Tommy the Dwarf, Fat Bill, Andre the Giant, Antipodean Jack (who knows what his real name was), and our hostess Kathleen, an ABC (American born Chinese) were all at the table. As was my constant shadow handler/confidante, Zeng Wen.
The occasion was Thanksgiving, as an American holiday as an ex-pat can celebrate. The city, Guangzhou, China, formerly known to Westerners as Canton. The establishment? A little coffee shop that our hostess Kathleen had started to serve ex-pats, as she proceeded on her own life journey to discover her roots.
They had put this together for me, the only American at the table. They didn’t want me sitting in some hotel dining room, by myself, on this holiday. They were good to me like that. All of them, all the time.
Dinner was fairly ‘traditional’, a roast turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, pie. The only major difference? Served “Chinese style”, the kitchen cleavered the turkey into a hundred pieces on platter! Chopsticks all around!
Great memory. Great fun.
It’s amazing to see international versions of US holiday meals. Brits cook with butter and lard. Spanish use olive oil to cook just about anything. It’s all very different from what we may be accustomed to at home, but it’s all incredibly delicious in its own way.
JJ