Deep-fried Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving passed here much the same way that Halloween did - without much ado.

Taking matters into my own hands I decided to hold a late Thanksgiving at my apartment on Sunday for the English teachers. It ballooned into 30 people. I think. Who knows if half that or double will show.

12 kilos of fresh chicken (read, undressed), 10 kilos of potatoes, 6 kilos of cabbage, 6 kilos of sweet potatoes, 40 bingzi, 8 kilos of oil, 2 kilos of pork belly, various clumps of celery, greens, leeks, mushrooms, onions, bags of sugar, pepper, cinnamon bark, green raisins, cloves, star anise, ground hot peppers, apples, milk (yes, bags of milk), garlic, jars of questionable mayonnaise, a few 4 liter bottles of soda, a tank of propane, a propane tank regulator (try describing THAT in Chinese) various cooking implements, and a large stock pot later I think I might be ready.

Maybe.

Due to a lack of ovens and turkeys I will be improvising with deep-fried whole chickens and apple pie dumplings.

In the mean time - to keep yourself busy while I’m slaving over a pot of boiling oil - a few of my favorites:

There are two men in a boat with three cigarettes and no matches. How do they manage to smoke?

That’s a dire situation - almost as bad as Pete and Repeat.

A farmer is returning from town with a dog, a chicken and some corn. He arrives at a river that he must cross, but all that is available to him is a small raft large enough to hold him and one of his three possessions. He may not leave the dog alone with the chicken, for the dog will eat it. Furthermore, he may not leave the chicken alone with the corn, for the chicken will eat it. How can he bring everything across the river safely?

Poor chickens.

A glass of water with a single ice cube sits on a table. When the ice has completely melted, will the level of the water have increased, decreased or remain unchanged?

Enjoy!