Ginger Milk On Saturday, I was sitting in the tea house when I noticed a woman at the next table eating something that looked familiar. Only it was something that I seldom see at a tea house. I asked her, “你 係 唔 係 食 緊 薑 汁 撞 奶?” (lei5 hai6 m4 hai6 sik6 gan2 geung1 jap1 jong6 laai2) Are you eating ginger juice curdled milk? It turned out that she was. I also asked her about 雙 皮 奶 (seung1 pei4 laai2) double skin milk, which is similar in appearance to 薑 汁 撞 奶 but with a thicker consistency. 薑 汁 撞 奶 and 雙 皮 奶 are recent discoveries for me, and they already are two of my favorites. I wish I knew more about them. As far as I know, 雙 皮 奶 is popular in 順 德 (seun6 dak1) Shunde, one of the 縣 (yun6) counties in 廣 東 省 (guang2 dong1 saang2) Guangdong Province, and may have originated there. Presumably, both 薑 汁 撞 奶 and 雙 皮 奶 are popular in HK. Here in the Bay Area, I know a couple of places that make excellent 薑 汁 撞 奶, but it’s very difficult to find 雙 皮 奶. I sure hope that I can find 雙 皮 奶 in HK.

Sunday found me eating Chinese food again. This time it was dinner at 迎 賓 樓 (ying4 ban1 lau4) China King Restaurant, a small hole-in-the-wall located near my house. For value, it’s hard to beat. I ordered 黑 椒 牛 柳 (haak1 jiu1 ngau4 lau2) black pepper beef medallions and 蒜 蓉 菠 菜 (sun3 yung4 bo1 choi3) stir-fried spinach with minced garlic. It’s funny how something as simple as spinach can taste so good. Face it--I love fresh-cooked Chinese vegetables. HK should have a great selection, although I have been reading in the newspaper lately that chemical residues in produce from Guangdong Province are an increasing problem in HK.

Tomorrow, I have plans to get up early to go on a hike at Pinnacles National Monument, a spectacular rock formation located south of Hollister. The last time I was down in that area, I couldn't find the place. This time, I have done my homework and have hopes of seeing a rare California condor.  ¶ 9:00 PM