Since I am still pretty jet-lagged I figured I'd soothe my insomnia with a post :). I had actually meant to post this entry while I was in China but apparently they do not allow blogging websites there. I was also unable to access Twitter and Facebook as well, thank god for the whole "Freedom of Speech" thing we have going for America eh?
Shanghai was a blast, I come to realize that I will always be a big city girl at heart. I loved the energy, the endless amounts of delicious (and cheap) food, and the shopping -- oh my god, the shopping. Surprisingly, it was Collin who lost himself this time. Yes, you heard correctly, my fiance was completely out of control compared to me. You see, in China you can always bargain for your price, it's like gambling, except the ultimate goal is to get a stinkin' good deal.
He made two custom fitted suits for a whopping $96 dollars each along with several custom tailored dress shirts for about $10 each. He also purchased belts, watches, wallets, polos -- he literally came back with an entirely new wardrobe. NOW the good child (me) had a tailored jacket made for $60 and had a custom wedding dress made for $85, the one I found here in the States was $3500. This convinces me to never buy clothes in the States ever again, (okay not really because I love shopping) but it is amazing as to what you can have made there and for such a good price!
We didn't have enough time to visit HangZhou so that will be saved for next time, but we ventured all throughout Shanghai and stopped by Wuxi and ShuZhou. I took over 1200 pictures while I was there, now that I am editing through them I am becoming a little regretful about my trigger happy finger.
Everytime I go back, I am always amazed as to how much changes around Shanghai. Highrise buildings magically sprout out of nowhere, old restaurants replaced by new, and there always seems to be more people. Always. The traffic is a constant clusterf*ck and you always think someone's going to die, yet there are minimal car accidents and pedestrians and bikers always seem to come out alive.
I shall save the many adventures of Shanghai for the following posts, seeing that I have thousands of pictures to go through as well as numerous information pamphlets to read I should probably get started... I would also like to pose a warning for the following cookie recipe: they are extremely addictive. Collin ate about a dozen to himself in one sitting, these cookies will make you lose all self control so plan wisely :)
I found this recipe in Frank Stitt's Southern Table -- these cookies are melt in your mouth delicious and using only 4 simple ingredients they are not only easy to make but can be paired with any dessert and goes great with coffee.
Ingredients for Shortbread Cookies:
(Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies)
- 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter and sugar until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Sift the salt and flour, then add to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
Form the dough into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the log with plastic wrap and chill for 3 hours to overnight. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap and slice the dough into 1/4-inch disks. Place on an ungreased baking sheet 1 inch apart and bake until the bottoms of the cookies just turn golden, about 10 minutes, turning the sheet 180 degrees after 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
VARIATION: After removing the dough from the refrigerator, slice as above, then roll each disk into a ball. Moisten a thumb and press into the center of each ball. Fill each indentation with high-quality raspberry or other fruit preserves. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until slightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
You can also use other preserves like apricot, cherry, strawberry -- and since Easter is this Sunday this would also make a delightful dessert to bring to any party. Easy to make, delicious to the max, trust me these cookies will become the hype of any party :)!
