Cooking for the Local Teachers!

On Tuesday, we cooked a western meal for the local teachers at the school. This dinner was inspired a couple of weeks before when a few of the local teachers spontaneously cooked dinner. We found out that we were not alone in our cravings for something other than the daily servings of cauliflower and radish salad. We chose a simple dish, penne with tomatoes and spinach cooked in olive oil. We hoped that classic Italian would not only be easy to execute, but also be accepted by the palettes of our Chinese colleagues.  Lin, Gabi, and Annie lead the pasta effort and I transformed the bread we eat everyday into a garlic butter masterpiece. We also served homemade chocolate chip cookies that I baked in the toaster-oven the weekend before.  The result was delicious and very reminiscent of home.

Yang Laoshi, Chen Laoshi, Xue Laoshi, and Li Xiaozhang enjoying freshly made garlic bread!

At 5:30, after the last kids left school, we began to cook dinner. By 5:35, hungry teachers started hovering in the kitchen and asked us excitedly when we would be serving dinner.  At that point we were a long way from finishing, but I appreciated their enthusiasm and eagerness to observe our cooking techniques. Like most kitchens in China, the kitchen at Yongfeng does not have an oven. Instead the bread we eat is baked in a round machine that looks like a very large Panini press. I coated the press in butter and toasted the bread until it was crunchy. Cooking the pasta; however, was far more exciting. The local teachers helped us light a fire in the huge outdoor cooking pot. The chef uses the pot everyday to cook lunch, but seeing the fire burn against the night sky and knowing that we were responsible for putting food on the table made the process all the more thrilling.

The fire burns while we wait for the water to boil.

Gabi, Annie, and Lin prepare to cook the pasta.

For the most part, the meal was well received. The biggest complaint was the flavor wasn’t strong enough. We know this not because the opinion was voiced, but because we watched several teachers add the cabbage and 辣椒(pepper) we normally eat to the bowl of pasta we served. I was worried that the cookies might be too rich for the teachers, but those seemed to go over pretty well too. The night was definitely a success.

Dinner is served! Around the table from front left: Zhao Laoshi, Yang Laoshi, Xue Laoshi,
 Annie, Li Xiaozhang, Gabi and Lin. At the second table: Chen Laoshi and Fu Xiaozhang

One of the great things about the school community is the camaraderie that exists between the staff.  Nearly every week there is some type of fun activity that the teachers engage in after hours. Mostly this happens on Thursdays and ranges from cooking food to sharing beers to setting up the screen in the auditorium and singing karaoke at the top our lungs. Having the opportunity to relax at the end of the week is always welcome, but it is also beneficial professionally to be able to connect with the local teachers in a more casual setting. It is during these Thursday night gatherings that we share details of our personal lives. I learned that one of the teachers is a dad with two twin boys and that the dean who is four months pregnant is already thinking of names for her baby. The principal takes this opportunity to ask us about life in America and we get to get to hear more about her visions for Yongfeng. This has become one of my favorite times of the weeks. I am never expecting it and the festivities always arrive right at the peak of stress.  It is a reminder to take a breath and remember where I am and why I'm here.