Hot Pot. The literally "hot pot" is where the meal starts and ends. Think Chinese fondue. Raw food and big boiling dishes of water and oil. Going to Hot Pot is something that needs to be done with Chinese friends, as was the case after work one night. Upon arriving dishes of oil and water were brought to the table and placed upon the table's burner to heat. You can order everything you want from pigs feet to mushrooms off of the menu, which will arrive in a cart beside your table. Fish, meat, veggies, and tofu; the array of 
food is both beautifully presented and usually great tasting as long as you don't ask too many questions. On this particular night I arrived a bit late after my Chinese co-workers had already ordered. Some of the stuff in the mix I could decipher and others I couldn't. One thing you learn when living in China is not to ask too many questions about what you are eating and just eat. The common approach when eating hot pot is to simply stick your chopsticks in the communal broth and fish around until you pick something out that looks appealing. This usually suits me until I hit bone and then questions start arising in my head such as "What part of the animal is this? What animal is it in the first place? Do I really want to be eating mushrooms that have been cooked in pig feet infused water?" Generally at the start of the meal the vat of various foods looks appetizing, but by the end, after much of the oil and water has evaporated, the carcasses reveal themselves and you know it's time to leave. Despite the unappealing aftermath, its always a great communal meal. In this case, our whole staff joined and it doesn't get much better than going to local restaurants with locals who know how to order and eat.
food is both beautifully presented and usually great tasting as long as you don't ask too many questions. On this particular night I arrived a bit late after my Chinese co-workers had already ordered. Some of the stuff in the mix I could decipher and others I couldn't. One thing you learn when living in China is not to ask too many questions about what you are eating and just eat. The common approach when eating hot pot is to simply stick your chopsticks in the communal broth and fish around until you pick something out that looks appealing. This usually suits me until I hit bone and then questions start arising in my head such as "What part of the animal is this? What animal is it in the first place? Do I really want to be eating mushrooms that have been cooked in pig feet infused water?" Generally at the start of the meal the vat of various foods looks appetizing, but by the end, after much of the oil and water has evaporated, the carcasses reveal themselves and you know it's time to leave. Despite the unappealing aftermath, its always a great communal meal. In this case, our whole staff joined and it doesn't get much better than going to local restaurants with locals who know how to order and eat.
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