It has only been a year since the Eat Well Shanghai Guidebook rolled off the presses  but in Shanghai that one year means time for an update.  We have printed an update for some of the listings in the book. Not every new place is listed but we added those restaurants, shops and delivery services  that were highlighted in this blog since the book came out.

If you have purchased a book in the last year, just send me a note and I will be happy to send you a copy of the update.  All new purchases from today will have a copy of the EWS update.

The book is still available from Nest at Taikang Lu and Melange Oasis.  Of course you can always contact me here at EWS for a home delivery.  Even better, look for Eat well Shanghai this weekend at the Jiashan Market on Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm.

JIASHAN FOOD MARKET! ! !         SATURDAY AUGUST 27TH   !! !                                                                                                                      10am – 3pm
BAGELS, YOGURTS, DIPS, OLIVES, PRESERVES, FRESH SAUSAGES, BBQ’D SAUSAGES, DUMPLINGS,
JAMAICAN FOOD, BEERS, COFFEE, VEGAN GOODIES, COOKIES AND CUPCAKES.
Shanxi South Road, Lane 550, Nu. 37, also accessible from jiashan lu nu. 259.
www.jiashanmarket.com

Eat Well, Live Well ,Have Fun !

“Does it ever stop?” That is the question I hear most often from my visitors to Shanghai, especially after I take them for a nighttime walk down the Nanjing Lu Pedestrian street. Shanghai may not advertise its 24 hour open for business status but anyone who has spent time here knows that  it is not NYC, but Shanghai which is truly “the city that never sleeps”.

So I was a bit skeptical when I was invited to hear about the introduction of the Slow Food Movement to Shanghai.

The Slow Food Movement champions the idea of good, clean and fair food for all. What that amounts to is the promotion of  fresh, seasonal and local foods that are produced and consumed in a way that does not harm the environment, animals or our health and provides food at accessible prices for consumers while fairly supporting small farmers and producers. That is, pardon the pun, quite a mouthful.

This is not a movement that is necessarily organic or vegetarian or gourmet but  this philosophy concerns itself with the idea that food should taste good naturally, that  traditional foods are important and should be preserved in their authentic state and by supporting small producers, all our lives will be healthier.

Sounds great,  but what does that mean for you today, and tomorrow when you are on the run from here to there with maybe a couple of kids in tow? Actually if you are interested in providing a wholesome,nutritious diet for yourself and your family, then slow foods will fit right in. People eat better when they take the time to chose fresh foods from wholesome sources, maybe that means organic, maybe that just means knowing and trusting your grocer. People eat better when they take the time to cook together and eat as a family or with friends.  When we share a good meal, we eat slower and we often pay more attention to our food, the taste, the smell and  the texture, that is eating well. Children will often chose a wider variety of foods when the family eats together, and variety means better nutrition. People eat better and learn more about the culture they are living in when they try traditional foods made by a local cook. These are the small steps that make up the Slow Food Movement.

Slow Food doesn’t mean you have to eat every meal at home. Look for chefs that promote the Slow Food ideas and visit their restaurants. A chef who is part of the Slow Food movement is using fresh, local ingredients and paying attention to his dishes. Now that sounds like a good meal.

I have no doubt that Shanghai will continue to operate at break neck speed but perhaps slowing down for a meal is just the thing we need to keep up the pace.

For more information check out www.slowfood.com  and watch the local listings for more information on Shanghai’s new chapter, I mean convivia.

Eat Well, Live Well, Slow Down !

Eat Well Shanghai is back online after an extended summer holiday.  Alas it was not all play and no work.   Part of my time was spent looking at the differences between the Chinese and the western diet. (More on this project in upcoming posts. )  Many of the differences are quite obvious to those of us living here in China but I am always amazed when reality matches the stereotypes.

Sitting in the airport in Canada waiting to board my flight to China I was struck by a  literal contrast in how the Chinese eat versus a western person. While  we were all indulging in a pre-boarding snack, most of the Chinese passengers were eating apples and oranges and the westerners were enjoying Tim Horton’s mini-bites and croissants from Starbucks. It isn’t hard to reason why Asians tend to be thinner than westerners. It comes down to choices, people !

Being a frequent traveler I often look at the variety of food offered in airports and roadside stops.  It helps me gauge how the seemingly ever present  nutrition messages are succeeding in changing peoples’ habits.  To my surprise, I did see fresh fruits, vegetable plates with hummus and sandwiches on whole grain breads being offered at most traveling venues. My amateur conclusion is that the healthy options are there but that it will be awhile before nuts and berries and yogurt parfaits are the first choice.

Being an expat in China automatically qualifies you as a frequent traveler and being a frequent traveler puts you into a position where you will have to make food choices within limited boundaries.  You can have some control over what you eat on the road.  If the healthy choice is there, choose it.  If you have the opportunity to pack food ahead of your trip, do that. Generally the sandwich you make and the  fruit/ nut mix or the yogurt you bring from home will be healthier and tastier than what you will find at the airport or on the plane.  You may only be able to do this for part of the trip but all studies indicate that every little bite of good nutrition helps.

Frequent travel doesn’t have to be an obstacle to a healthy diet.   Changing your mind about food on the road is the first step to changing your habits and once you realize that traveling doesn’t equal fast food and candy bars,  you will be eating apples at the departure gate too.   Make the right choice because, to be sure, someone is always watching !

Moving on….starting next week I will be back to updating you on the nutrition scene in Shanghai and predictably there is lots going on.

Mark your calendar for the return of the Jiashan Market on Saturday, August 27th. Eat Well Shanghai will be there as well as plenty of your favorite food vendors.

Eat Well, Live Well , Have Fun !