5 STAR MEALS

Food. Everybody loves to eat and people here are no different. What makes a feast? Well, that kind of depends on whose table you are sitting around. We have eaten some very "interesting" items since being here.

A Bulang farmer considers anything that he has grown, anything that grows or anything that he can catch on his land as a great feast. He is a true opportunistic forager when it comes to eating. Our bamboo rat meal was a prime example. That poor creature was not too much to look at, and once cooked was tougher than shoe leather, but the farmer thought it was a rare treat. Since we eat at his house often, I'm glad that the poor rat's relatives have been spared his ignoble end.

Sour ants are another delicacy in our parts. It seems that these ants build nests in the leaves of certain shrubs and are highly prized as true treats. A girl who works in the cafe received a large package from her mother which had about half of a bushel in volume of said sour ants. Dark brownish red in appearance and about the size of the red ants that you see on the sidewalk, these ants had the taste of really sour candy. Texture wise it was like eating very finely smashed chips. All of those legs and antennae were crunchy, sour, and slightly bitter. When they were blended with some la jiao (very hot spicy peppers) I thought they were not too bad. All of the workers in the cafe were surprised that I would even try them so I gave the ants a big thumbs up. Yep, I would eat more if they were around.

Hot Pot is a real delicacy in Si Chuan province. Since my language teacher is from there, she is a real expert in preparing that dish. Judy and I recently ate at her house, and enjoyed a truly excellent meal. The hot pot was divided into two sections. She made one side spicy for her and me and the other side more mild for her husband and Judy. There were vegetables and meat in the pot all simmering at the table. We had pork and chicken and lots of different vegetables. More vegetables and meat were added to the pot as needed. This made for a lengthy meal and lots of conversation while we waited for everything to cook. What a nice evening.

Christmas dinner was a REAL TREAT! We ate at a real 5 star hotel in Chaning Mai, Thailand which put on a feast of something for everyone. There was turkey, chicken, pork, beef and lamb for meats. Several kinds of sushi, Asian dishes, pasta and noodle presentations were delightful. The dessert bar was indescribable! With a chocolate fountain as a centerpiece it had everything that a dessert starved westerner could hope for. Did I mention the real mashed potatoes and gravy? I was not "stuffed" after eating, but just pleasantly and wonderfully satisfied. That meal was a true memory.

So, from the humble Bulang farmer to the 5 star hotel, we have had some very interesting food here in our travels. Food means more that just survival and everyone enjoys the fun and fellowship of friends around their favorite dishes. We are hoping to sit and enjoy that same fun and fellowship with you when we get back.