something new in Chengdu!

the best sort of good fortune is the kind you fall in to back assward

鱼香肉丝 “fish-flavored, but not fish”

Yuxiang 鱼香 literally means “fish taste,” which is a mystery because this style of cooking has neither fish, nor fish taste, nor any other fishy credentials

Egg foo young 芙蓉蛋 — no, seriously

In my memory, this dish is a greasy mess of overcooked eggs, watery bean sprouts, and sauce that can only be described as “brown”

Blood sacrifice–a happy story

Before I begin, let me assure everyone that the story does end well

Sichuan cooking school: school life

Cooking is hard and distinctly unglamorous work

Sichuan red oil 红油

Red oil – hongyou 红油 – is the heart of Sichuan cuisine

Sichuan picked peppers 泡椒

Once I got over my fear of barging into kitchens, I started making friends.

Cooking school–Sichuan edition

Every day, I leave class smelling like fish guts and chili oil. It’s heaven.