Lazi jiding (辣子鸡丁) is like a more sophisticated version of kung pao chicken.
Read MoreI'll start off by saying that I have greatly enjoyed the Games here in Beijing. But I do have a gripe that is shared by many other people.
While the events have been fun, the food inside every venue leaves much to be desired. Or should I say, the lack of food. I know that it's common at many sporting and entertainment venues to restrict bringing in food, but it's also common to have food available for purchase. But no. Hot dogs and sausage links listed on the the menu at every venue are almost always "sold out." Sandwiches are nonexistent. The only things available are usually popcorn, Snickers, ice cream, and Tsingtao beer, which is what I have been mainly subsisting on. (You would think that with McDonald's as a corporate sponsor, we could at least get some ultra-hydrogenated fries and sad cheeseburgers.) Granted, everything is reasonably priced, but when you're on the verge of starvation in the middle of a 4-hour event, you would gladly overpay for a dinky club sandwich or frankfurter.
Read MoreThis afternoon, less than 24 hours before hopping on a train to Hong Kong, I was faced with a dilemma. Do I boil some instant ramen noodles and start packing early, to ensure I remember everything and not wait until the last minute? Or do I make myself a good, hearty lunch, while updating my iPod with all the new music and podcasts necessary for a long train ride?
A perpetual procrastinator, I chose the latter.
The plan was to make Kung Pao Chicken (Gongbao Jiding), because that was what I was craving. Then I looked in the fridge and saw a pack of lonely-looking tofu, which would certainly go uneaten before the trip.
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