Friday, January 2, 2009
FOOD FOOD FOOD
Taiwan is one of the few places I know of where it is cheaper to eat out than it is to go grocery shopping and buy your own food. For example, yesterday I ate this ramen noodle dish that I bought at the store. Now before you go asking yourselves how desperate I must be, allow me to explain. Derrick, who lived here for 2 years was shopping with me when I bought it and highly recommended the ramen. Its like american ramen on steroids. The one I bought was extra spicy and came with little beef and vegetable chunks. Plus, the noodles are much thicker than their american counterparts. Needless to say, this ramen was not your typical college-student-too-poor-to-buy-anything-decent ramen. It cost me $50NT, which equates to approximately $1.50. Then, add the bread and cheese I used to supplement the meal which was not enough to sustain me and I probably spent about $70NT. The same night I went to a fancy Thai restaurant in the shopping center and got a huge plate of chicken chili basil rice and a coconut mango milk dessert for $130 NT. Ok, so I said it was cheaper....well it CAN be. This restaurant was a little more fancy than others and I will ALWAYS pay a little extra for good Thai food! But, the night previous, I ate pregnant breaded fish, marinated fish, squid and tons of vegetables for $70NT---the exact price of my ramen lunch. Now, whether I am consciously or subconsciously playing with the numbers to justify eating out everyday is not the question. Come on, what would you do if your employer gave you $100NT everyday to spend on food? Meals for 2 american dollars that taste just as good as any 15 dollar a plate restaurant...This place rocks!! The question is...chicken kidney or congealed pig's blood? Can you guess which one I've already eaten?
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Hmm. I hope that you've eaten the chicken kidney and not the congealed pig's blood because I recently heard on the news that Pig HIV is going around like crazy. In my opinion, the blood of a boar is much tastier than than the kidney of a cock, but I wouldn't want you to contract an pig STD in the first few days of being in Thai wand.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you just love all sorts of foods huh. In your first post you spoke of impregnated salmon like some sort of gods, then shortly thereafter had hallucinations of ice cream trucks that were actually nothing but some sort of last week's garbage(vincent has certainly rubbed off on me in these last few weeks) trucks. But I so happy that you fill up you empty tank with china ramen! Kaylee brought home a cup-o-noodle type thing from china and cooked it two days ago. It smelled of severe tire damage, but I'm glad your experience was muy anastasia.
America gets jipped cuz a measly cheesbooger from Wendys is $1. In Tawan that gets you a 7 course meal. I go to the supermarket for lunch to save money and you go if you're feeling like passing out hundred dollar bills and it thrills and it chills.
Well it make me happy that you wove china wif all your heart.
Con mucho amore/ Landon W. Hess VP. Toys R Us
P.S. It's really late(11:46) and I'm writing this. Gosh I'm nice............lol not. K bi.
Your Taywanneese girlfriends are so funny. If I ever want to giggle I'll just take a looksie at that picture. Mainly the one with the tiger. HAHAHAHAHAHA!
ReplyDeleteDanger!!
ReplyDeleteMy guess would be that you've eaten the chicken kidney... well, at least I hope that's what you've eaten. I, like Wade, am slightly disturbed by the thought of you eating/drinking (which one would it be?) congealed pigs blood!!
Dane,I lived off that ramen stuff in China. I walked to a shop every day to buy some. Like Wade said, I brought some home and made it the other day... For some reason it tasted a lot better in China. Possibly beacause I felt sorta like you sound--starved!! Well I hope you get enough food in your belly to satisfy your brain so you can teach Engris. 1, 2, 3, NO CHINESE!!
Love MEI MEI
Well, sorry to disappoint you or gross you out rather, but it was the congealed pig's blood! I wanted this hot and sour soup at a restaurant, but I noticed that it had the blood as one of the ingredients. "How bad could it be?" I asked. Not bad at all...in fact i would dare say that it was good. I am definitely not starving, though. I find the food here very tasty...i just hardly ever know what it is...isn't that great?
ReplyDeleteCongealed eh? How do they congeal it? Maybe they just fed that pig a ton o' cholesterol so that its blood thickened up by itself? Maybe they throw strawberry jello in there?
ReplyDeleteNext question, can you can congealed pig's blood?
Dane, I'll be honest, I am a little grossed out that it was the blood. I have no idea how you can keep all those foods down. On Saturday night I drank some V8 juice, then ate a bunch of Party Peanuts(sugar coated peanuts) at Kapri's house. The next morning I was feeling a little ill and i could still taste the peanuts. I went to drink some Pepto Bismal, and on the second swallow I gagged, then on the second gag I barffed. So what I'm trying to get at is that you must have a stomach of steel because you not only kept the blood from blowing out in congealed chunks, but enjoyed it. And I can't even stomach V8 juice, peanuts, and Pepto Bismal. May your food experiences continue to be palate pleasing. Love ya bye!
ReplyDeleteDear Dane,
ReplyDeleteI think this may work this time. So you gave Wade a tour of your surroundings today? It's amazing what modern technology can do. What great inventions are you going to see in your life time? Are you really eating all of that gross stuff or are you just trying to get me to come and get you, bring you home, and fix you a nice, safe home cooked meal??? I would starve to death before I'd eat pigs blood or pregnant fish. So have you taken in any sights yet? Or have you been too busy learning the ropes of the new job? Give us a run down of what you schedule is like. It certainly has been quiet around here since all of you kids left. On Sunday after dinner the four of us just sat there staring at one another. I guess we will get used to it, but us old folks are just not as fun for Wade and Hayden to have around as you older siblings. I'm finally getting out the Christmas cards tonight. Thanks again for your excellent writing skills. You take care Dane. We love you, Mom
That's too bad that you barfed, bro! i don't think you would last very long here...some of the girls won't walk certain places because the food smells so badly to them. I went to a temple today with Molly. We rode our bikes into the surrounding hills. It was awesome, but most of my time so far has been spent preparing and teaching lessons. I am, however, going hiking with one of the secretaries on friday morning!!!
ReplyDeleteOne question about the secretary....Is she hot?
ReplyDelete