BIRDLIKE APPETITES

When we left we lit up our smokes outside the place with THREE different styles of chicken feet. Where I have never eaten, because it does not really cater to my type (old geezer), and there would be a skeevy feel to going into a snackery with teenagers snarfing down boba drinkies, squealing, and sucking up some curry fish balls. What with being old enough to be their creepy older uncle. Not so much ah sook (啊叔) as sey lo kwai (死老鬼).

Besides, I've never been overly fond of chicken feet (鳳爪 'fung jaau'). They're not one of my family's favourite foods. We've never sat down to a scrumptious feast of 家式香蒜無骨鳳爪 ('gaa sik heung suen mou gwat fung jaau'; family style boneless garlicky "phoenix" claws). Good for you, lots of collagen, make you clear complexion!
Something is missing in my upbringing.

But I can't put my claw on it.

Mm, sorry!


Lunch today was pork purses (豬肉燒賣 'jü yiuk siu mai') and turnip cake (蘿蔔糕 'lo paak gou'). With sambal and a drizzle of soy sauce, very delicious. Eaten while watching white tourists getting mounds of fried rice, fried noodles, and fried meat and vegetable buns (生煎菜肉包 'saang jin choi yiuk baau'). Which last are very good there, and I thought of getting those myself. But there was only one of me and that would have been too much.

My lunch, unfortunately, is never with another person. I sometimes imagine what it would be like to have eaties with a young lady significantly younger than myself, quite imaginary, who has a keen appetite and no weird food hang ups. Someone who wields her chopsticks with gusto and verve. Seriously into good things to eat.

Given that I am tongue-tied when not being sarcastic or caustic, and have no clue how to go about inviting another person, even if there was one on the horizon, I don't pursue the matter.


My friend the bookseller has, to the best of my knowledge, not pursued the same or similar matters. Given that he is erudite, witty, and a decent man to boot, as well as a good cook, he probably should. Also, he's okay with vegetarians and tattood women, so I'm surprised that no one has tried to set him up yet. Don't look at me.


"Miss, may I offer you some garlic sauced boneless chicken wings? They're my family's prized recipe, passed down for generations!
It's good for the complexion!"


The karaoke dive was filled with bikers, the primary bail-out was on the point of closing. We ended up further down at the back-up bail out. Some seriously good movies on the teevee. Surprising.

One of these days I might just have to develop a family recipe for chicken feet. I am thinking ketjap manis, dash vinegar, rice wine, and sesame oil. Garnished with lightly gilded garlic, a little slivered ginger, and chopped scallion after cooking.



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