What I Miss From the USA 🇺🇸
1 Year Anniversary... almost
They say time flies… truer words have never been spoken
It’s hard to believe but I’m creeping up on 1 year since relocating to Asia. 🇭🇰
I made this move for a few reasons.
Since first visiting in 2018, I fell in love with this part of the globe. Since then I’ve travelled to mainland China at least 20 times, spent a month in Thailand, a week in Tokyo and soon will be headed to Vietnam. I believe that certain parts of the globe resonate differently depending on the person. Example: no real desire to check out much of South or Central America, but Asia resonates strongly with me.
The opportunity to get back into a professional kitchen after taking an extended leave of absence. Consulting was fun and flexible but I really missed the daily ins-and-outs of having my own kitchen. This qualifies under the Mental Illness category I have spoken of before concerning culinary professionals 😂
Even though most of my life has been spent in the USA, I spent most of my early childhood growing up overseas. In 2022 I began strongly considering relocating as the climate and atmosphere in the States just wasn’t my jam anymore.
Which makes this post rather interesting and why I’m writing it.
I could have easily written a newsletter about “All the things I love about Asia”, but as I was shopping the other day in a local market I began thinking about some of the foods and ingredients I miss from the US and that are not available (or just plain suck) here in Hong Kong.
Maybe I’ll write a followup on the above subject mentioned but for now here is what I miss most, that comes to mind, from the USA 🇺🇸
Family
Goes without saying but after being used to seeing my parents on a regular basis, weekly Facetimes just aren’t the same. Having said that, I am thankful we have technology that allows us to connect like this with loved ones.
Hong Kong is a very transient place. Not many people stay long term, it’s mainly a career-stop for people climbing the ladder etc. Most of my friends here and people I meet have family that are long distance and Facetime is the way to stay connected.
I knew this would hit at some point and am looking forward to seeing some family soon!
Climate
Before moving to Hong Kong I thought that Bangkok was the most humid place on the face of the earth after spending a month in Thailand (read more about my Thailand travels here & here).
I was wrong. Hong Kong is even more humid and while you get maybe 3-4 glorious weather months in HK, the remaining ~8 are just suffocating 😂.
If you’re here in July or August, just walk outside and within 3 seconds your skin is condensing.
Yes, I’ve spent summers in Florida, felt the swamp humidity of the Louisiana south and more over in the US. None compares to the humidity in Hong Kong. Even though we are mostly surrounded by water you don’t feel much in the way of breezes because the buildings are so densely planted on this small island.
If you ever want a fun rabbit hole to explore, look up the growth and expansion of Hong Kong island from the early 1900’s on. It’s fascinating to see how the island was expanded and literally built out into the water.
Another fun fact, the HK Cable Car celebrates 120 years of being in operation this year. Quite a feat to think since 1904 public transit cable cars have been shuttling people back and forth on the island.
In short, I miss the weather in the USA 🇺🇸
Kitchen Space
Real estate is at a premium in Hong Kong. On par with NYC prices (both 1 & 2 for most expensive real estate worldwide). On top of that, Hong Kong culture is that most people just go out to eat. There are more restaurants per capita in Hong Kong than anywhere in the world. It’s easier to just go out and grab a bite.
Noodles, hot pot, dim sim, Chinese bbq? All pretty cheap if you hit up the local spots.
Eg: my favorite fried pork chop w/curry and beef chow fun noodles rings in at ~$18 USD and can feed 3-4 people comfortably. That’s cheaper than drive thru and 10x more tasty.
The flipside of that is the kitchens in residential dwellings here are the size of a shoe box. Literally.
Luckily I have a wet market that’s a 3 minute walk away so I can daily grab meats, vegetables and fruits on the quick, but I really miss a big range and pantry to keep all my ingredients 😂
Dairy
This has been a big adjustment.
I didn’t think much in previous visits but being on a landlocked island in a culture that doesn’t use much dairy your options are limited and pricey.
