After my brief stint in Nanjing, I boarded a plane to the Sichuan province. Sichuan is probably most famous for its spicy and flavorful dishes. Oh, and they have pandas – but more on that later. Anyone who has spent anytime with me realizes that I eat constantly and that requests to go get a meal are never turned down. During travel, this intake increases about ten fold, as I am curious about this new found foodstuffs [so much so, that Shu Lan once exclaimed while we vacationed in Japan, as I debated eating at a restaurant we had just come upon, ‘How can you be hungry?! We just left that one!’ as she pointed down the street]. Story in short – I like to eat.
I felt prepared for the heat of Sichuan. Those who have met my father know that I have been exposed to dishes that ignite the palate, burn hairs off nostrils, and erupt rivers of tears which seem never to end. However, the local ‘hot’ and ‘spicy’ cuisine was a pleasant surprise. While many ETAs shied away from pepper filled dishes, aromatic masterpieces, for fear of intestinal damage, I and another dived in head first. ‘Spicy’ doesn’t seem to fully explain the flavor. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when I choked on burning, waved my mouth for the hope that a little extra air flow might lax the pain – but these dishes weren’t the norm. Each dish was simply jam packed with flavors, juices, and plain happiness. One spice turns your tongue into an orchestra of tingling, for which the only cure is eating more food. As your lips lose feeling and your nasal passages clear, you realize that you are dining pieces of heaven.
Another piece of Sichuan [and indeed Chinese at large] cuisine is the ‘hot pot.’ Sadly, this eating style has not reached its worthy popularity in the West – save from various fondues. The long and short – you have a pot of near boiling liquid, raw meats, veggies, and a lot of people. You drop food in, you wait and talk, and then you eat. Repeat until you are all so stuffed you can’t move. Simple idea but tons of fun – but you’ll have get over the fact that you have raw fish and meats on the table. I had hot pot before I came to Asia and Hong Kong has hot pot places galore- but Sichuan puts on its necessary spin. The broth, a blood red from peppers and spice, is delightful. Meats and vegetables come out with a smoky happiness and the boiling broth fills the room with heavy steamy joy. However, the pot is full of its own danger. Through the result of a few beers and the conversational nature of hot pot, several mushroom caps had sat the fiery liquid for far too long. Hunger eventually returned [every time you say that you are finished eating in a hot pot, you actually are not until you are out the door.]. Blowing and cooling the piece, I placed it in my mouth. Let me tell you now – mushrooms soak up flavors like you wouldn’t believe. Delicious and painful!
Indeed, returning to normal dishes is met with a mild sadness. Hong Kong food, though still wonderful, is bland and tepid. I even sought out a local Sichuan place with friends last weekend, a meager effort to capture the adventure. The spice ventured more toward ‘hot’ and ‘painful’ than the joyous tingle and numbness – but the result was exactly what was needed – returning the thoughts of delicious cuisine. I can’t wait to get some more Sichuan food into my system.
