Distinctive Tastes

We ordered takeout from China Gourmet last week, and I was looking for something spicy and savory that had no relation to turkey, potatoes, or winter squash, so I ordered the shredded pork with black bean sauce -- and wow, it was just the thing to completely reboot my palate. It was tangy, sharp, and completely memorable (was it just umami? or something more?). I had only ever read about fermented black beans in More Home Cooking by the wonderful and much-misssed Laurie Colwin. She says,

"I have not been without fermented black beans since I first encountered them years ago in a dish of shrimp in black bean sauce. These are pungent little beans preserved in salt and ginger. ...They are heavenly in vegetable pastas: Chopped up cauliflower or broccoli sauteed in olive oil and garlic and sprinkled with some fermented black beans on top of linguine is fast, easy, and totally delicious. This basic method works well with any kind of vegetable, including eggplant, which has a deep affinity with pasta. You can use them as an interesting substitute for capers and sprinkle them on top of foccacia or homemade pizza."

I'm still not sure I actually liked eating fermented black beans. But tasting something new and distinctive can be exhilarating, and I think I want another hit. It's not hard to understand why Anthony Bourdain or even a sensationalist like Andrew Zimmern have devoted careers to seeking out new flavors and textures that fall outside of what most eaters, even many chefs, have encountered. I can't say I'd care to bother with rooster balls or giant flying ants, but on an adventurous eating scale I'm probably about a 7 or 8 --limited less by prejudices; more so by resources and opportunity. Most of us can't drop everything to jet off to Uganda...or even Southern California.

Meanwhile, cauliflower and fermented black bean linguine, cooked and served right here in Western Mass, might be just the thing.