Food post
I was in the supermarket today, trying to buy mayonnaise. I ended up not buying any, because I couldn't tell what was the difference between the various types of mayonnaise on the shelf.
"Real mayonnaise" -- as opposed to, what, fake mayonnaise? Or not-very-real mayonnaise?
"Western recipe mayonnaise" -- I wonder whether they sell 'Eastern recipe mayonnaise' in America and Europe...
"Whole egg mayonnaise" -- you mean some mayonnaise is actually made with half eggs??!?! *gasp*
"Salad mayonnaise, contemporary flavour" -- good to know it doesn't taste like 50's or 60's or 70's or 80's mayonnaise. Even the 90's probably isn't considered 'contemporary' anymore.
Talking about food... the Chinese have this concept about 'heaty' food and 'cooling' food. I bought durian two days ago, a fruit which is considered 'heaty', and then realised that I shouldn't be eating it because I'm having a sore throat, which is a 'heaty' ailment (so eating something that's also 'heaty' will supposedly make it worse).
Although I'm Chinese, I'm not very Chinese Chinese coz my family has never followed most of the Chinese traditions and beliefs... plus, with Dad being a medical doctor, I tend to place my trust in Western medicine and be sceptical about Chinese herbal or traditional remedies. (Although Dad once said to me that there must be something in those, otherwise all the Chinese would not have survived so well for so long and China would not have managed to become the most populous country in the world!)
Not to mention that most Chinese herbal remedies tend to be very bitter, in my experience, so I would rather spurn them and swallow pills instead. Even though I don't particularly like swallowing pills, at least it's quick and painless.
Well, my friends & I happened to be walking past a Chinese medicine shop on the way to 7-11, where I planned to get lozenges for my four-week-old on-and-off sore throat. One of my friends said, "Hey, why don't you step in and ask whether they have anything that might help your sore throat?"
I was doubtful. "But I don't want anything bitter wor!"
"Just ask lah! You never know!"
So we walked in, and asked, and lo and behold, as the shop owner said, "We are advanced now. We have capsules. No longer need to boil and drink the bitter herbal remedies."
He gave me three batches of five capsules each, told me to take each batch every four hours, and guaranteed my sore throat would be gone by the next day.
Well, he was right. It wasn't sore anymore, but it was itchy and irritated, and had roped my nose into the act. Now I have a rough throat and stuffy nose. Brilliant.
But, to hell with it. I'm still gonna eat my durians!!!