I think we are beginning to crack their codes in a variety of ways in figuring out what makes them tick or
their "price of poker" if you will.
But for now let's specifically discuss how I think I have cracked their code as it relates to food.
Because really, who doesn't like to talk food?
And if you're saying, "Well me. I don't like to talk food."
Then I'm not sure we can still be friends.
Food hasn't really been a big issue.
It certainly wasn't in China
and it hasn't been a huge one here.
That being said however, I still can't just sit them down with a
So in my quest to bring them comfort, food is most certainly one area that I can try my best.
Pre-adoption my Asian cooking skills hovered somewhere around non-existent.
Post-adoption my Asian cooking skills are hovering somewhere around non-existent.
But alas,
I think I have cracked the code.
Rice as a base.
Not just rice alone I've learned after many wrinkled noses.
Rice first and then pile on the goods.
Chicken.
Pork.
Veggies.
Soy sauce.
Orange sauce.
Chow Mein noodly thingy bobbers.
Beef
Sausage
Shrimp
Hard boiled egg.
Water chestnuts.
Bamboo shoots.
Any type of meat, good.
Any type of veggie, good.
By golly, I think I've figured it out.
Now instead of cute little wrinkled noses, I get cute little smiles and "thank you momma!".
I'm going to file the food revelation under
"Things I wish I would have known before we left."
I would have cooked and chopped
Meat prep has consumed much of my days recently.
Only the love of these two boys has driven me to handle the insane amounts of raw meats I have handled in the last 72 hours. Blech.
As back up I purchased a few canned meats yesterday when
I
actually
made
it
to
the
grocery
store!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The food issue will be doubly entitled,
"Things I wish I would have talked to their foster mother more about."
I so wish I had asked her to show me her process.
Her spices.
Her seasonings.
Her methods.
Her ginormous bottle of soy sauce.
Live and learn though and though it took me a week,
I have cracked the code.
Woot-Woot!
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oh girl you make me laugh!!!!!!! glad to see you haven't lost your wit!!!
ReplyDeleteYAY!!! You are going good if you have already cracked the code. Food was our biggest and pretty much the only issue we have had with our boys so far. I think the older they are the harder time they have with food. My boys found a lot of comfort in their foods. I am sure not a expert in Chinese cuisine and like you I was in the kitchen most of the day chopping chopping chopping vegatables (my boys are not to much for meats but they can't get enough vegetables and noodles. We made a trip to the chinese market (2 hours from where we live so we stocked up)and the boys loaded up on spices and condiments and everything they knew from their life in China. They have been home 4 months now and are now liking USA (as they call it) foods. One of my boys now would rather have USA food over Chinese. I am now seeing them liking foods that 4 months ago they thought were terrible. All this to tell you that it gets easier.
ReplyDeleteKim
PS....and get this, my boys didn't like soy sauce...i thought i was prepared in buying a huge jug of it before I traveled and they don't even like it....LOL. so much for planning ahead. :-)
We've been home 2 years with our son and he still eats as much meat as my husband, and he's only 6 years old! I shudder to think about our grocery bill when hits his teens!
ReplyDeleteWe're a family of 6 and I'll bake 19 drumsticks at a time, or 2 whole chickens, and I bake 11 loaves of bread a week! Good thing I like to cook. lol
Krista D
So glad I didn't see chicken feet
ReplyDeleteon your list!..you are doing a great
job. I loved following your journey
to your new sons, and the big brothers
were/are boys to be proud of...mm from
vancouver, wa.
Well I was disappointed I didn't see chicken feet! ;)
ReplyDeleteWoo-hoo! Food is good! Glad there's an area that's working out...slowly more and more of those areas will be. Praying for y'all!
ReplyDeleteI make "Chinese" soup at least once a week. The kids all love it. I take whatever noodles I have boil in chicken broth and add a few dashes of sesame seed oil and soy sauce. I throw in whatever veggies I have in the refrig or freezer and any leftover rice in the frig and at the very end I slowly pour one whisked egg into the boiling soup. TA DA Chinese soup!! It is a hit with everyone and healthy to boot!! You need to read this post http://mylifemydesire.blogspot.com/2009/12/multicultural-eggs.html !
ReplyDeleteHahaha, the Chinese normally have a 3 + 1 for every meal except breakfast. 3 dishes and 1 soup. One meat dish, one veg dish and one other dish (mushrooms/eggs/etc). Rice is a daily staple in many Chinese houses.
ReplyDeleteLove this post! I have been dealing with this with sweet Lauren too! So I have also hit the nail on the head with rice and veggie stir fry. I chop onion, celery and cabbage (sometimes I throw in broccoli or spinach too) and use a little butter and saute them with soy sauce until they are done- I sometimes add chicken or turkey or whatever meat may be left over from dinner the night before. Also, I sometimes add an egg. :) Wacky, but she LOVES it. She also loves any type of sausage. Go figure.
ReplyDeleteI am so craving baby corn now that I saw your picture posted. Very glad you've cracked the code--I imagine it feels great.
ReplyDeleteYou're a better mom than me, that's for sure. My attempt at comfort food for our Longgang son was to buy a million noodle cups for him and offer them to him if he didn't like our food. Don't tell my social worker. He seems to like our food though, and just gets excited about eating in general no matter what it is. Except vegetables. I haven't found many veggies that he likes unless they are cooked in something like a pot pie.
ReplyDelete