[Since there’s only like three questions today, I’ll answer them and follow up with a couple more food recommendations, since Yamibuy changes their stock all the time.
In the 90s my parents used corn syrup in baked goods and as a cheap substitute for pancake syrup. Since then, corn syrup has become much less popular due to the bad reputation of high fructose corn syrup (which isn't quite the same thing - regular corn syrup doesn't have fructose). My parents still have a bottle of corn syrup in their cupboard and the last time I visited I used it to make granola bars (the recipe called for brown rice syrup).
Apparently, the corn syrup on yamibuy is supposed to be used to "add colour" when making stir fry. I can't cook Chinese food, so I have no idea what that means.
I tried duck blood soup for the first time today and HOLY CRAP IT'S RIDICULOUSLY GOOD and stupid easy to make, too. Like, ramen-level easy. I was hesitant to spend $8 on essentially ramen, but this is so worth it! Plus it's that perfect meal I'd been looking for, that I can throw unrefrigerated into my car, and then prepare on the road a week later with nothing but a gas station microwave. My head is still buzzing with how good it was. I'm going to start stocking up on this stuff.
Right!? Right!? I know the price tag can turn a lot of people off, but it really is nothing like instant noodles the way most people think of them. There's a big, solid bag of actual meat and protein and duck blood in there. But I do gotta warn you, it's super popular so it will randomly go out of stock for months at a time. I make a general habit of keeping an entire box in my pantry at any given time.
Should I try other flavors, too? They have Szechuan Pepper and Hot and Sour. I'm not a huge fan of the spicy stuff. I only used like 1/4 of the spicy oil in the original flavor soup. The other flavors sound much spicier.
I haven't tried any of the others for exactly this reason--I can't eat spicy at all. I don't even use the spicy pack in my duck blood soup. So I can't really say...
Really, really positive. It's mostly about how there's lots of subsidies you can get for having a kiddo in Germany, how they've got cheap (or free?) healthcare, and free schooling, how the vast majority of German husbands will actually play with their own kids, and there's lots of annual leave, and you almost always get to go home on time when your work day is over, and there's very little overtime.
One of my most important running disagreements with a friend boils down to "Is the important distinction US & Europe vs China or Europe vs US & China", and this is a funny point for how similar US attitudes towards Germany are.
What does the versus here mean? Like, in a hostile geopolitical sense? I mean, surely not. I feel like America is pretty friendly towards Europe, right?
Is the important political / quality of life difference between America and China or Europe and America + China? If you view America as a borderline non-democracy with terrible healthcare etc, you're more likely to take the latter view.
People who say this have never been inside a Chinese hospital. I have never, ever, ever heard of an American hospital where they perform C-sections without anaesthesia.
There are reasons I disagree with it! But hearing very similar comments about Germany to what I get as an American about Germany is still a little unsettling.
Made me laugh a couple times! :D Also really appreciate the vegan-friendly declarations, will try to fetch the kelp snacks and olive sauce. The duck blood ramen sound really exciting but also soo ewwww to me xD
That's the stuff I'm absolutely certain is vegan-friendly. I think some other stuff is vegan friendly too, like I'm pretty sure the watermelon bread is safe, but I don't have a package of it on hand to check, so I erred on the side of caution.
My (Canadian) perspective on corn syrup:
In the 90s my parents used corn syrup in baked goods and as a cheap substitute for pancake syrup. Since then, corn syrup has become much less popular due to the bad reputation of high fructose corn syrup (which isn't quite the same thing - regular corn syrup doesn't have fructose). My parents still have a bottle of corn syrup in their cupboard and the last time I visited I used it to make granola bars (the recipe called for brown rice syrup).
Apparently, the corn syrup on yamibuy is supposed to be used to "add colour" when making stir fry. I can't cook Chinese food, so I have no idea what that means.
The part on Taiwan was so interesting! The million-dollar diamond metaphor at the end was super useful.
Also I feel for you with the watermelon cravings
Right? It's been waaaaay too hot lately.
I tried duck blood soup for the first time today and HOLY CRAP IT'S RIDICULOUSLY GOOD and stupid easy to make, too. Like, ramen-level easy. I was hesitant to spend $8 on essentially ramen, but this is so worth it! Plus it's that perfect meal I'd been looking for, that I can throw unrefrigerated into my car, and then prepare on the road a week later with nothing but a gas station microwave. My head is still buzzing with how good it was. I'm going to start stocking up on this stuff.
Right!? Right!? I know the price tag can turn a lot of people off, but it really is nothing like instant noodles the way most people think of them. There's a big, solid bag of actual meat and protein and duck blood in there. But I do gotta warn you, it's super popular so it will randomly go out of stock for months at a time. I make a general habit of keeping an entire box in my pantry at any given time.
Should I try other flavors, too? They have Szechuan Pepper and Hot and Sour. I'm not a huge fan of the spicy stuff. I only used like 1/4 of the spicy oil in the original flavor soup. The other flavors sound much spicier.
I haven't tried any of the others for exactly this reason--I can't eat spicy at all. I don't even use the spicy pack in my duck blood soup. So I can't really say...
What's the blog about Germany like?
Really, really positive. It's mostly about how there's lots of subsidies you can get for having a kiddo in Germany, how they've got cheap (or free?) healthcare, and free schooling, how the vast majority of German husbands will actually play with their own kids, and there's lots of annual leave, and you almost always get to go home on time when your work day is over, and there's very little overtime.
The comments are all very jealous.
One of my most important running disagreements with a friend boils down to "Is the important distinction US & Europe vs China or Europe vs US & China", and this is a funny point for how similar US attitudes towards Germany are.
What does the versus here mean? Like, in a hostile geopolitical sense? I mean, surely not. I feel like America is pretty friendly towards Europe, right?
Is the important political / quality of life difference between America and China or Europe and America + China? If you view America as a borderline non-democracy with terrible healthcare etc, you're more likely to take the latter view.
People who say this have never been inside a Chinese hospital. I have never, ever, ever heard of an American hospital where they perform C-sections without anaesthesia.
There are reasons I disagree with it! But hearing very similar comments about Germany to what I get as an American about Germany is still a little unsettling.
Made me laugh a couple times! :D Also really appreciate the vegan-friendly declarations, will try to fetch the kelp snacks and olive sauce. The duck blood ramen sound really exciting but also soo ewwww to me xD
That's the stuff I'm absolutely certain is vegan-friendly. I think some other stuff is vegan friendly too, like I'm pretty sure the watermelon bread is safe, but I don't have a package of it on hand to check, so I erred on the side of caution.
As comical and concerning as ever: thank you! Though I think you might get more voters if the link is made clickable?
oh my god, I can't believe I forgot