Best Belgian food in Beijing (3)

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Afternoon tea

Best Belgian food in Beijing (3) focuses on afternoon tea, a typical Dutch sandwich and flowers. Of course in Morel’s Restaurant.

The restaurant is open in the afternoon and is popular for its sumptuous afternoon tea.

What is a “smos sandwich”?

Friends who are regulars are sometimes treated to unusual specials, like the Martino and also the broodje smos, or smos or smoske.

A smos sandwich, sometimes called smos or smoske, is the Flemish name for a sandwich or piece of baguette often topped with cheese, ham, vegetables and egg slices. The name comes from the Flemish word ‘smossen’ which means to spill. So much topping is put in between the sandwich that it often spills while eating. In Wallonia the name “dagobert” is used, and in Brussels “sandwich club”.

The bun is first spread with mayonnaise or another sauce and then topped with vegetables and slices of hard-boiled egg. Vegetables that are used include lettuce, tomato and cucumber. Usually cheese and/or ham or, for example, crab salad is also added. There are also variants where deep-frying products such as a frikandel or meat croquette are placed between the sandwich.

In the province of Antwerp and in Sint-Niklaas, they use the word smos for a sandwich without cheese and ham with only vegetables on it. In that case, you order a smos and say the topping that goes on after it (for example a smos cheese or smos ham). If you order a smos in West Flanders, Sint-Niklaas or in Antwerp, you can receive different sandwiches.
The sandwich has similarities with the Dutch sandwich “gezond”.

A flower paradise

Susan Morel and her team also takes care of the wonderful flower arrangements, and some flower gifts for the ladies. As mentioned earlier Susan has become a real master florist.

I admit many of the flowers I have no idea about. She sources them from all over China.

TCM explained 1.

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Mugwort it is

In “TCM explained 1”  (or should I say debunked…) let’s look at Chinese foot bath.
There are different kinds of the artemisia plant.
Wormwood (Artemisia absinthum) and mugwort both belong to the artemisia family. Even when it comes to mugwort, there are different kinds, such as artemisia vulgaris and artemisia argyii. Artemisia argyii is specifically growing in the northern temperate zones of Asia. It is the one which we use in China. Wormwood is seldom used in China.
Artemisia argyii, commonly known as silvery wormwood or Chinese mugwort, is a herbaceous perennial plant. It is known in Chinese as àicǎo (艾草) or àiyè (艾叶).
The edible plant mugwort can be confused with wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). Examination of the leaves is how to tell the difference. Mugwort leaves are green on the top and white underneath, and they have pointed tips and purplish stems, while wormwood leaves have a silvery top and bottom and the flowers are more showy.
It can warm the meridians, stop bleeding, disperse cold and stop pain.

See here my foot bath at home:

Artemisia argyii is used in moxibustion and can also be used in food bath.
In China for moxibustion and foot bath we exclusively use Artemisia argyii. More about moxibustion in another post, coming soon.
All kinds of plants might be used in foot baths but not wormwood.

Singapore shop Kin Teck Tong puts it correctly

Kin Teck Tong
Chinese Mugwort, also known as Artemisia Argyii, has been used for centuries in TCM treatments (Moxibustion) and in food due to its medicinal properties. Chinese Mugwort is known for its numerous benefits and highly recommended by physicians for properties such as dispelling dampness, stimulating blood circulation and enhancing women’s health.
Other common uses for Mugwort include treating cold hands and feet, gingivitis, intestinal problems such as constipation, chills, and insomnia.
Mugwort Foot Bath: Singapore’s humid weather all year round can result in high level of moisture in the air. As such, dampness accumulates in the body and causes symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, swelling, poor appetite, joint pain, irritable skin and so on. Using Mugwort Foot Bath, body can be reconditioned, and dampness will be dispelled at the same time, alleviating any symptoms caused by the excessive damp.

Many Internet shops and articles are wrong

Google search makes it confusing as one finds often “Moxa Mugwort Herb Wormwood Dried Leaves Cake Foot Bath” and “Moxa Mugwort Cake Chinese Herb Wormwood Foot Bath Soak SPA Chinese Medicine Health Care Massage”.

See a sample of online sale here. The foot bath is said to:
Remove toxins, soften blood vessels, promoting blood circulation.
Relieve fatigue, promote the blood running, have strong immunity.
Instant and long-term relief: cracking, itching, burning, caused by toe/skin fungus
Cures most jock itch and ringworm. Antiseptic and anti-bacterial properties to deodorize.
Reduces inflammation, pain, and itching. Softens corns, calluses & rough heels.
Relieving foot fatigue, detumescence and acesodyne, promoting sleeping.
Enhance Immunity. Expand blood vessel, reduce the blood pressure.

In the above change wormwood to mugwort!

And here another one: Wormwood foot bath
It is wrong – change wormwood to mugwort to be correct in the following text:
Wormwood has anti-inflammatory, relieving cough and asthma, dispelling cold and dampness, anti-allergic and hemostasis effects. Many people are accustomed to soaking their feet in hot water with wormwood.
What are the benefits of hot water foot bath with wormwood?
Foot soaking can relieve fatigue and improve sleep quality. When it comes to foot soaking, wormwood is the “golden partner”.
Soaking feet in hot water can promote local blood supply and help to expel dampness and cold in the body; coupled with wormwood, it can open up the twelve meridians and regulate the balance of yin and yang. If the meridians are unobstructed, the qi and blood are also unblocked.
The main symptoms of strong cold or false fire are sore throat, stomatitis and oral ulcers. You might as well boil the wormwood in a pot, take out the liquid and soak your feet until the whole body sweats.
Wormwood can have antiviral and antibacterial effects, and at the same time can enhance resistance, insisting on soaking feet in hot water with wormwood can treat athlete’s foot and athlete’s foot.

