Can't Cook Won't Cook

Last weekend i had the choice of going to Hei Sun Wood with the Changhua crowd or go out in Taichung with the Yuan Lin bunch... however neither of which came to fruition due to food poisoning! Felt a little light headed on Friday afternoon, then while feeling queezy, gave Laura (Changhua teacher) a lift to our house (for Pascal curry special). As soon as i got home I told her where everything was an then ran upstairs to die; or throw up .- which ever happened first. but unlike previous bouts of bad food: it dint budge... so spent most of the weekend feeling bad.

This weekend to make up for a lack of feasting; we had invited the TA's over to our house to make some Chinese dumplings and eat a Pascal curry. The night before we were in Changhua to see Sharne before she went back to England... we went to the Culture Club as usual, and had a great night... met a new teacher for Changhua Andy from Wigan (a northerner! fantastic)... and I ended up crashing at Laura and Sharne's place.
So the next morning i was in the doghouse coz i dint get back til after 12... and we hadnt even done the shopping yet. That same morning at 6am, a new teacher for Yuan Lin had arrived: Nic from NY: so he was knackered, I was feeling the effects of the night before and Pascal was rushing around trying to get everything ready for the feast. And at 2pm, Nic was surrounded by 7 young ladies, wondering why there were no male staff.

Linda (the boss) turned up mid afternoon with 7 boxes of chicken feet in a nut sauce! Lovely!
Well, we started cooking about two and dinner wasnt served until after half five! But when it was served, there was a lot of it! 2 different curries, huge bowl of rice, more dumplings (pastry wrapped onion and mince pork balls) than i could count, 3 salads, experimental chapatis and a fruit salad.
Amazingly these petite girls got through most of it! They must have really high metabolism over here. Saying that, Pascal and i will still be living off the remains for atleast a week.

The cooking was an eye opener: I started chopping the onions and felt everyone's eyes on me.. i assumed they were critical of the way i was chopping; but no! Turns out, girls in Taiwan don't cook. The dumpling mince they had brought was ready-mixed at the supermarket. Most still live with their mothers or grandmothers and whoever doesn't work cooks the meals. During the day everyone eats out anyone... it must be one of the few places in the world where it isnt cheaper to take a pack-up to work.
(80p will buy a pot of curry and rice with veg!)