续写:Eat, pray and love
Spices and Smiles: A Taste of China's Heartwarming Hot Pot
I've learned one thing during my so-far life: people are fickle, and so am I. I'm not denying the romance of me and my pizza, or any other delicious I've tried in Europe, but I thought it’s time to explore somewhere else after months of staying here, somewhere I was not familiar with, somewhere that could stimulate another level of flavour at my tongue tip. And the answer popped up immediately—China, mysterious but always lingering in my mind. And what to try in this country full of history and taste? “Hot pot”, said YouTube, Google. “Please try hot pot! I've been missing it for ages!” Begged my friend from Sichuan.
So there I was, with a sense of mission and uncertainty, in an unfamiliar hot pot restaurant. Curious like a child, my eyes wandered over every corner , trying to make some sense what was happening. Finally they settled on the center of the dining table when a waiter came over and placed a pot there. That must be the spicy hot pot I ordered! The pot was filled with solidified orange oil and spices, and a kettle of beige water, or soup, was poured into it. About one minute after the waiter turned the gas on, the block of oil began to melt into the churning water, dyeing it spicy red and orange. Before I realized it, a wisp of natural fragrance of oil and species was already teasing my nose. It was the moment that I knew I didn’t waste the time and energy consumed during the long dreary flight. (different senses)
I ordered rolled beef slices, meat ball, tofu, beef tripe, potato and lettuce. I also DIY my own dipping sauce with sesame sauce, chopped coriander and scallions, garlic, oil and, of course, chili sauce, which were surprisingly delicious mixed together—the salty sesame sauce neutralized part of chilli’s spiciness without overshadowing its dominant taste. As the soup was boiling with nonstop aroma, my stomach rumbled along. “I can’t wait one more second!” thought to myself. I picked up the long chopsticks and chose the tripe first, because it only needs seconds of dipping in the hot pot to be ready, according to my Sichuan friend. The tripe was springy when picked up, bouncing up and down as if waving at me. I followed his instruction and it soon was okay. After another round of dipping in the sauce, I without hesitation put it in my mouth. Oil and sauce dripping, a mix of the tender texture of fresh meat and rich sauce conquered me entirely——the tripe itself was chewy yet yielding, and bursting with flavour complemented with the sauce. Bravo! I almost exclaimed. Next I tried the beef slices. The slices were pinkish red, indicating their freshness. However, once immersed in the pot, the red gradually turned into another color ,suggesting they are cooked. I swiftly rescured them from boiling water, consoled them with a sauce bath and welcomed them in my mouth. They were as tender as the tripe, but less chewy. I could feel them melt on my tongue like a flavour bomb. Different from the stiff steak or grilled meat I've tried before, it was totally a brand new taste: a taste of sheer satisfaction, a taste of no regrets, a taste of heaven... However, the spiciness began to show off its power not long after I had the thought that I could handle it. It was like there were restless sprites running and jumping on my tongue, making me hiss and sweat. To be frank, I found it exciting and stimulating, maybe in some masochistic way. If the chili in Europe was charmingly elegant lady, then in Sichuan it’s a dangerous conman that you can’t help but recklessly fall for. Still I finished them all, with respect to those who invented hot pot and who recommended them to me. With every pick, every dip, every bite and every chew, my desire for more never waned. Instead, the more I had, the more I anticipated what surprise it would bring me. And indeed, it never failed me. (feataures and feelings)
Stomach full, I looked around to find every customer was enjoying the food with a big smile hanging on their faces. Families gathered and stacked food in each other’s bowl. Friends reunited and toasted a shot after a shot. Couples sat next to each other and memorized the time spent together... I all of a sudden came to realize the true spirit of hot pot—not only it's a joy at the tongue, but also a precious chance that you and your loved ones can cherish to create sweet memories. Focusing back on myself, I’ve been wandering around the world for almost a year. It indeed felt awesome throwing everything behind and doing whatever I want. But through this hot pot experience and witnessing the sweet scene in this hot pot restaurant, I contemplated, maybe after this trip in China, it's time to return home and have a meal this delicious with my family and friends. (significance)