I did....I told her I go to the International supermarket....brace yourself....and buy it....just like in New York.  Whispers ensued between her and her husband.

I was also concerned, having moved here sight unseen about the kasherous options.  I mean it's China, not a huge destination for kosher Jews to relocate long term.  I tried explaining to our Ayi (nanny/housekeeper) that we do not mix milk and meat, while she got the concept, never heard of it before.  A lot of blank stares followed but she gets it now.  On that topic the only dairy we can get is milk and Hagen Daz ice cream. Granted you can buy Ben and Jerry's or Breyers' here but it cost $20 (exaggeration but not far off).  Most of you have read already, I've really taken to making my own yogurt and the crowd seems to enjoy it.  As for cheese, not a big miss in our diet and apparently we are healthier for not eating it, who knew (not me until now!)?

The long and short of it, we've adapted because I can get it, I can get it!  If you think of top 5 foods you must have, that you think you can't live without, what are they? We find ourselves asking upon our visit this summer what foods will we bring back to China knowing now what we know and the answer, "nothing".  Of course it's not going be nothing because we will be in America, the Golden Land.  But for us our must have list seems to be: Granola Bars, Chocolate Chips, Cliff Bars, spices, and Jelly Beans. All things we can buy here.

Pampers, Jif Peanut Butter, Jelly Belly's, Pepperidge Farm cookies, Nestle Hot Chocolate, Crest toothpaste, Johnson and Johnson Soup, Heinz Ketchup to name of few of the "comforts" from home that we have here.

Many are surprised that China is not a hunting and gathering type society maybe? I am happy to report, I hunt at the supermarket and shopping malls, just like in New York (insert emoticon here).

I can get it, I can get it!