Photo Essay

Traveling provides us a chance to admire the beauty of nature, offers a sense of freedom, and inspires us to reflect on our life. Three months ago, I traveled to and captured some photos at the Isle of Skye in Scotland, United Kingdom. The view of the land, the lake, the sea, and the sky made me feel small. Seeing the land being divided by lakes and then reconnected at distance and the peaks rose from rugged surface, I praised the power of nature. Nature creates us, embraces us, and nurtures us. Nature is strong, however, it does not suppress us nor limit us from exploring it. We can choose to perceive nature from different perspectives. In Scotland, I sat on the lawn by the lake and saw mountains and the land disappearing from the horizon. I also climbed up the peak and received a panorama of the landscape from the crest. Nature may appear overwhelming to us, but we are free to explore and discover it. In this progress, we think, reflect, and gain.

#Scotland   #Isle of Skye   #Tranquility   #Meditation

#Scotland   #Isle of Skye   #View from Old Man of Storr

#Scotland   #Isle of Skye   #Lighthouse   #Vastness of Earth

Blog Post Revision 2

How does food relate to your experience of gender and/or religion? Use a personal anecdote as evidence (if you do not have one that you want to use, feel free to make up a story or ask a friend for permission to use one of their personal stories). 

From my perspective, food has a close connection to religion as well as tradition. Different religions have different restrictions on food and people of different ethnicity also have different dietary customs.

Every year, as a tradition, on the first day of Chinese lunar calendar my parents and I will go to the temple as many other Chinese families. Following our visit to the temple, we will always have vegetarian meals on that day. This is a common religious custom in China and the logic behind it is that, in Chinese Buddhism, gods are believed to be born on the first day of the lunar calendar. Therefore, as a form of respect, people avoid killing animals and eat vegetarian meals on that day. To nowadays, though many Chinese people do not have a strong affiliation to Buddhism, this custom remains as a tradition.

Not only Buddhism has dietary restrictions and customs, many other religions also do. When I was in high school, I learned from some Jewish students that there is a fasting day every year. In addition, in Jewish culture, there are many limitations on food and the ways that it is prepared.

In conclusion, food is not simply what we eat every day. It contains cultural heritage and has important meaning to different groups of people.

Blog Post Revision 1

What dose sustainability and buying/eating local mean to you? Draw from personal experience/incorporate personal anecdote if possible.

In my opinion, sustainability is the capability to protect the environment, limit unnecessary waste, and benefit the next generation. Sustainability is important in modern world as resources are limited while population continues to grow rapidly. Sustainability is something we can all reach.

To buy and eat locally is one easy way to be sustainable. To buy locally means to purchase food and fruits from surrounding farms; and to eat locally means to eat in restaurants which use local ingredients. To buy and eat locally can not only support local farmers but also reduce the use of vehicles for transportation as well as emission of carbon dioxide. Buying locally may sometimes costs more, but in return, we usually get fresher food and make contribution to the economy of the region we live in. To me, in additionally, eating locally is a joy. In Guangdong, China, different rural areas have different signature dishes. Thus, eating locally in different places is a great adventure, and I usually encounter delicious food unexpectedly in different local restaurants.

Blog Post October 14th

Revised voiceover for the opening scene of Eat Drink Man Woman

              Mr. Chen, a well-known chef in Taiwan, with over thirty years of experience in culinary realm is now showing us how he cooks his signature dishes. 

              The first dish is fried fish. Let's see how he prepares it. First, all the insides must be cleaned out.Then, remove the bone carefully and bread the fish. The temperature of the oil is very important, 350 degree Fahrenheit is perfect. The timing is also crucial. 

              Now, Mr. Chen is preparing for his most famous dish, “golden combination”. Ingredients are squid, chicken heart, peppers, Chinese bacon, white carrots, and pork belly. Oh, of course, chicken is also indispensable. As you can see, the cooking procedure is not simple at all. First, you need to steam the squid and pork belly for ten minutes to make them tender. Then, chicken, chicken heart, peppers, and white carrots need to be boiled for two hours. After that, place all ingredients in a big pot in layers. Finally, add the chicken soup to the pot and place it on the stove for another two hours.

              Now, while waiting for his “golden combination” to be done, Mr. Chen is going to show us how to make dumplings.

Blog Post October 12th

Voiceover for the opening scene of Eat Drink Man Woman

              Mr. Chen, a well-known chef in Taiwan, with over thirty years of experience in culinary realm is now showing us how he cooks his signature dishes. Fried fish is an indicator of a cook’s basic skills. The inside and the bone must be completely got rid of. The temperature of the oil must be perfect and the timing is crucial. Now, Mr. Chen is preparing for his most famous dish, “golden combination”. Squid, chicken heart, peppers, Chinese bacon, white carrots, and pork belly. They are all necessary ingredients for this delicacy. Of course, chicken is also indispensable. The cooking procedure is not simple at all. First, squid and pork belly must be steamed for ten minutes. Chicken, chicken heart, peppers, and white carrots need to be boiled for two hours. After that, all ingredients are placed in a big pot in layers. Chicken soup, salt, and oyster sauce are added to the pot, and after that, the pot will be placed on the stove for another two hours. Now, while waiting for his “golden combination”, Mr. Chen is going to prepare other dishes.

Blog Post October 5th

Reflection on my food blog proposal


          My food blog is intended to present readers a concise yet informative history regarding Chinese food in America. I plan to write about the origin of Chinese food in the US, how it changed from time to time, and its current state. During today's class peer review session, my peer suggested that my food blog could focus on a narrower topic rather than the broad history of Chinese food in America. I agree with her that a narrow topic will provide more detailed information for readers. However, I also believe that intact information that cover different aspects are important. Thus, I am most likely to stick with my original plan since I want readers to have an overall understanding of Chinese food in America after reading my blog posts. I will also try to incorporate more detailed information in my blog posts.

Extra Credit Blog Post

Summary of video "Martin Yan's Chinatowns - Chinatown Markets"

         In the video, Martin Yan argues that San Francisco Chinatown is much more than a tourist attraction. It is a great place to explore delicious food, find diverse ingredients, and buy traditional cooking equipments. Martin Yan also introduces easy way to make Chinese food such as drunken shrimp soup, beef with many mushrooms, and chicken with eggplant.