How about some Chinese rice for dinner?
Many people like to cook - and do it very well - and I got to see an Asian version close up on Monday.
My Chinese internet friend who has been living and working in Summerville, left town yesterday morning to return to New York City on the 10 am Amtrak.
He came down several months ago to get a break from icy weather up north.
Yeah, right, like so great here lately!
He was the Chief Sushi Chef at a relatively small Asian Bistro called Red Bowl and lived in an apartment provided by the owner.
He worked 6-days a week with only Monday off.
I would go up to Summerville, pick him up and we would tour a bit of the area before returning him to the apartment in the afternoon.
We stopped at the Bank of America so he could do his monthly wire transfer of cash to his son still in China then we took off to tour.
We rode out to Folly Beach, stopping at the Folly boat recently recovered and now on display again,
We walked out on the fishing pier, ducked into the Sand Dollar dive bar, and split an Irish Breakfast at the Guinness bar next to THE traffic light.
I had a half-pint of Guinness. He had tea.
Traffic was light so went all over downtown, both fountains at Waterfront Park (saw the unsightly hole in the ground where the SPA Headquarters had been for years and where a new hotel will spring up to block the harbor view for many.)
He oohed and ahhed at the stately S.O.B. historic mansions, we walked the Low Battery and ambled around taking in the sights. A quick drive over and back on the Ravenel Bridge so he could get a twilight view of Mount Pleasant.
Stopped at Harris Teeter on the way home to get what he needed to make us a "rice dinner" Monday night. I had no idea what was in store for me to observe!
Heating the skillet until it was red hot, he oiled it and stirred two eggs in and made them crispy scrambled. Two beef sausages were heated and diced, the huge container of white rice was crumbled and added to the hot skillet as he kept the spatula busy moving things around so nothing burned nor stuck to the pan. A wonder to watch! I had plenty of Soy Sauce which he used liberally.
I have trouble making toast!
Being a Chief Chef, he showed me the "tools of his trade", many knives valued in the thousands of dollars were unveiled from his bulging carry wrap.
In there was his seasoned whetstone and he later sharpened ALL of my knives to a keen edge!
On the salad he made (half of a head of lettuce), he drizzled his own version of Russian dressing (mustard, mayo, etc) and we ate for a long time! Burp.
He cleaned everything spotless and we relaxed to use my computer to check with his son that the money transfer had worked and watched some tv.
I have several spare bedrooms and, compared to the Spartan sleeping area he has had since coming to Charleston, he was pleased.
My Chinese friend Kyle Yu is back in New York now and I hope the weather remains benign for him way up North!
Labels: a 10-ounce Guinness, Chef's knives, Kyle Yu, Red Bowl Asian Bistro, Summerville for warmer weather, The Folly Boat, whetstone
posted by chuckography @ 10:44 AM
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