While in Chinatown in Los Angeles with Andrew and Lauren we came across some canned shark fin soup that looked intriguing. This canned soup was within sight of many actual dried shark fins resting on shelves and hanging on the walls, most of which were quite expensive. In Chinese culture, shark fin soup was served for special occasions, such as weddings. However, with the increase in the Chinese middle class and the consumption of the soup, it has been partially responsible for the decline in worldwide shark populations. Raw shark fins, from any of a number of species of sharks, are processed by removing the skin, then trimming them to shape, and then drying them. The shark fin has little flavor of its own, but has an ability to absorb flavors from other soup ingredients.
The best thing about the soup was the can. The shark fins on the can mimicked the actual shark fins we could see on the walls.
There is nothing appealing or apparently appetizing about them.
The ingredients of the soup are water, crab meat, shark's fin, corn starch, onion, palm oil, salt ginger and m.s.g. The corn starch stands out, as do little brown floaties in the gelatinous broth. I'm not sure if the floaties were crab or shark fin, or both. The texture and taste are best compared to bird's nest soup or egg drop soup. It was a nice treat on a cold, rainy day.
Wow. I'm not sure that could look any less appetizing. I'm going to go ahead and take your word for it when you say it was edible.
ReplyDeleteI showed your comment and the picture of the soup to my paralegal and she basically seconded your opinion with the comment that she's "seen vomit that looked like that." It really wasn't bad. Bob
ReplyDeleteHahahahahahaha, your paralegal's comment was awesome!!!
ReplyDeleteI love Shark fin soup but... is the one shown in the picture really soup?
ReplyDeleteAlso, Bird nest soup is tasty and healthy! I would buy bottles of bird nest soup like this as it is healthy and convenient:
hongkong-bird-nest.50webs.com
Congrats! You've just contributed to a worldwide environmental and ecological holocaust! You supported them by purchasing their product!!! Yay for you!!
ReplyDeleteI've also been driving a car which uses fossil fuels and pollutes the air, I've had children which are consuming earth's resources, I have been eating beef, pork, chicken and other animal products which take more energy to produce than they provide, and I'm using the internet and my computer which uses vast amounts of energy which is polluting the earth. Now, by golly, my one can of shark fin soup has put me over the edge, and I want to slit my wrists. Thank you for your insightful comment. Perhaps you could better spend your time getting them to change the laws so that shark fin soup is not legal to sell or purchase.
DeleteMy Dearest Bobert,
ReplyDeleteYou are a very intuitive individual! I am currently working on a law to outlaw the importation of shark fin soup, would you like to join me? I too eat beef, chicken and pork. I raise them on my farm. My farm is 100% self sustaining, we use solar and hydro power from our creek. I don't own a fossil fuel car. My car runs on purified water from our creek. We simply split the hydrogen and oxygen molecule and run the vehicle on hydrogen. That giving off the main by product of, yes, you guessed it Bob, oxygen! So go ahead and keep crappy all over the earth, I'll go ahead and do all i can to save it for YOUR children.
Mr. A, very impressive. Working on laws to protect sharks, raising animals on your own farm, using alternative fuels in your vehicle, and saving the earth for my children. I think I've been learning about you in Sunday School. I didn't think this was the way you communicated, but I've learned something today. Thank you.
DeleteI'm a 6'th grade student and I personally would condone the consumption of shark fin soup. What I read is dreadful- that even the educated society doesn't take time to think about what they're eating, only the taste. I hope your children separate themselves from your example. You are a disgrace to humanity. Read this and feel guilty. Or not. After all, it's your problem. Not mine.
ReplyDelete