John Hellum March 2009
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Flying with the Flock
When spring weather becomes reliable, and I see flocks of geese returning, my mind turns to barbequed duck! Don’t ask…I really don’t know anymore, or bother to analyze it….I just follow its course, like the geese and let it take me where it wants.
The sudden inspiration usually took me to a tiny jewel of Vietnamese cuisine, The king’s Chopstick, run by Cathy Trahn. She is, I daresay, one of the best Asian cooks around, right up there with those who bring a wealth of talent and skill delivering their mosaic of foods to us.
With a solid tasty Vietnamese menu of all the dishes we have come to expect, comes her extra special love and care in preparation. Everyone smiles in that place because she does.
This is where the duck comes in…. my reason for being there, after ordering it, my anticipation grew with every glance toward the kitchen, hoping mine would be the dish en route.
Patience, John, patience. Patience indeed! The nerve endings of my five senses were being teased by each dish that passed my table. Time after time they would take steaming platters of crisp fried noodles topped with meat, fish or vegetables, or, sizzling hot pots; heaping rice dishes’ and large bowls of pho- that redolent Vietnamese soup. Ginger, garlic, curry with basil leaves and freshly squeezed lime aromas hit and saturated into the nerve endings…. add to that the tantalizing, elusive scent of Chinese five spice wafting from the kitchen, from the duck that would soon be mine!
I could hardly stand it much longer. I would order a spring roll to take the edge off my crazed state, when Trahn herself stood smiling in the doorway with a large plate of steaming, glistening, golden caramelized duck over rice. The world suddenly stood still, I on longer heard the buzz and hum of the other diners, “Enjoy. Good appetite”, she said. I nodded vaguely, oh, the aroma! I swear I can think of nothing as all consuming, exotic, or soul-stirring as five spiced barbequed duck. With chopsticks in hand, I reach for the first succulent piece. The meat juices flowed and the spices danced across my palate, touching and tantalizing ever taste bud.
There was plum sauce to dip it in, getting a sweet, sour juxtaposition with the salty, spicy, pungent duck meat, or; a hot, garlicky, chili soya mixture for dipping – the duck was sublime with each bite.
I sat quietly as this tsunami of taste crashed over me… I had attained satori: there was nothing more: all needs were met: a profoundly enlightening experience. I hadn’t moved for five minutes, as I had become very introspective, savouring the glowing after-taste.
With this degree of reverence, I poured myself a cup of jasmine tea, and gave thanks to the kitchen Gods, and their earthly avatar, Cathy Trahn. I was blessed.