The Dangers of Street Food: Cardboard Pork Rolls Discovered in Beijing

by Neil Woodburn on

We have all commented, at one time or another, that a particularly bad pizza we might have ordered tastes like cardboard.

This is always an exaggeration, of course. But if you’ve ever been to China, there is a good chance that you might actually be speaking the truth.

Authorities in Beijing recently arrested “bakers” who were making a popular roll-baozi-out of cardboard.

An undercover TV crew infiltrated the bakery where a worker explained how ordinary cardboard was soaked in caustic soda and then chopped up with a meat cleaver. Bits of fatty pork and seasonings were then folded into the mixture before the rolls were steamed and sent out to the Beijing marketplace. Before being arrested, the baker mentioned to the undercover reporter that 60% of the roll was reprocessed cardboard. Mmmmm….

Normally, it is the meat I am suspicious about while eating on the street in China. I never imagined that the meat might actually be what it claims to be, but everything else isn’t.

Related:
Montezuma’s Revenge
Eatin’ Dog
Avoiding the Side Effects of Bad Street Food
Chinese Shish-ka-bobs

Photo of the Day (6/23/07)

by Adrienne Wilson on


File this one under: Mazatlan Food Porn.

This shot comes from my own gallery of Mexican goodies and was taken moments before satisfying my personal street food craving in Mazatlan. While fried bananas covered in condensed milk and caramel is hardly frightening, one can never tell what exotic belly dance type effect foreign food will have on the bowels while vacationing. I survived! Today’s self-promoting POTD also comes with a reminder to check out this gallery of Weird Things People Eat Around the World and this plug on avoiding side effects of bad street food.

Bon appetite!

Where On Earth (Week 11): Amsterdam

by Willy Volk on

There were lots of good guesses in this week’s Where on Earth, but only one person got it right: Richblackmon was correct in thinking that this fruit stall resides in Amsterdam. In fact, this image was captured near the Leidseplein, a popular square in the vibrant city.

In December 2000, I was traveling from Africa to the US for a month-long home leave. I hadn’t been since I’d left, in July 1998.

We decided to arrange a 3-day layover in Amsterdam in the middle of the return trip. Western enough to feel like home, but foreign enough to feel like I was “transitioning,” Amsterdam served as a brilliant stop-over. We visited the Van Gogh Museum. We toured Anne Frank’s House. We drank beer from those funny little glasses the Dutch serve beer in. But the thing that sticks out most in my mind was the fruit. Maybe it was because I had been living in rural Africa for 2.5 years, but the fruit sold in Amsterdam seemed to me the best in the world.

We ate strawberries the size of Roma tomatoes. The raspberries were the size of ping pong balls. The colors of the fruit were so vibrant, so dazzling, and so rich that I inspected each one carefully before devouring its sweet juiciness. We ate some traditional Dutch meals, but most of the time, we ate from street vendors and fruit stalls. It was amazing. And this picture perfectly captures that.

If you ever visit Amsterdam, be certain to buy some of the fruit and sample it. You’ll remember it forever.

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of May 27

by Adrienne Wilson on

The Take Five feature is one I have had a love hate relationship since the day we kicked it off here on Gadling. To go through each week and select ONLY five that should once more win your affection is a real tough duty. This week after reading through every post here I sort of covered my eyes and threw a dart at each one. Enjoy!

5. Avoiding the Side Effects of Bad Street Food:
If only we could place anything and everything on our palates without dealing with what Neil calls the “nasties” later on… Sigh. Well according to Budget Travel you can have your cake and eat it too! Find out now or go later. Know what I mean?

4. BioToi: For Conveniently Pooping in the Woods:
Don’t like squatting in the woods with your rear in the wind? Here’s a handy piece of gear to place a little comfort for those bodily deeds done out in Mother Nature.

3. NYC Shoe Store Gets Its Own Zip Code:
For those who really love shoes place this one on your travel wish list. And I mean it is for those that REALLY love shoes.

2. Carrying Children:
I’ve never traveled with kids and the thought makes groan on the inside a bit, but this gallery on carrying children as you go makes it look like it can done and fun at the same time. Beautiful!

1. Talking Travel with Seal Press Founder Barbara Sjoholm:
Kelly sits down with the author of Incognito Street to talk about travel, of course, but an abundance of other great information is shared. Don’t miss your chance to win a copy of the book for your summer reading by the poolside.

Avoiding the Side Effects of Bad Street Food

by Neil Woodburn on

Posts about street food are some of our favorites here at Gadling. What says “travel” more than digging into some strange has-been animal roasting on a skewer in Asia? And for that matter, what says “travel” more than getting all pukey from eating this food.

Fortunately our friends over at Budget Travel have a few simple suggestions on how to enjoy the first without suffering through the second.

In fact, they go so far as to interview Tom Kime who was written Street Food: Exploring the World’s Most Authentic Tastes. Although mostly a cookbook (I gotta get my hands on that), Kime has enough experience researching the recipes on streets throughout the world, that he makes a fine expert on the best ways to avoid getting sick.

His rules are basic and simple and there are only five of them. Follow them, and your vacation should be free of the nasties!