WHAT YOU WANT TO EAT

Stay away from the Kielbasa. Mind you, I don't think it really was Kielbasa, more like some cheap horrid hotlink that the proprietor and his demented customers prefer over anything Polish. And it did taste good, real good. Especially with hot sauce, barbecue sauce, and mayonnaise. Plus tomato. So more like a Chicago dog with actual flavour, instead of those silly little sport peppers with the green food colouring.

There were two times this morning where I had to rush off to the room at the end of the hall because of the evil I ate last night.

Regrets. Profound regrets.


So it seems appropriate and strangely poetic to share with you the most popular essays on this blog at this time. All of them are food-related, each one features Chinese food.


TOP FIVE POSTS

In order:

DIM SUM: KINDS, NAMES, PRONUNCIAT​ION, DESCRIPTIO​N

Around two hundred snacky items are listed, by their Chinese name with transliteration and translation. Dim sum is what Hong Kong and Canton eat for breakfast, and often for lunch. Little dumplings, small steamed dishes, fried food, and savoury little snacks. It's perfect for a large group of people, as it offers a variety of tastes and textures, and requires merely enthusiasm from the folks eating together, rather than everyone engaging in neurotic frustration about what to order and who is allergic to whatever.
Gluten-phobics will find precious little to enjoy, as Cantonese people do not have fits over gluten.
By the way, it's worthwhile to learn Chinese.
That way food is more fun.
鹹蒸點、腸粉、飽點、煎點、炸點、甜點、其他。


HO SI FAT CHOI 好事發財 DRIED OYSTERS WITH BLACK MOSS

You need to serve this at your next family celebration. Dried oysters are dense, meaty, and delicious, and can also be used in a variety of other ways than just the traditional festive dish with hair-vegetable. Try them in rice porridge, for instance. Another thing to serve would be shark fin soup, for which you will find a recipe here: 蟹肉把翅 HAI YIUK PA CHI, as well as links to an entire slew here: 魚翅.
蠔豉、髮菜、發財就手。


CHINESE NEW YEAR - LUCKY WISHES, LUCKY FOODS

It's never too early to start preparing for a feast, especially because there is nothing between Halloween and Chinese New Year. Many beloved Cantonese dishes served on special occasions have names which are eloquently homophonous with good wishes and auspicious phrases.
Did I already mention that it's worthwhile to learn Chinese?
春節、正月、年夜飯。


SEA CUCUMBER - SOAKING AND BRAISING A DELICIOUS SLUG

Especially suited to birthdays, if the celebrant is of an older generation. The item in question is good for arthritic joints, has a pleasing texture, and pairs extraordinarily well with delicious meats.
Even little kiddies like it.
海參、紅燒海參。


HONG KONG ROAST GOOSE IN SHAM TSENG

There is only one place in San Francisco Chinatown that does roast goose, and I have to be rather cautious about going there, because one of the waiters seems not to like white guys that speak his language. On the other hand, the younger waiter and the waitress are cool with that, though, so I do eat there fairly frequently, because I seriously crave roast goose.
Just need to strategize my entry and the timing thereof.
燒鵝、深井、裕記大飯店、深井陳記燒鵝酒家。



One other food post also gets a lot of attention:

BEST RICE PORRIDGE IN SAN FRANCISCO

It's about a place on Pacific Avenue, just east of Grant. Yin Du Wonton Noodle (銀都雲吞麵). Good food. Some people particularly like their stewed brisket (牛腩) soups, of which there are three variants listed on the menu: 牛腩雲吞 (stewed beef brisket & wonton soup), 牛腩雲吞麵 (stewed beef brisket & wonton noodle soup), 柱侯牛腩麵 (stewed beef brisket & noodle soup). The term 柱侯 ('chü hau') stands in for a condimental addition (柱侯醬 'chü hau jeung') that is particularly good with meats.
湯麵、撈麵、粥、飯、小菜。



AFTER THOUGHT

This morning's memorable Kielbasa-related misadventures reminds me of the Linguiça episodes a few years ago. And it strikes me that I've not had any Linguiça in a while, ergo it must be time to buy some more.
So if you happen to see a badger with a pained expression on his face, a pipe in his mouth, and a sausage in his paw, wandering through the alleyways of Chinatown, you will know that it is me.
波蘭香腸、林吉薩。



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