When I was in high school, Dad bought a liquor store, and I became a liquor store employee. Contrary to popular expectations, being a teenager in a liquor store is not a high road to debauchery. I had to be there first thing in the morning to help with beer deliveries, which also meant cleaningContinue reading “Flounder with kale, almonds and preserved lemons”
Author Archives: Thomas DuBois
China milk museum!
Shanghai is a very good place to learn about milk. The city was one of the early centers of modern dairy in China, and is home to Guangming, a dairy concern that has since grown into one of the world’s largest food conglomerates. So it’s not surprising that Shanghai has a dairy museum, even lessContinue reading “China milk museum!”
Poirot house (a sad story)
They say you shouldn’t meet your heroes…
The literal picture of irony
Here it is, the actual one. “I refuse to conform to society’s rules, and I express that choice by wearing the blandest consumer items for sale at this mall.” “That’ll show ’em!” From the Westgate Mall in Oxford.
“China’s dairy century,” video online
This talk introduces China’s dairy century as three distinct trajectories: production, consumption and culture. I gave this talk a few months ago, and the nice people at Cornell were kind enough to make a very good recording. Other talks from their “Contemporary China Initiative” series are available on the same page. I’m curious about justContinue reading ““China’s dairy century,” video online”
From Pasture to Plate – upcoming talk!
Upcoming at the University of Oxford China Centre! http://www.chinacentre.ox.ac.uk/talks-and-lectures/ Many Roads from Pasture to Plate: China’s Beef Trade, 1732-1931 Friday, 26 January, 13:00 – 14:00 at Ho Tim Seminar Room Refrigerated transport made fresh beef a global commodity. China was the last great frontier of this transformation, but bringing Chinese beef to market presentedContinue reading “From Pasture to Plate – upcoming talk!”
Death by M.C. Escher – inside the old Shanghai slaughterhouse
I once had a roommate who wore a lot of M.C. Escher t-shirts. I thought it was fun and quirky, which was odd, since he wasn’t really either of those things. One day I made the offhand comment that he sure seemed to like M.C. Escher, and he lost it, “no, I do not likeContinue reading “Death by M.C. Escher – inside the old Shanghai slaughterhouse”
Hello Shanghai! (let’s talk about eels)
Ah, Shanghai! What can I possibly say about Shanghai? It’s certainly big, but that’s hardly unique in China. It’s remarkably cool. The old and new architecture is equally gorgeous, though I am partial to the 1930s feel of the old commercial buildings. Shanghai has loads of style, and like a very small handful of cities,Continue reading “Hello Shanghai! (let’s talk about eels)”
Boston! Upcoming Harvard talk on milk in China
Another busy week. Last Sunday, I flew to Boston, not (as I had dreaded) through Newark, but through Delta’s pleasant hub in Detroit. Why the change? Because the whole Northeast was blanketed in thunderstorms, which prompted a last minute rerouting. It also made the flights themselves a real adventure, especially for those of us inContinue reading “Boston! Upcoming Harvard talk on milk in China”
Yoghurt
Little kids love to cook, and we were no exception. I remember making my very first dish at the age of about four – it was “peanut butter cake,” and consisted of peanut butter, mixed with flour (because, cake) and sugar (because, sugar) and molded into something puck-shaped. To her credit, mom tried it andContinue reading “Yoghurt”
Thomas David DuBois 