Hi Everyone,

I guess as a bit of a follow-up from one of our previous discussions,
I thought it would make a neat idea if people wouldn’t mind posting in
some incidents/situations/dilemmas they’ve had when it comes to
culinary topics. I’m sure folk out there have had some weird and wacky
experiences that would give others a bit of a chuckle (i.e. light-
hearted relief).

Anyways, since this was MY idea, I will again BE first cab off the
rank (pardon the pun heh). A few days ago, and only hours after
arriving in the thriving SE Asian capital of Bangkok (sometimes
referred to as the City of Angels and/or the Venice of the East) I was
quite famished and decided to go try out a nearby Som Tum dish that
was being feverishly served up at a street-side (pavement to you
Septic Tanks or Yanks food stall. After being asked how hot I would
like the dish, which I answered as Nit Noi (meaning ‘a little’ to all
you folk who CAN’T speak Thai!) I sat at my small plastic chair
dripping in sweat – from both the 90% humidity as well as the
anticipation for what was in store.

After approximately 3 to 4 minutes (maybe it was a little longer, I
lost track of time momentarily from all the excitement) the dish was
brought to my table….WOW, not only did the Som Tum smell absolutely
divine, it also looked extremely sexy. The shredded green papaya was
haphazardly heaped onto the plate in strange, almost phallic-like
formations. As the sweat increasingly fell from my sunburnt forehead,
my heart started to thump and the blood in the veins around my upper
loin regions pumped so hard that the throbbing became almost
unbearable.
I nervously surrendered to the temptation AND in the short amount of
time it took for the fork to move from the plate to my swollen and
cracked lips, I began a pulsating, metaphoric culinary journey on the
dirty yet seductive streets of Bangkok that even today, I am still
having difficulty in explaining.

Well folks, I am dying to hear some of YOUR experiences when it comes
to your extra-ordinary relationships with food. Please don’t hold
back, as I feel the environment we have here at rec.food.cooking is
one in which we should all feel comfortable enough TO express our
inner-most thoughts and desires.

Kind Regards,
Brian Anasta