Milk
I don’t want to hear anyone in the US complain about dairy ever again. 😂
Finding “fresh” milk that isn’t cut with Soy is your first challenge. For cost savings and for “health” reasons a dairy-drink was introduced that contains milk but also has a high proportion of soy milk that it’s cut with.
Then there’s straight up soy milk.
VitaSoy was introduced in the 1940’s as an alternative for those with lactose intolerance.
Locals here that grew up on the stuff love it.
I don’t like the taste at all. To each their own.
*Caveat: when I’ve been on Mainland China many times they serve a warm soy milk in the mornings with breakfast that can be quite tasty.
After that you have all the shelf stable milks (evaporated, etc) and most of the shelf stable milks that I see are coming via Australia.
You want straight up, chilled, fresh cows milk? Pay up.
Cheese
Another big downer. Cheese is expensive here. You can find French and Italian cheeses at import shops and they’re quality is quite good, but it’s akin to buying a nice steak or Iberico pork chop 😂
It wasn’t until a few weeks after I relocated here that I realized how cheap dairy and cheese is in the US.
You can find Velveeta cheese at an American import shop that brings in products for ex-pats but that block of Velveeta that you pay like $4 USD for at home will run over $10 USD
Butter
One of my all time true loves… butter.
The butter out here that I’ve seen is about a 2-3x markup from prices in the US. ranging anywhere from $12-16USD per lb, depending on your geography in the US.
Again, dairy in general isn’t a big part of Chinese or Hong Kong cooking so I’m guessing it was primarily an ex-pat import that is still quite niche compared to the population as a whole.
US Beef
There’s only so much Wagyu you can eat and, to be honest, Wagyu is more of a once-in-a-while craving. When I want a good steak I’m craving Flannery Beef, California Reserve, USDA Prime… grass fed, grain finished, well marbled and bursting with beefy flavor.
USDA Prime beef here, if you can find it, comes at a premium (as expected). I have found some wonderful Korean beef here that is not as rich as Wagyu but probably a slight step up still from USDA Prime (maybe I’ll write a post later on this 💡 )
Olive Oil
Olive Oil prices are through the roof over the last few years. Add the importing and shipping to Asia and the price goes even higher. I’m talking like ~$22USD for a bottle of crappy Bertolli olive oil in the grocery stores here. 😩
Luckily I brought some of my favorite finishing oils with me but supplies are running low. I have relatives visiting soon and will be sending them a list to fill up a suitcase with all the foodstuffs I require 😂
Sourdough Bread
Baking in a humid climate can be tedious. Add to that sourdough isn’t really a thing in Hong Kong culture. Even with some shops making an effort I still haven’t found a good sourdough in Hong Kong.
Cherry Peppers
I love keeping a jar of hot cherry peppers in the fridge to eat with charcuterie, throw on a sandwich or mix into a finishing sauce for pork chops with peppers.
I found 1 Italian grocery that carries these but the brand isn’t great and they cost an arm and a leg.
Condiments
While you can find tabasco and a few other big name condiments, after taht you’re likely stuck. Relishs, dill pickles, bread and butter pickles, pickled jalapenos, giardinera, etc. Can’t find or pay a premium.
Mexican Food
Mexican food has struggled stateside with the identity that it should be cheap and accessible (while in recent decades, some chefs have tried to elevate and make a fine dining out of the cuisine, which can work).
In Hong Kong, expect to pay even more. Avocados (as expected) command a premium here via imports and the chilis from Mexico are quite different to the local varietals here, so again, more import costs.
I’ve been to a few Mexican places here over the last ~year. None I will likely go back to. $14 USD for a small bowl of guacamole 😂 At this point I’d rather save my cravings for a trip home or fire up a grill and bust out some fajitas and make flour tortillas in my tiny kitchen 😏
While there is plenty I don’t miss about the USA, example: haven’t had to drive a car in almost a year. I never want to drive a car again 😂 … the above are what stuck out as I sat down to write about things that I miss or are easy access/good quality in the USA 🇺🇸
Feel free to comment below and ask any questions…. will have a new recipe up soon for you and some new content on a cuisine I don’t see anyone writing about
As always, thank you for your support!