SWEET RED SAUCE ETCETERA

During the time when Savage Kitten was still my girlfriend, instead of just being the unique and feisty eccentric who lives in the other room as she is now, I never could interest her in smoking a pipe. Or enjoying the peculiar things which are American cuisine at its finest, like the appetizers invented by San Franciscan culinary genius Trader Vic, such as Crab Rangoon and Rumaki.


Crab Rangoon is a filling of primarily cream cheese and chopped scallion, with dubious other substances, wrapped in a wonton skin, deepfried crispy, and served with a sweet reddish sauce. Rumaki is chicken liver and water chestnuts wrapped in bacon, drizzled with soy sauce, and grilled. Don't eat the toothpick.

I felt that as we live in San Francisco, we should at least sometimes sample the queer shiznit the natives are alleged to eat. Or historically have eaten. Sadly, I don't think she's ever even had a bacon-wrapped hotdog.

She remains ambivalent about Spam. Inexplicable.

Spam, rice, and a fried egg are the great American breakfast. As I understand it, generations of Midwestern college boys have grown enormous on this and gone on to successful careers as pro-football players after failing their academic subjects. Or gotten arrested after drunken fratboy high jinks late at night. Truly, a priceless cultural legacy!

That and American pancakes. Which I refuse to touch.

I don't eat Spam often. Should throw out the tins.
They're getting a bit old. Emergency rations.
An earthquake an hour ago reminded me.


Actually, rumaki, crab rangoon, and pancakes are all things I've had -- they were part of my sink or swim exposure to American life, which my parents had shielded me from when we lived overseas -- but they've never touched a nerve or won any affection from me. The crab rangoons served in the basement of the student union were an interesting experiment, and that sweet reddish sauce that my fellow Americans love so much did NOT add bupkes.

Possibly all of them would benefit from Sriracha.
As do Spam and fried egg over rice.
Also the reddish goo.



Lunch today will be bittermelon omelette over rice down in Chinatown at that place on Stockton Street. With the vegetable in lieu of Spam. You needn't look so appalled.
You lot eat those nasty pancakes.



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