Xiao Tao

Ayi is a Chinese word that loosely translates "Auntie".  Plenty of expats in Shanghai have an ayi (or several) to do their housework, watch their kids, and/or cook for them.  Some of them even live in.

Our Ayi is part time.  She comes in afternoons during the work week to clean the house and cooks twice a week.  She also watches our kids every once in a while when we're in a pinch.

Her name is Xiao Tao* and we LOVE her!

(Picture taken by C)

Xiao Tao is our age (actually, she and Matt are exactly the same age!) and has a 7-year-old son.  She is one of 4 kids who recently moved to Shanghai from an area about 5 hours away.  Her English is about as good as my Chinese, which is mostly because we teach each other!  We are also teaching each other some cooking.  A couple of weeks ago I taught her how to make chicken salad (with noodles) and today she taught me how to make pork.

Diverting a little from the topic, during our cooking lesson, Xiao Tao used an ingredient that I was unsure of: Dian Fen.  When I asked if it was cornstarch (by showing her a bag of said ingredient with English & Chinese) she said no.  So, I looked it up.  Dian Fen, translated word by word because the combo wasn't in either of my dictionaries, means "shallow lake powder."  In this case, ours is "red shallow lake powder."  Yum!  I've always wondered about how adding "red shallow lake powder" to my dishes would enhance their flavor!  As it turns out, after an intensive internet search, dian fen is corn or maize flower, also known as corn starch. :)

Xiao Tao is one of the nicest, most humble people I know.  I'm glad she's a part of our China experience.

* xi - pronounced same as SH as in Ship
   ao - pronounced same as OW as in cOW
   t - pronounced same as T as in To
   ao - pronounced same as OW as in cOW

Note: Xiao actually means small or little, lots of "kids" from the age of my kids up to me are called xiao.  Tao is likely either her father's name or her mother's name.  We learned from Mr. Mao (aka Xiao Mao) that a child is named after the parent whose family home it is.  Mr. Mao is named after his mother because his father moved into his mother's family's home.  When he speaks his full name it starts with Mao, identifying where he comes from first, followed by who he is.