The first time someone ordered roast squab at a Chinese banquet, I was confused. It looked like a tiny roasted chicken. Maybe a pigeon? I wasn’t sure. I’d never had squab before. Honestly, I didn’t even know what squab was. Baby pigeon, apparently. That sounded… not great. But everyone at the table was excited. So …
The first time I saw tonkotsu ramen, I thought the bowl was broken. The broth was white. Like milk. Not the brown, clear ramen broth I was used to. I asked my friend if something was wrong with it. She laughed. “It’s tonkotsu,” she said. “Pork bone. They boil it for hours. Just try it.” …
The first time I saw a Mexican hot dog, I didn’t know where to start. I was walking through Mexico City, hungry, and saw a cart with a line. I got closer. The “hot dog” was wrapped in bacon. Then topped with beans, onions, jalapeños, mayo, mustard, ketchup, and about three different salsas. It was …
The first time I saw hong shao rou, I thought it looked like candy. The pork belly was dark, glossy, almost sticky. Cubes of melt-in-your-mouth fat clinging to tender meat. The sauce was thick and sweet-savory, coating everything like a caramel glaze. I’d never had anything like it. Western pork dishes are usually roasted or …
The first time I had shawarma in Russia, I didn’t know what to expect. I’d had it in the Middle East before — lots of herbs, pickles, tahini sauce. This was different. The meat was pork. Or sometimes chicken, but often pork. In a country with so many Muslims, that surprised me. But old habits, …
The first time I saw a pork chop bun, I wasn’t impressed. It looked like a bread roll with a piece of fried pork sticking out. That’s it? No lettuce, no tomato, no sauce? But my friend insisted. “Just try it,” she said. I took a bite. The bun was crusty on the outside, soft …
The first time I saw kotleta s pyure, I thought it was just a breaded patty with mashed potatoes on the side. Nothing fancy. Just meat and potatoes. Like something my mom would make on a busy weeknight. But one bite, and I got it. The cutlet was crispy on the outside, soft and juicy …
The first time someone ordered steak tartare, I thought they were crazy. Raw beef. A raw egg on top. Chopped pickles and onions on the side. It looked like something that belonged in a horror movie, not on a plate. I watched my friend mix it all together — the meat, the egg, the capers, …