"YOU'VE NEVER HAD OYSTER PO'BOY LIKE THIS" Oh it's Too-much-life Day. So lucky for you, you can be left alone with this salivating monstrosity without me breathing down your neck. Plus, you can't possibly need introduction to this? OK, well fine
"I SUPERNOVA-SIZED MYSELF FOR YOU. IF THIS IS NOT LOVE
"Tonight
I am sitting at my parent's dinning room table in Taiwan, clicking anxiously on my mother's laptop
Previously on Lady and Pups, the bloodthirsty 9-days marathon of recipe-massacre was mercifully ended by the heroic Jasmine green tea granita, thus temporarily closed the tormenting gap between culinary imagination and reality. But the narrative failed to mention the other type of food blog-limbo. One that's even more ill-hearted, ironic
Perhaps you have heard of this. Perhaps amidst that journey you've always wanted to take, physically or culinarily, you've left a little trail of footprints through this Southeast island distancing itself from China, sensed the disturbance in its waking yearnings to voice out. Chances are you weren't charmed by its political ambiguity or perhaps even curious but that's all right, because that's not what we truthfully know of either. What we know of is this, our last fair stance on independent nationality, what even brought you to take an impression on our not-much-ness, the last pride. This, Taiwanese street foods. You may be a small number, much smaller than the majority-others who sought fashion in more posh things like kimchi or banh mi, but that's all right, too. The word cult sounds rather fitting to any springing culinary movement that just found itself inheriting a semi-spokesman like Eddie Huang. In fact, pffff
We can at least all agree that it sucks to live under someone else's shadow right? It's a cruel life to carry if you know that you'll forever be on the edge of someone else's spotlight. Does anyone aspire to be Robin who always looks comparatively ridiculous in his spandex and at least one foot shorter than Batman? Whoever marries Prince Harry
UPDATES AVAILABLE: (sources for ingredients) I love and use so much chili oil (such as here) that I decided to forge my own. It is the basis of all things sichuan which - IF were also your thing and it better be - is totally worth it to make your own because it tastes so much BETTER than store-bought (which I often find very lacking in flavors). The preparation and cooking itself practically takes no time at all, and it keep FOREVER in your fridge. I promise that it will deliver the kick you've been looking for and guarantee to scorch and numb your face right off. You are welcome. It goes without saying that HIGH QUALITY ingredients is the key to flavors for this oil. Korean grocery stores usually carry pretty good chili flakes. Sichuan peppercorn (fresh for dried) can be a bit tricky to locate since, I heard, that it was banned for awhile in New York for its alleged "narcotic quality". When in doubt, I would check the Chinese medicine shops in China town. UPDATES 2013/2/20: sources for ingredients are added Another version of sichuan chili oil that I adore. Ingredients: 5 cups of canola, vegetable, or peanut oil First step: 1/2 large scallion or 2 small ones,