Hungry?

November 16, 2004

Oyaki: These simple buns, eaten in the Japanese Alps, are stuffed with any number of fillings: pumpkin, mountain vegetables, mushrooms, eggplant, nozawana (a leafy vegetable), azuki beans. And then they are roasted OVER A FIRE! As you know, almost anything cooked over open flames is delicious. You will be amazed at the flavor sensation created.

Rou song panini: Someone who actually speaks Chinese should correct my spelling --I'm referring to that shredded, dried, flavored Chinese pork stuff. It's kind of fluffy, a little sweet, and I used to down it by the handful as a kid. It would be great with some melting cheddar on a grilled sandwich. Try it at home, kids.

Laotian sushi: Laos is actually landlocked, but they harvest vegetables from the Mekong River --a kind of riverweed. The Lao genuises dry it flat so it looks like nori, but they add tomatoes and garlic and sesame that dry also and stick to the sheets. Usually it's served quick-fried crisp, but it would be a fabulous wrapper for hand rolls --salmon, advocado, and spicy tuna.

Cheese udon: I actually ate this in Tokyo --a bowl of hot noodles, in soup, with a couple fistfuls of grated mozzarella dropped in. A melting, gooey, delicious mess. Melted cheese is up there with fire-roasted in making anything taste fabuloso. Eating it's a two-handed affair, chopsticks and wooden spoon --and don't wear your nice white shirt.

Spring roll extravaganza: The translucent rice paper used in Vietnamese spring rolls is delicious wrapped around just about anything. (Try it if you don't believe me). Thus, a new restaurant concept! Patrons order up a plate of the fillings of their choice --Chinese roast pork, thai spiced shredded chicken, roast shrimp, braised tofu, Korean barbecue-- and wrap it themselves with herbs, rice noodles, and crisp veggies. A condiment buffet would be available, with lots of that delicious fish sauce.

Just be sure to mention me as your muse when you make it big.

PS: Details of the Abercrombie settlement are in: a cool 40 million bucks. link

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