Saving Fish from Drowning - Heal Burma

AMY TAN
But it was decided. “Nine votes yea, three votes nay,” Dwight an­
nounced. “Let’s raise another toast: To Burma!”
D INNER WA S SERVED, “A Taste of Winter Delicacies,” with dishes
I had sampled on a previous tour and selected as a sensual experi­
ence for the palate. Unfortunately, the restaurant owner made a few
substitutions, since I was not there to make any objections.
Wendy was the first to admit that the roadside eatery that after­
noon had been “kind of a mistake.” If only she knew how huge.
Nonetheless, I was greatly pleased to hear this admission come from
her lips. A chastened group was a more honest one. And they raved
about the fare I had chosen, or did until they encountered what the
cook called “surprises” he had thrown in for free.
One was a roasted root with a crunchiness that the chef claimed
the tourists would find as tasty and addictive as their American chips
and English crisps. The roasted roots, however, had the unappetizing
appearance of large fried larvae, also a regional favorite. But once
the travelers were persuaded to try one, they devoured the snappy lit­
tle appetizer with gusto, as they did a later dish, presented as the sec­
ond surprise, which also resembled larva, and was. Then came
another crunchy appetizer called “dragonfly,” which they took to be
poetic license and was not. “This one has more of a buttery flavor,”
Bennie said.
The third surprise was a spicy bean curd.
“I’ve eaten ma-po tofu all my life,” Marlena said. “But this one
tastes strange. I’m not quite sure I like it.”
“It’s almost lemony, and with a strong bite,” Harry said.
“I don’t care for it.” Vera pushed her portion off to the side.
“It’s not bad,” Dwight said. “Grows on you, actually.” He took
seconds.
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