FOOD!

I can officially say I have been eating like a king in South East Asia. My first week I was eating rice three times a day but have since cut back to eating just two servings a day. Please don’t think that it is the rice that has be being a chub, no, no, it’s the fact that this entire region is vegetarian heaven. It’s like the Promised Land…except instead of flowing rivers of abundant milk and honey there are endless restaurants/cars full of endless tofu and tempe. And the vegetables are delightful. Sure they have their cabbage and spinach and little corns and mushrooms but they also have the strangest looking bundles of tubers and legumes and other Earthly treats…I just smile and eat.

My favorite thing so far has been nasi goring (basic fried rice) although I enjoy it with tilur dan tempe (egg and tempe). And a shout out to all my Latino/a friends, I can officially hang with the “in” crowd at your next spicy food festival. We eat chili peppers like it is our job here…and by “eat” I mean nibble at the tips of the peppers and when I say “we” I mainly mean the fire-breathing Indonesian’s –my God they are tanks. Funny story though, I refuse to admit something is spicy or hot in the presence of Indonesian’s I am not really chummy with…like the office ladies, we keep it professional. I had something the other day at the office that easily ranks in the top 5 spicy things my tongue has ever come in contact with…and do you know what I did when asked if I thought it was spicy? I straight up lied – “no it’s not bad,” said my mind. Meanwhile, my esophagus was temporarily paralyzed, my sweat glands turned onto 40 meter dash mode and I began inwardly crying. Silly masculinity.

It is easy to conclude that I will not be losing any weight here. Rather, between the amazing meals (and cheap meals) and the selection of various Asian cuisine there is a strong chance this experience will turn me into a fatty boomba. Let’s hope that my active lifestyle and fast metabolism pull through me once again. But on a serious note, food and eating is a very cultural thing here. Restaurants are often family run and count on service and quality. I have adopted eating with fork in the left hand and spoon in the right and when need be, can eat an entire meal, including rice, with my fingers. Thus far, Jakarta has been very good to this food-fanatic.


P.S. They have breakfast pastries in Indonesia…and I found them. We have become very good friends.