The Usual Suspects

A few weeks ago, I went to our lame version of Chinatown for some noodles during lunch, and to pick up some Chinese supplies.

As I was working my way through the store, I thought:

• This is Caucasian shopping, but at a slight advantage. I can't read the labels, but I can tell if something is inherently dangerous.
• Man, I hope [that item I'm looking for] never changes it's labeling because I would be royally screwed if it was the same item, but in a new package I wouldn't recognize.

And here are some of the ingredients.

First, the all important "Oyster Sauce". Next to MSG (Accent), it is the key ingredient in Chinese cooking (whether health nuts want to admit it. Admit it, you need MSG for good Chinese food!)


There are other oyster sauces, but the is the grand daddy of them all, the one made by Lee Kum Kee - the INVENTOR of oyster sauce.

A friend of mine, white guy would could drink this stuff straight from the bottle if that were allowed, once discussed (drunkenly after several glasses of wine at a dinner party) that the bottle with the "Boy and the Girl in the Boat" was THE BEST!

And yeah, it is the most expensive of the various types out there, but it is the best. It's also the secret finishing sauce for my steaks in Steakfest.

And this is the mystery BBQ sauce where I fretted that I would be royally screwed the day they decide to change the label. I mean, the only thing it says is "Barbecue Sauce" and that's it. It's the key ingredient in my Pepper Steak. (it's the pepper part and oyster sauce is it's partner)


You need dark and "lite" soy sauce for Steakfest steaks. Gotta be very careful not to buy the mushroom flavored (funky) dark soy sauce though.

And then, the shredded Pork Sung. It's hard to describe this. It's....ummm, the equivalent of dried, shredded port jerky. I finished the last batch that I had that...seriously I think I bought over 12 years ago. I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a very bad thing that food can sit in my pantry for 12 years and not go bad. It's one of those childhood things you learn to eat and not think anything about it.

Wifey thinks it's disgusting. But Wifey, married to an Asian with two Asian kids, isn't the most open minded of people.