hoping for help from all you hk yummy mummy's

[carang]

i lived in hk for 12 years before i moved to a place with a real oven! man, did i ever miss it! we had a "table top" one, but it just wasn't the same.

flats in places like Discovery Bay, southside & sai kung that have more expats often have ovens.

i really wouldn't bother bringing much. things here are not too expensive and you don't want to clutter up your small kitchen with things you won't use very often. (eg. i bought a food processor here YEARS ago. it's now been boxed up for over 2 years and hasn't been used! my helper prefers to do it all by hand.)

 

[indi'n'zai'smum]

ok cool - i have a husband , who , like most men is never keen to part with cash for anything to do with the house! so he would like to bring as many of our electricals as we deem we would fit! i was just concerned about using the adapters for a long period of time - i assume though they are perfectly safe if every one is doing it??? we will be in hk for 2 yrs ( so we say) so hubby doesn;t want to outlay for new appliances.
ok next question - i never know whether i am supposed to start a new thingy or just keep going here - so i'll keep going!!!
is most fruit consumed in hk from china?? this might seem like a strange question but when in india we didn't eat fruits grown in local water - like watermelon - as it could make u really sick ( found that one out the hard way!)
i know that most people probably get their groceries from that park and shop place - but are they all imported? and rather pricey??

 

[carang]

there are local fruits (lychee etc) that are fine.

a lot of what you see in the supermarkets and even in the wet markets/fruit stands are imported. my mother, who ran a produce counter in canada for 22 years, was shocked when she saw the boxes for the fruit here. they were exactly the same as what she sold.

there are also local organic farmers around that you can order from.

some things here are ridiculously expensive (ie. raspberries) others are reasonable.

 

[kiwiinoz]

We've found produce we buy here - both from the markets and supermarkets are all fine. The produce comes from all over the world. Bananas from the philippines, mushrooms from new zealand, apples from the USA... even in the markets you can ask WHERE the produce is from (if they speak enough english or you speak enough cantonese). You can choose in the supermarkets from local or imported - and obviously the price varies.
Regardless of where we buy our produce, we always wash it just out of habit - even used to do that back home in Oz.
It more comes down to where you find the quality and price of produce you want will be where you shop.

On appliances: We use some HK appliances and some from Oz - haven't had any problem using adapters for our Oz plugs.

 

[indi'n'zai'smum]

excellent - thanks guys....carang - can u tell me which other fruits are really expensive, as my friends are doing a vacola batch for me ( baby food) as a bit of a good bye pres, will get them to do the ones that are pricey there.
i know meat is expensive there - my friend's dad is a butcher - and one of his daughters lives in jakata - and he kevlar(? don't know how to spell it) wraps half a cow and takes it on the plane in a suit case for her!!! don't know that i am quite that ambitious yet ......
u must think i am crazy asking all this - but i am one of those people here in oz that shops at 3 different places to get the cheapest of every thing.....even here food is expensive ....and u can save sao much if u just do the research and take a little time......
wow - i think for once i haven't woken up with a question in my head!!!!!
but pls stay tuned for more REALLYYYYYY appreciate your help ladies!!!!!:smile:

 

[carang]

the only fruit that i find to be ridiculously priced are the raspberries. there may be others but i've been here for almost 15 years and i've become used to the prices. when i go back to canada, i kind of go crazy at how cheap everything is...

as for bringing 1/2 a cow.... you will most likel only have the top of the fridge for a freezer as deep-freezes are VERY rare... (i've only seen 2 in my entire time here!)

 

[Monty]

Hi there,
Just wanted to drop you in a line and wish you all the best with your move. I'm from Melbourne as well, and whilst I do miss 'home' at times, I also love Hong Kong. It is an amazing place and I am sure you will really enjoy your time here.
Keep posting those questions, there are many friendly 'faces' around here that will help you out.
Hubby and I have been here for 18 months and have had no problems with using electrical adaptors with our Australian appliances. The only problem is tracking them down in the apartment when we need them! Hubby is convinced that I hide them from him!
Hope all goes well with the move! Enjoy Christmas in Melbourne - we're missing out again this year as I'm due to deliver our baby a couple of weeks before Christmas.

 

[indi'n'zai'smum]

hi monty!!!!
nice to meet you....
you are not missing anything here in Melb - it is cold, windy and gray as usual! I am in ugg boots and trackies and it is october!!!! ( not to mention my house is filled to the brim with clothes on every surface trying to get dry!)
i have just had a little boy - is this yr first bub? r u having it in hk? good luck! if it is a dec baby u are getting a sag, which i am! so hope fully it will be cruisy and up beat!
i am feeling a lot calmer now about this move - i feel i have done all the prep wk i can - got my daughter into a school- passports for both kids - arranged a serviced apt - all while doing 7 feeds a day - gotta love the internet!
i am stocking up on bonds and cotton on for my little boy - as i didn't see a whole lot of "basics" for baby boys when i was over there.
i am told causeway bay is good for kids shopping..???

now - question of the day ....car seats.....which brands fit in cab, and are they really safe with just a seat belt thru them - ( in oz they have to be locked into baby bolt in back of car too!)...also water filters ....any tips on good ones....and how do u go with baby "drinking" bath water (off hands....) it doesn't make them sick????

thanks ladies ...mixed bag of q's today!!!

:rolling

 

[Shenzhennifer]

there are local fruits (lychee etc) that are fine.

a lot of what you see in the supermarkets and even in the wet markets/fruit stands are imported. my mother, who ran a produce counter in canada for 22 years, was shocked when she saw the boxes for the fruit here. they were exactly the same as what she sold.

there are also local organic farmers around that you can order from.

some things here are ridiculously expensive (ie. raspberries) others are reasonable.

No kidding, the same? I assumed the vast majority of fruits and veg at the wet markets came from China. I wouldn`t know how to ask - the market sellers here definitely do not speak English, maybe a smattering of numbers only. Guess that`s something I`ll have to learn in Cantonese - country names. I only know China, and that`s bc it sounds like Mandarin. But who`s to say they would tell the truth anyway? Especially when they see a foreigner who looks like they might like foreign things. At least at ParkNShop, you can trust (I hope) that what they write is true. I would much rather buy imported anything than anything from China.
There is a PNS brand called Grace Cup and though it`s not organic, it`s a better kind of produce, from Malaysia, but grown in compost, in the highlands and irrigated with spring water.

 

[Neha]

Kids shopping in central also u have many stores in Prince's building and also in Ocean Terminal in TST has many shops