A neighbour cleans beansprouts in the sunshine Last week I was commenting on WeChat about why it’s still rare to find an oven in a home here. The majority of Chinese cuisine requires just a wok and a cleaver, which when you think about it, is wonderfully simple. Ovens are only really used for a limited amount of dishes like Peking duck, or dishes that have been influenced by the West, like a Macanese egg custard tart. That doesn’t mean the Chinese aren’t partial to a pizza, o

A lonely week, not through boredom, but through a feeling of isolation, like I’ve suddenly gone deaf. I’m sure most who have ever migrated to the other side of the world, to a vastly different culture have experienced this. While Mark is at work, I spend my day wandering around alone, sometimes not even speaking. There is a sense that everything is muffled, I hear conversations but they wash over me, I haven’t a clue what anyone is saying. The first delivery to my new home wa