7Fresh in Beijing Yizhuang

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Exploring new places

I admit I am pretty lazy and mostly don’t go far away from Sanlitun. A friend recommended 7Fresh in Beijing Yizhuang, so Renaat and Susan took me along to explore the 7Fresh Food Market that is next to the JD 7 Fresh Supermarket. That was in February 2019 before the COVID mess hit us all.
Covering 4000 sqm, the store is at the Dazu Plaza Shopping Center, near the e-commerce company’s headquarters in Yizhuang district. Closest subway station is Rongjingdongjie of the Yizhuang Line (Line 5).

We tried many of the dishes, all of excellent quality. Great experience!

More about the supermarket

Fresh goods and unmanned delivery service at JD 7Fresh Supermarket.
On February 18, 2022, 62 Chinese and foreign journalists visited JD Group’s 7Fresh Supermarket in Yizhuang District of Beijing. Founded in 2017, 7Fresh is a gourmet fresh supermarket providing consumers with instant and fast quality retail services through online and offline channels, and dedicated to creating a better quality life for customers. Journalists visited the fruit and vegetable, bakery, wine, Chinese food , meat, seafood, and catering sections in the store, to learn about the business and operation mode of 7Fresh, its supply chain, commodity power and innovation power advantages, and experience the convenient shopping experience first-hand.

Greek food or hotpot in Beijing

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Athena

Greek food or hotpot in Beijing. Greek is an obvious choice: Athena Greek restaurant.
I finally made it back there after a long time, with all the COVID mess. Both Renaat and myself enjoyed it. We had Greek Salad, lemon chicken soup, other dishes and some deserts.

The beer I had: Russell Brewing Company, British Columbia, Canada. Pretty nice (but not Greek!).
Moussaka was very good, it’s a potato-based dish with ground meat. The best-known version in Europe and the Americas is the Greek variant created in the 1920s by Nikolaos Tselementes.
The “lamb” chops could be better – basically mutton and not lamb. Deserts, such as rice pudding, were very good.
Nice sitting outside (and inside too). The restaurant is famous for its good lunch buffet.
Located close to the Spanish embassy.

Favorite hotpot

I admit I like hotpot and my favorite is Haidilao Hotpot in Beijing Sanlitun 3.3. Rather cheap and very attentful service. Always ordering too much so I took home some doggy bag with left over vegetables. Their beer is quite OK. We had the noodle-making mini show too.
The cows? Going there we saw the cows in 3.3, they looked pretty real…

Haidilao Expects $600 Million Loss in 2021
Haidilao, a Chinese hot pot chain, announced Monday that it foresees a net loss of about 3.8 billion yuan to 4.5 billion yuan as of Dec. 31, 2021. The revenue in 2021 is expected to exceed 40 billion yuan, an increase of more than 40 percent, compared to 2020 revenue of about 28.6 billion yuan. (
Haidilao estimates losses mainly due to the following factors: First, in 2021, Haidilao closed more than 300 restaurants and dropped restaurant business performance and other factors resulting in losses totaling around 3.3 billion yuan to 3.9 billion yuan. In addition, the restaurant chain’s operations were impacted by the continuing changes in the global landscape and repeated outbreaks.

Beijing Workers Stadium story2

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

A look into the future

In Beijing Workers Stadium story2 focus on a CGTN video by French guy Olivier who shows us the Workers Stadium under construction and what it will look like.
The French video, French only, is best here.
also here on YouTube.
With English subtitles (not that complete), see here.

Some screenshots of the video.
The main underground parking entrance would be on gongti dong lu, see the last pic.

The subways

Lines 3 and 17 will have major stations on the corner of gongti bei and gongti dong lu.
It is planned to have an underground connection with Taikooli shopping center

A good insight on the today situation and future subway lines in the area, see here and here.

Beijing Subway Line 3 (first phase)
open by the end of 2023
Dongsi Shitiao to Dongfeng – Length: 15.6 km  – Stops:10
Future Transfer with Other Lines: Dongsi Shitiao: transfer with Line 2 and Gongren Tiyuchang (Worker’s Stadium): transfer with future Line 17.

Extension Plan of Beijing Subway Line 17
The northern section of the first phase of Beijing subway line 17 is under construction. The whole project of the first phase of line 17 will cover 49.7 km with 21 stations. After completion, it will start from the Weilai Kejichengbei in the north, pass through Changping District, Dongcheng District, Chaoyang District, and finally reach the Jiahuihu Station in Tongzhou District in the south.
Future Transfer with other lines: Gongren Tiyuchang (Workers’ Stadium): Transfer with Line 3

Tuanjiehu Station at the East side of gongti bei lu is serving Line 10.

Dongdaqiao station further down South from gongti dong lu is currently serving Line 6.
M28 (planned name) – before called CBD
Dongdaqiao to Guangqudonglu with 9 Stations line length   of 8.877 km.
Planned opening: 2025.