Pandoraspace

Dearest Uncle G,

Recently, I re-read the children’s book by Dr. Seuss called Green Eggs and Ham and thought of my Indonesian food trip.  Have you read that book before?  Just in case you have not read it, it is about a persistent guy named Sam who tries to make his unnamed friend try green eggs and ham.  Throughout the entire story, Sam hounds the unnamed friend who, without trying the green eggs and ham, says that he does not like it.  To end Sam’s pestering, the unnamed friend  eventually tries green eggs and ham thinking he will not like it but ends up liking it instead.  I love this story because it sounds funny when read fast.  Try it. Read this excerpt from Green Eggs and Ham really fast -

“SAM:  Do you like green eggs and ham?

UNNAMED FRIEND:  I do not like them Sam-I-Am.  I do not like green eggs and ham?

SAM:  Would you like them here or there?

UNNAMED FRIEND:  I would not like them here or there.  I would not like them anywhere.  I do not like green eggs and ham.  I do not like them, Sam-I-am.”

Like Sam’s unnamed friend in the Green Eggs and Ham book, I was doubtful about some of the Indonesian food I encountered.  I wonder if you would be more adventurous than me.

I forgot to ask Danang what this was when I chanced upon it at the traditional market in Jogjakarta.  Monk thinks it is fried bats.  Whatever it is, I’ll passed on this roadside food.

I saw a young vendor selling such beautiful food in the path leading to Prambanan.  I was attracted by the predominantly green color of this display but I had my doubts about the brown sauce, brown balls and the stuffing of the things that looked like wontons.

This is fried fish sold in a warung (store) leading to Borobudur.  I’m not too fond of fish so I passed on this one too.

In Java, I saw snake fruit everywhere.  I saw it being sold in the market, grown on fields along the road to Kaliurang, Java and as part of the breakfast buffet at our hotel.  As snake fruit looks a little bit like a the very sour fruit called ratan, I refused to try it at first.  Then I took a tiny bite.  It was a bit sweet but had a distinct taste, which did not quite appeal to me.

I saw this sign in a resort in Bali.  I did not try the Indonesian variety of durian.  Durian is not a favorite of mine.  Personally, I think it tastes a bit like onions.  I do love durian candy because the sugar somehow masks the taste of onions.  A friend of mine said that if you eat a good amount of durian, you get some sort of high.  It is akin to the effect of wine - it gives you a buzz.  I have not eaten enough durian to experience this high.

So, what do you think?  Are you up to trying any of these food?

Love, Pandora

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 21st, 2009 at 12:08 am and is filed under My Indonesian Experience, Palate Pleasers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.