Bubbling up with Helena

Several weeks ago, my husband and I decided we were going to do a weekend in our apartment themed around each country that has a pavillion in EPCOT’s World Showcase. This weekend marked the completion of this venture with our Chinese theme.

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The Food

China is a big country with many different types of cuisine, so we decided to focus primarily on the food of Shanghai. The food of the weekend was a mix of old favorites and trying new recipes.

We order scallion pancake all of the time, but we have never made it before. We decided to give it a try, and it turned out very well. The pancake we made turned out crispy and flaky and absolutely delicious. It was fun to recreate something that we’ve gotten from restaurants all of the time at home. I also had no idea that scallion pancake were Shangainese.

In my research into Shanghainese cuisine, I came across many mentions of a braised pork belly dish. I had never made pork belly before, and I was eager to try this recipe. The sauce was sweet and the pork belly was fatty and tender (as it should be). There are definitely things I would do different when I make this recipe again. Our wok doesn’t have a top, but this recipe calls for the pork to be covered for much of it’s cooking time. I would probably use a pan that has a cover next time to ensure the sauce thickens more readily.

Another of my favorite Chinese dishes is streamed barbequed pork buns. I am eager to learn how to make these, but we don’t currently have the steaming basket we would need to make them properly. The Trader Joe’s frozen section has a pretty good version of this dish. The buns are light and fluffy with incredibly flavorful filling. One day, I will make these myself, but the restaurant and frozen versions will have to do for now.

We also picked up shrimp chips from H-Mart as they are a popular snack in China. I love shrimp, and I was not disappointed by these chips. They are crunchy and satisfying, and they really taste like shrimp! I am glad that I got two different kinds, and I look forward to continuing to snack on them.

The Entertainment

Of course, we had to watch the 1998 classic, Mulan. I’m pretty sure I remember seeing it in movie theaters. It is one of my most watched films on Disney+. It is full of excellent one liners and has a great soundtrack. I love how brave and strong Mulan is, and I am glad that I had her to look up to as a kid.

I have wanted to watch The Farewell starring Awkwafina for a long time, and this weekend seemed like the perfect time to watch it. It is the story of a young woman who goes back to China to visit her dying grandmother, but her family has decided not to tell her that she has stage four cancer. I have gotten used to seeing Awkwafina in more comedic roles, but she was so good in this movie.

There is a Disney park in Shanghai, so I had to watch many Youtube videos of rides and food from the park. I loved watching Tiffany Mink’s videos of the food at Shanghai Disneyland. It all looks absolutely amazing. The Pirates of the Carribbean ride looks so cool, and I can’t wait for the day that I can actually experience it.

Now that we’ve made it around EPCOT World Showcase, I look forward to seeing where our quarantine travels take us next!