Those of us called to teach are anything but stereotypes. We teachers are all strong, independent, free-thinking and unique in our approach to life; and the fact that we can be easily categorised, branded, classified, catalogued and labelled not only by our energy-levels during the time of year (or day), but even by the subjects we teach (and even the clothes said subjects lead us to wear) is purely incidental.
So, I share this anecdote without meaning any typecasting for my profession; it was while watching a stupendous school musical based on a movie I had last seen as a bright-eyed teenager; Bring It On; that I avoided every pigeonhole of a teacher of literature; indeed, it was only on an off-random-seeing-chance that my thoughts turned to Macbeth. And once my mind started, Shakespeare was everywhere on stage; vaulting ambition, betrayal of friends and kin, guilt and the quest for redemption, even quotes directly from the mouth of Macbeth!
These reflections were still on my mind on a subsequent stroll through that great bastion of street food outside Dream Square; a place teeming with the denizens of the best, and the worst, of Chinese food. My ruminations continued as my mind interconnected to my love for the classroom; and so began to flow the thoughts on how the infinite variety of street food can be so easily linked to the genres of the great books of literature.
So where does one begin with a librarial comparison of street food and literature? Of course with:
The Classics
Dare I say that it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man or woman in possession of a good taste for Chinese fortune, must be in want of some Dumplings (Xiao Hun Tun). The archetypal street food; always available, always varied, always delicious, always what you expect.
One cannot go wrong; indeed, a taste of the classics sets one up for a life of cultural capital, and lays a foundation for the world of:
Fantasy
As one saunters along the Road that goes ever on and on, the world of Fantasy, particularly for this South African, comes to life. Oysters! Fresh and fried oysters (sheng hao) being served to heart’s desire. Oysters that are not stinking of decay; oysters awaiting a grilling or just a slurp; oysters that do not make you sick. Growing up on the dusty Highveld, this was nothing short of legend come to life. Tasting here, savouring while standing with loved ones, one can again agree that if more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.
And so, from this fantastical experience, the cry of the heart can be heard through:
Poetry
Mildly Meandering along the meadows of monolithic concrete mortar, the painted paradise of slowroastedl amb stuffed in a delicious pocket bun (rou jia mo) emerges. Let this author take a moment to compare this Lamb to a flawless Summer’s day; the sight; the smell; the taste; the perfection. Indeed, it may be that all animals are equal, but some animals taste far far far better than others. Lamb roasted with fresh bread; that stops all things from falling apart!
And yet, as the journey continues, other shops offer more terrifying fare; indeed it is a:
Mystery & Thriller
As we beat on through the current of people and smells and sounds, there is always a stand that seems to bear us back ceaselessly into the past: the stand selling the unidentifiable meat that looks so tasty and yet is a mystery as to its origins, and eating it is indeed an adventure of thrills. Echoing thousands of years of street food, (I have no doubt) there has always been a section in all street markets that look innocuous and yet the cut, the quality and the type of food being offered may be amazing or may be a bite that repeatedly haunts your nights. Never worry, though, as even the darkest night will end, and the sun will rise, and the type of meat will still remain a mystery.
This does lead one to walk quicker to the paradoxically safer haven of:
Science Fiction
If pearls of oysters do not pause your stroll, you may find yourself pondering the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything; can anything rival America?!? Well, rather, can anything rival the great American hamburger. And the answer is cheaper than ¥42; the so-named-Chinese-hamburger (ta si ting). Soft, fresh sesame seed buns; a proper meat patty freshly minced, butter and sauces; cheese and bacon. Yes, I can take a bite and imagine a world where tariffs do not matter, for the Chinese know how to make a burger!
Nevertheless, a smell wafts over to remind you that the world’s problems can combine with your food and produce a monstrosity of:
Horror
For no great library of food can be collected without Horror making its scares; indeed, one should abandon all hope, you who buy food from here. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the food most likely to seductively terrify you from afar as its stench catches you, and yet entice you with the thrill of the taste; stinky doufu (chou dou fu). It really is in the name; it continues to waft as one bites down, the words float up through the smell; a clear call that one can hear this monster growl: “Beware; for I am fearless, and therefore powerful”.
Escaping from the horror though, does offer light, does offer hope, does offer love: as one can conclude with some:
Romance
For at the end of every great dinner, dessert awaits. The time and sparkle of romance; a strawberry’s natural sweetness, made sweeter. An excess of sugar added to everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is true dessert. The candied strawberry (tang hu lu); by any other name would taste as sickly sweet. And every bite is like a doomed romance; the sweetness piles and piles and reminds one that there is such a thing as eating too much.
Walking home after experiencing street food is a reminder that the mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for. And being able to experience the taste of life, the vitality of food, the joy of laughter with loved ones; these surely rank highly. It is no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then; every street food snack adds to the making of who I can become. For indeed there are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind in our past and minds.
Street food is thus not just sustenance; it’s a living library of experience, laughter, and life itself. And ultimately love; for I, I tasted the food less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.
