Thanksgiving Guanxi

In China, Canadian Thanksgiving takes a back seat to the OTHER one celebrated in November.  In large cities around the country, 5 star hotels fire up their ovens and produce a few turkeys to add to their already massive buffets and if you are lucky an accompanying bowl of mashed potatoes, stuffing usually with a Chinese twist and a gravy that looks like gravy but may not be gravy and all this at a cost of $60 to $80 CAD. Outrageously expensive, anywhere in the world! Turkey is currently selling for $0.79 a pound in Beamsville

 

I have heard rumours that you can buy a butterball in Beijing if you know the right people. It’s called turkey guanxi.  Guanxi: “It’s not what you know but who you know”.  While guanxi exists to some extent in most countries, in China, it is a cultural imperative.  Business cannot be carried out without it. We have experienced guanxi firsthand when Nonie was able to see the top eye doctor in Harbin thanks to a friend who had a friend who was a friend of the doctors. 

 

 

As Canadians, we abhor line jumpers, line jumping is an Olympic sport here. Just try boarding at a busy bus stop. Those tiny little Chinese nainai’s (grandmothers) can be mean when you get in close. We Canadians do especially well in “bus stop boarding” thanks to “Hockey Night in Canada” and Don Cherry, his immortal words to young hockey players, “Keep those elbows up when going into the corners” ringing  in our ears.  

Thankfully, we were able to avoid the expensive buffet line and were treated to a fabulous Thanksgiving buffet at branson’s place that rivaled any buffet we have experienced in China.

Sadly no turkey listed on the menu but a beautifully cooked chicken that had been brined over night, more than satisfied our poultry desires.  The chicken was accompanied by homemade gravy, bread stuffing, mashed sweet and regular potatoes and not one but two salads.    

While Nonie quilted, I watched a downloaded, delayed telecast of the Grey Cup on his big screen, it was a pretty sweet day.  Watched the first quarter and then fast forwarded through to the half time show and then final fast forward to the last five minutes. If you saw the game, you would understand.

As an added surprise, a well formed turkey leg found its way onto the table for desert.  So a savoury turkey sandwich the next day took care of my tryptophan addiction for a few months. 




 

 Thanks to branson and Xinxin for a lovely evening.