COFFEE
8:44am local time.
In metropolitan Sydney of the proliferous cafes and coffee stalls, and I normally boycott Starbuck with its corporate image and its designer flavouring for every holiday. But in Shanghai, Starbucks is my morning dose of sanity, conveniently located right in my building. I simply can't find a decent, strong cup anywhere else (like the Coffee of the Week: "Italian Roast: Extra Bold" *is in heaven*), much less a place that will give me soy milk in my coffee.
Asian populations, courtesy of evolution, have a much higher percentage of people who are lactose intolerant than those of European descent. But in China, not surprisingly, where soy milk is the "cheap" traditional beverage, consuming a large amount of milk and dairy is a symbol of prosperity, and demand is growing all the time. Almost everybody will be confused at the idea that someone might be allergic to milk - it is, after all, good for you.
"Vegetarianism" on moral grounds is a lifestyle choice of the rich (or Buddhist); for the rest of the world, it's called Because We Can't Afford Meat And Can't Afford To Be Picky.
When I was in Shanghai just earlier this year, in February, you still couldn't get a Soy Latte in Starbucks. How quickly things change.
In metropolitan Sydney of the proliferous cafes and coffee stalls, and I normally boycott Starbuck with its corporate image and its designer flavouring for every holiday. But in Shanghai, Starbucks is my morning dose of sanity, conveniently located right in my building. I simply can't find a decent, strong cup anywhere else (like the Coffee of the Week: "Italian Roast: Extra Bold" *is in heaven*), much less a place that will give me soy milk in my coffee.
Asian populations, courtesy of evolution, have a much higher percentage of people who are lactose intolerant than those of European descent. But in China, not surprisingly, where soy milk is the "cheap" traditional beverage, consuming a large amount of milk and dairy is a symbol of prosperity, and demand is growing all the time. Almost everybody will be confused at the idea that someone might be allergic to milk - it is, after all, good for you.
"Vegetarianism" on moral grounds is a lifestyle choice of the rich (or Buddhist); for the rest of the world, it's called Because We Can't Afford Meat And Can't Afford To Be Picky.
When I was in Shanghai just earlier this year, in February, you still couldn't get a Soy Latte in Starbucks. How quickly things change.