Delicious pig face

There’s a butcher shop near the entrance to my alley. Every day as I walk to work it’s a gruesome display of animal limbs, heads, tongues and assorted odds-and-ends ready for the wok. It’s right across the street from the “King of Duck Necks” fast food stand – so you can practically build your own mammal nose to tail.

My favorite: delicious pig face. (see left in top photo) The face. Of a pig. Peeled off and shrink-wrapped. Apparently it’s meant to go into a stew. Or as an option for low/no-cost face lifts.

In other food news, my friend Karla was at a farmer’s market (not so quaint, it’s in front of the Ritz-Carlton) and met a French guy who delivers fresh organic yogurt to your apartment every week. She brought me some and it’s quite delicious. So next time you’re in Shanghai and you wonder “where can I find a French guy to deliver fresh organic yogurt to my apartment every week?” I know the place.

Also, it’s Hairy Crab Season here! Everyone is talking about it: kind of a mix between a Chinese national holiday and Red Lobster’s Lobsterfest. Autumn is when they harvest them, and while everyone says they’re delicious, I’m sure eating the sucker is like some nightmare from 7th grade biology class. I'll let everyone know if I work up the courage.