Top 5 Posts of 2008
Which posts got the most readers in 2008, that were Stumbled Upon, commented on, and (hopefully) bookmarked for repeated future visits?
1. Dragonfruit – In January, my post on this spindly magenta tropical fruit attracted my single all-time highest readership in one day. “How could you not be curious about a fruit that looks like a blowfish mated with a Venus fly trap?” How indeed.
2. Black Cherry Iced Tea - Mmm. Just looking at the photo again makes me itch for summer.
3. Eating Fried Balloons – My odd little video (with big fried balloons and freaky chicken statues) was actually shot and posted in 2007. It became somewhat viral in 2008. Thanks, Stumblers!
4. 100 Chinese Foods to Try Before You Die – Needs no explaination.
5. Guide to Wrapping and Pan-Frying Dumplings – This pictoral dumpling how-to became your 2nd favorite recipe this year.
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Top 5 Food Moments Outside My Kitchen
1. In September, desperate for a break from Beijing, I bought an overpriced same-day plane ticket southward because of uncontrollable cravings for wonton noodle soup and Hong Kong milk tea.
2. On the same trip, I encountered the best softshell crab ever.
3. This glorious brunch at the Westin in Beijing was very memorable post-birthday gift.
4. This roast suckling pig at Fernando’s in Macau was worth the winding mini-bus trip from city center.
5. And I can’t forget the many months of teaching Chinese cooking at The Hutong.
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Top 5 Food Resolutions for 2009
1. Spend less $ for meals out – I love dining out as much as the next food blogger, but this next year is going to hurt financially. That $26 for a steak should would be better off in the proverbial piggy bank. Besides, there are taco truck vendors and congee hut owners who could use my money more than, say, Thomas Keller.
2. Make better use of leftovers
3. Use a less pungent fish sauce - The last bottle I had, a Chinese brand, was apparently so offensive Jacob had to wrap it thrice in plastic. From now on, fear of waste will not prevent me from tossing out full bottles of something that stinks up the house.
4. Cook more Vietnamese and Thai - This goes in line with #3.
5. Make Appetite for China even better!
So now, dear reader, help me achieve #5. What is one recipe or food that you haven’t seen on the site yet, but should be?
2009 is the year of the ox. Maybe I should consider more beef recipes.
Can you come up with a recipe for an egg tart as good as Golden Gate Bakery in San Francisco?
For Vietnamese fish sauce, I recommend Flying Lion for cooking, and 3 Crabs for making fresh dipping sauce as it’s slightly sweeter. In a pinch, Thai Squid brand is good too, but saltier than the VNese brands.
I resolve to eat out less too and to waste less food. I buy and make too much and only like eating leftovers once or twice. But I still have way too much leftover.
Maybe one regional beef recipe per month? Or twelve ways to cook ox tail?
I look forward to reading your recipes through the next twelve months, they’ve been inspiring (and nostalgic).
Nate – Egg tarts like the ones at Tai Cheong Bakery in HK are officially on the to-do list for this year!
Wandering Chopsticks – Unfortunately in Beijing any kind of fish sauce is hard enough to find, much less preferred brands of fish sauce. Sigh…
Mila – Good ideas! Thanks so much for the nice words. :)
Great year in food. May this one be even better!
Make it better? It’s clear that Appetite for China is already pretty darn good.
And I second the coolness of Dragonfruit – it’s mesmerizing. Happy New Year, Diana!
Diana,
Dragon fruit is beautiful and it is exotic for many people. I love the highlights of foods that I would not find in the average supermarket in the US. Asia offers so many cool options that are different from the rest of the world like pomelo, lychee, and kai lan just to name a few.
Jennifer
I’m new to your site and wanted to see some of last years bests. None of the links work! Help!