Richard Under Orders In The Development Kitchen

Last Thursday, Richard’s Development Manager, Kirsty, and her team, with the help of Richard made a British Christmas Dinner for all those in his office in Putuo, Shanghai.  Kirsty had gone to a lot of trouble to make as an authentic a meal as they could, decorating the meeting room with a Christmas Tree that was found lurking in a cupboard and making a Penguin-topped Christmas Cake out of sugar paste – well as close an

Penguin Christmas Cake

approximation to that as she could with the ingredients available.  The cake was much admired – the Chinese will spend a lot of money on Celebration Cakes, apparently and this one was much admired and when the time came to cut it there was much concern that it was going to be damaged, so the penguin was rescued and taken back to the kitchen to live his time out in peace.

Mulled Wine

We started the meal off with mulled wine, which Richard had made using a recipe of mine, which I dutifully took round to everyone who were still working at their desks.  When “French Franc” asked what it was – regarding it with suitable gallic suspicion – all I could think of to call it apart from mulled wine was glühwein, but as Richard pointed out to me later it is of course vin chaud.

There is a general view all over China that British food is terrible, and judging by the food my grandmother used to produce they were probably right 100 years ago, but not now.  But the reputation for poor food lingers on and on, like a nasty smell.  However once everyone gathered – I think with a certain amount of trepidation – for this British Feast they were rather surprised.  They weren’t that keen on the turkey – but neither am I – I always serve the more traditional goose on Christmas Day, rather than the American import.  It was bland as always (not Kirsty’s

The Main Course

fault it’s the nature of the fowl) and it was served in large slices which is something you just do not see in Chinese food, but everything else – sausages wrapped in bacon, the stuffing balls, the glazed Carrots, the Brussels Sprouts finished with walnuts and bacon, the roast potatoes and the “white carrots” – parsnips to you and me – were well received, with more than a little surprise.  The cabbage and the gravy were regarded with a little suspicion.  The mince pies had been put out ready for dessert – and not understanding that they would form part of the next course many of these were added to the their plates.  But for the Chinese there is no real distinction between sweet and savoury dishes anyway and in a restaurant they just arrive when they are ready.  (I’ve had quite a few topsy-turvy meals like this – my Italian starter arriving after my pizza for example in our local Italian restaurant, just because the pizza was ready).

Flaming Christmas Pudding

Crackers were pulled and crazy paper hats were worn and in a country where the language has endless opportunities for puns, the corny jokes from the crackers were understood and appreciated, once explained.  As well as the mince pies and the cake, Kirsty had made a Christmas pudding which was glazed with heated brandy and the brandy set alight, as per the tradition, and served with brandy butter.  Richard said he enjoyed being in the kitchen with the whole team working well together to produce the meal and I think it shows on his face.  The staff were surprised that he was serving everyone else, at the meal, not something a lãobãn (boss) would normally be seen doing in China.  But he said this is what happens at the Christmas meal in the UK – the bosses serve the workers and so he was carrying on the tradition here. All in all the dinner for around 27 (and me) was a huge success and the kitchen team (and my husband) should be proud of themselves.