WRITING CULTURE 2012: Film, Food & Beyond

Bubble tea? When I first heard of bubble tea, I thought the name was describing some kind of tastes, for example bubble gum flavored tea. I had no idea what was in store. I was surprised by its looks because it wasn’t what I expected, it didn’t look cute or refreshing. I was afraid to try the bubble (tapioca) because I didn’t know how I would react to it.  Tapioca pearl has round shape that looks and tastes like pudding. This ball shape tapioca comes in various sizes and colors which actually made very intriguing. After trying it, I can never forget black milk bubble tea; all the flavors blended with tapioca pearl were delicious.

About six years ago, bubble tea became extremely popular and began to expand quickly. These days, you can find this beverage everywhere, near at mall, bookstore, fast food restaurant, or even your house.

My favorite place to go for bubble tea is near main street flushing. Near Macy’s they have a lot of bubble tea store, which are very affordable because of the competition nearby.

Most of the stores offers buy one get one free or discounted price for a student which makes me to want to buy more bubble teas.

Not only the price is affordable, but the quality of the bubble is good. Bubble makers are experts at making the tapioca. They understand or know how to make it at the right consistency.

The no grief  Kobe Beef Hamburger. credit: legambleur via flickr

The hamburger has  a bad reputation. On one hand it’s become the symbol of America’s addiction to fast food, bloated waistlines and cholesterol choked arteries.  And rightfully so, the hamburger is not exactly the healthiest food. Especially at “traditional fast-food” burger joiints likes Burger King, McDonalds and Wendys. But those aren’t the hamburgers we’re hear to discuss, because as far as I’m concerned they’re Franken-burgers. A scientifically engineered sandwich composed of cheap bits of cow, other animals, chemical fillers and injected with “flavor” for your dining pleasure. Yuck!

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Unlike everyone, I do not have such a passion for food. To me food is one of the basic requirements that I have to take to survive. However, it does not necessarily mean that I hate food. I just do not have any fondness with food. I am pretty easy with any type of food as long as it is eatable and not sour. Thus, I was super confused on writing the food rant. So, I chose to write about the food that I often eat, Gyro. I think Gyro is a delicious platter, which is not only easy to get but also save my time on cooking. I think it is also a good combination of carbohydrate and protein, which fulfill my nutrition needs as well.

There are three types of Gyros: chicken over rice, lamb over rice, and the one I like to order is chicken and lamb over rice with extra white and hot sauce, without any onion in it. I usually buy Gyro from JacksonHeights, Queens. There are so many Gyro food carts on 74t and 75^th Street inJacksonHeights, and most of their customers are working people and students. The lifestyle and working environment inNew York are making people depend more and more on eating meals outside of their house while on the way to work and school. Likewise, I am dependent on this type of food so much because I do not have enough time to make food at home after juggling with school and work. Also, I just do not like to waste my time on cooking.

Despised by children and often adults, they are gratuitously given a small spot on the dinner plate. They are often boiled beyond recognition or drowned in butter or unnecessary fatty sauces.   Vegetables are simply the best. They are my favorite food and deserve to be in the center of every plate.

Hot, cold, raw, steamed or juiced, the flavors, textures, colors and varieties are endless. I try to eat as many different vegetables as possible, not only are they delicious and low in fat and calories, but they also are the most nutrient dense foods you can eat.  I love watching them grow from the ground and change colors as they ripen, and there is no way I can resist a farmers market.

Asparagus, arugula, brussels sprouts, collard greens, okra, radishes and spinach are just a few of my favorites. I’m amazed every time I find new varieties or new ways to eat them.  Whether they are in salads, entrees or soups I can’t get enough of them.

My girlfriend has now created a problem in the household. Now don’t get me wrong, its nothing that we can’t resolve but its a problem that usually happens every few weeks. That problem is my craving for Guyanese food, most notably Guyanese lo mein. First and foremost I had no idea any other culture did lo mein other than the Chinese so that fact alone had me curious to try it. My girlfriend told me it was the best and she was not lying. I went to a restaurant in queens called The Nest, its located on 125th street and 101st avenue. I ordered the 3 meat lo mein which contained chicken, beef and pork. Now with Chinese food I’m assuming bits of chicken, some pork here and there and pieces of beef. With the Guyanese lo mein they actually used chicken wings, seasoned them, cooked them and cut them up and put them in the lo mein. The pork as well, it was like they pulled the meet off a BBQ’d Rib(no, there was no BBQ sauce) and the beef was the same size you would normally find in beef and broccoli at a Chinese restaurant but it was a def a different cut.  It was like the type used in Beef stew but slices thinner. All I can say that it was soooo good and once it touched my lips I was hooked.

I sometimes go on lo meine binge but the sad part is that I have to drive to Queens to get it and since I live in Harlem that is definitely a trek for some food, guess that what addiction does to you.  So, in closing, if you ever want to try something different then you should try Guyanese lo mein because you have nothing to lose but everything to gain(no I did not mean for that to rhyme,lol)