5 Things to Eat Before You Die
Indah tagged me for this meme and I am more than glad to participate. It was very, very difficult to choose only 5 things to eat before you die but I think I made a pretty truthful list.
1. Dim Sum
Dim sum means "a little bit of heart". A proper dim sum is made up of many, many Chinese dishes, usually served in small portions. Some famous examples are sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves, black bean spare ribs, roasted BBQ pork, shrimp dumplings, chicken feet, crab dumplings and much more. Often there are over 50 dishes to choose from. I have loved dim sum since I was a little kid (although it was hard to find on Guam) and have traveled far and wide to sample all the different varieties (Vancouver, B.C., Chicago, New York, Hong Kong, San Fran, Seattle, London and one of the best, Richmond, B.C. (labeled the new "Hong Kong" by my aunt and uncle.) Being Cantonese, I have my favorites but have no idea what they are called in English. When I see the steaming carts roll by my table, I just point and eat!
2. Sushi and sashimi
When I first watched the movie "Cast Away" with Tom Hanks and saw him catching fish with a spear, I thought, "I've gone spear fishing." When he bit into the fish he had caught, I thought "Yuck, that looks terrible." Then I remembered that I love raw fish. Most of the time they are sliced thinly and accompanied by rice, wasabi and soy sauce but I love raw fish nevertheless and the fresher the better. I have to admit though that the only sushi or sashimi I cannot stomach are natto, uni and ikura. I have tried them repeatedly and still, they have no appeal whatsoever.
3. Porcini Mushrooms
I must say that I love these mushrooms above all others. They have a distinctive meaty taste that is much more recognizable than crimini, oyster, chanterelle, shitake and portobellos. Again I must admit I do not have much experience with morels which I hear are also fantastic. I can honestly say that I do not think I could live without porcinis as in my humble opinion they are tastier than even the famed white truffle from Alba.
4. Pho
The world famous Vietnamese Noodle Soup can be bought for 55 US cents in Vietnam and about $5.95 a bowl at my dad's and step-mom's restaurant but the taste and the aromas just can't be beat. Imagine cinnamon, anise, cloves (sometimes), ginger, onion, Thai basil, green onions, cilantro, and my favorite sawtooth herb, all mingled together into a fragrant and intoxicating soup. If I say this soup on a menu in Torino, I think I would cry.
5. I am going to cheat on this last one and list several fruits that I just could not live without and think that everyone must try at least once in their lifetimes.
a. fresh lychees-Nothing beats a fresh, plump, juicy lychee. The flesh is white and succulent with a light, crisp and very juicy taste. Lychees are often an aroma in fine white wines such as Rieslings.
b. a pomegranate-This is a fruit of myths and legends. Thousands of years old, they are a common subject in Roman mosaics with delicious, sweet and succulent seeds.
c. a Philippine mango-Probably the most luscious, creamy and delicious mango variety of them all.
d. jackfruit or jakfruit-A giant amoung the fruit world, the heady and pungent yet sweet taste and aroma are so prized that back on Guam it is not uncommon to see dogs chained to the tree trunks of jackfruit trees to prevent thievery.
e. alpine strawberries -my first taste was in Rome and these little gems are so jam packed with strawberry flavor that a normal berry doesn't hold a candle to them.
See more great lists here.
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