A black algae which grows off the south coast of China in hair-like strands. It is treated as a vegetable and steamed or braised with bacon for Chinese New Year or used as a garnish or decoration.
Cloud ear fungus that grows on dead wood, available fresh or dried. If fresh they have a bland flavour but take up the flavour of the foods with which they are cooked. They should not be fried as they explode, but should be stewed for at least an hour. If dried they are black and are broken into small pieces. They swell hugely when soaked. Dried mushrooms may also be ground to a powder, in which form it may be used to flavour soups and stocks.
The hake is a long, lean member of the cod family. Although they can grow up to 1 meter (3 ft) in length, the average size now is about 30-50 cm (12-30 inches). They are found in temperate and cold waters. During the day they lurk on the bottom, but rise in the evenings to hunt for fish such as herring and mackerel.
A half barrel is equivalent to a keg, which has a capacity of 15.5 U.S. gallons of beer, equivalent to 124 U.S. pints. Read more: How Many Beers Come in a Keg? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_4969963_how-many-beers-come-keg.html#ixzz1IfjEEovj
