Posts Tagged ‘Char Siu Pork’
Coffee Cups 480 and 481
Posted by Lloyd Y. Asato | Filed under Poetics of Peet's
On one of my business trips, I found myself in the middle of Michigan being treated to dinner by the factory’s business manager. He took me to the fanciest restaurant in town – a local boy who used to chef at the White House. He urges me to try their house specialty, a one pound roasted pork chop. He reserves a couple when he calls in our reservations.
The place is very nice. The staff is friendly and competent. A very port wine and cigars kind of place. The pork chop arrives. It smells wonderful, there is a light (honey?) glaze. An asian barbeque sauce explains the waiter. It is served with a peas and peanut salad. 480.
I slice into it. This looks familiar. Oh no!
Plated in front of me is one pound of char siu pork. This will make no sense to you if you grew up in a city without a Chinatown. 481.
Win a Pound of Peets from Presh
Coffee Cups 482 and 483
Posted by Lloyd Y. Asato | Filed under Poetics of Peet's
Buddy Nick asks a question. What is the big deal with char siu pork?
Char siu pork is a Chinese barbecue pork. Growing up I usually only ate it as a garnish. A slice or two in soup. Maybe diced in pork fried rice. Never really ate it as a meat course. So seeing a pound of it served up in front of me was quite a shock. Especially since this was the local delicacy that I was expected to devour and praise. It was like getting a bowl parsley as a salad.
However, I am a professional. I ate the damn thing, got the contract, and made the company a lot of money. 482.
Tomorrow, I head to the desert after a stop in Hell-A.