I went to the wet market on Monday. I needed a lot because now that I have my kitchen all set up there are no more excuses to go out for dinner, at least during the week.
I took my “little money” because the vendors don’t really appreciate being handed a 100RMB for something that costs 4RMB. I don’t blame them. 100RMB is equal to about $16 and 4RMB is equal to about 65¢. My dad asked me about the money in China so in the future I will do a post about it.
I bought: 5 large tomatoes, 2 red peppers, 1 English cucumber, small head of broccoli and cauliflower, big bunch of scallions, 4 apples, bunch of seedless grapes that were imported from California which means I paid way too much for them but they are fantastic, snow peas that were curly, 2 cabbages, 2 small heads of romaine lettuce, 3 carrots, 1 bulb of garlic, and cherry tomatoes. I went to 4 different vendors. They are very sweet and like to choose the best produce for me and they really do choose the good stuff. I guess it makes them feel better about charging me more. I was done in about 20 minutes. I saw a woman buying live shrimp, hopefully for dinner that night because you can’t get much fresher than that. I mean they have fish swimming in tanks so why not live shrimp? I think the next time I will buy some. Guess how much it all cost?
Yes, that's my dish drainer!
I don’t even have everything photographed that I bought. $12. That’s right $12! I pay more than a local so I can only imagine how much I’d save if I had an ayi (household helper) and sent her to do the shopping. Which will never happen because I love the wet market. After I got home I had to spend about 45 minutes washing everything and putting it away but it’s worth it. The fruit and vegetables are so delicious. Just look at the colors!
vikarenously 
I bought Florida avacado once and thought I died and went to heaven. There are peaches coming soon that cost 20 kwai apiece and my husband loves them. He first thought he was being ripped off as a laowai, but that is the cost to everyone. They only come once a year. Our Chinese friends took us to the wet market and now we get the best of the best and great prices. We bought tea and the vendor gave “special tea” to try no charge.
To your friend, Micherry (love that name)their are days I don’t go out, sometimes the turmoil is too much.
I will be looking for the peaches and thanks for the pricing tip. If that’s the price for everyone they must indeed be special and therefore worth every kwai. I think when my son is here for Christmas we’ll venture to the tea market. How bad can it be and we’ll have fun if nothing else.
Micherry, did you get the note from Nola? Am I your secretary now? 😉
Oh my, am I laughing over this! I think I have responded to a friend or two on here before and I always read everyone’s comments. I take it Nola also lives in China and has been there longer than Karen, but you two must not live in the same city. Nola, does your husband also work for P&G? Or maybe it is you Nola, who is working in China. I love to read about your life also. Micherry is my alias. (although my parents didn’t do such a great job introducing me to the different food groups, they did give me a regular, common name. It’s Sue. I used to be the Karen Family’s neighbor’s. I am on facebook for one reason and one reason only- to make plans with a group of friends to go out for birthday dinners. So I combined two of the friend’s names, Michele and Sherry and came up with mine. Sad thing is- I’m not the only Micherry on fb! Hopefully for their sake, they are just having fun with an alias also!
There is a special fruit and vegetable wash. The packaging is in characters but because we buy it in the section with the dishwashing soap and there are fruits and vegetables pictured we know what we’re getting. I just have to make sure I rinse really well 😉
I will pass that on! Muir is still sticking to peelable fruits and veggies!
Of all the food you listed, I’d eat the lettuce and carrot…… as long as I had some Balsamic Vinegret to go along with it. Seriously, I’m sure I’d starve to death if I were you. I have absolutely not a drop of adventurism in even one cell of my body and apparently my parents never nurtured my taste buds. I’d never leave my house, (except for the tailor”s) because if I went out I’d be so annoyed and angry 24/7 that people thought it was perfectly acceptable to get in front of me while waiting in line and I didn’t have the guts to politely get right back in front of them! I don’t even drink coffee, so the local Starbuck’s would not be enticing. However, McDonald’s, that’s a different story. Change of subject: I just looked out the window and it’s snowing! Big fat flakes and not sticking (I was out today in sandals) but snowing, none the less.
Let me give you some good news. You would never have to leave the house because tailors make house calls (they’d bring you fabric samples) and McD’s delivers! Yes they deliver. I was out with Anders last week and saw someone go by on a moped with a McD’s “keep warm” box on the back. When I asked him about it he assured me it was true. I even commented that you would be in heaven if you knew. I was going to surprise you one day with a picture of one but now the cat’s out of the bag.
Snow? No thank you. I’m still wearing summer clothes, although I guess you are too.
what do you wash them in?