1. Dried tangerine peel is one of the 4 important treasure items for Cantonese cooking. I was given by an elegant lady who used to stay in Bangkok in her golden era. She made it 15 years ago when she was back to HK and stored it in a sealed glass jar. I kept on treasuring it and in every winter, I will put these out for a warm sunny dry-up. I hope to continue this treasure for another 15 to 20 years. The longer you store it, the better and stronger aroma it would have as years go by. So until then I will give some of them to someone who enjoy cooking. When I first opened it, it was already very fragrant. The most important to pick up nice dried tangerine peel is on the color of both sides. Don't choose those with some dim dark spots and of course smell it if it has some sour aroma - don't buy it.
7 comments:
CN aged dried tangerine peel is as expensive as a 1996 bottle of wine
Hi SEA,
Are those from our good friend's mom?
You are right TC. I was told the old tangerine peel is worth $10,000 HK per lb.
Yes, but those at least more than 20 years which can be HK$60 per tael. There was a scandal about Yung Kee which used some very expensive tangerine peel and claimed that big bowl of red bean sweet cost at HK$2-3,000, which means the tangerine peel is at least HK$20,000 per tael. However, Yung Kee later on denied this kind of rumour, but I can tell you one of those at that table is a very close one of mine. I believe he/she wouldn't lie. The fun thing is that Yung Kee then claimed "oh, it's just a typo with one more zero but in fact we did use some very nice tangerine peel and it's a bit more at HK$2-300 (normally it's only at around HK$80 for one big pot) but Yung Kee couldn't say it's a further typo from $20-30 as it's too cheap then; so insisting on $2-300 is better though it's still a bit too expensive. It's because that table was seated with some established and experienced lawyers!
SS, yes, your guess is 100% correct this time; so I shall share some of this with you next time... :) It's ok for the US customs, right? If they confiscate it, then eat it right before them...., like eating chips! :) Bitter life means golden life.
Hi SEA,
What a big story behind this orange peel at Yung Kee.
Thank you SEA for the orange peel. You are very generous and thoughtful. However, I am pretty sure LAX custom will take away the orange peel one way or another. As I ask Tak Sing Hong how come no more orange peel for long time and they told me they cannot import the orange peel any more as banned by US custom. Even if this is not banned, I don't want to take a chance as it is like taking $20,000 out of my pocket.
Please save it so I can eat at your house later. I have to make some excuse to eat at your house ma.:)
Ok, next time let me boil the red beat sweet with thousand year tangerine peel in BKK at Adelphi Grande. Then pack some left over as frozen. Just tell the LA customs it's just a red bean pop stick made by a grand uncle in Okinawa (Japan). OK, this red bean sweet is due to serve at AG in the coming fall or Easter next year?
This sounds a good plan. Let us do this in Easter.
Oh, by the way, my friend told me today she got fined($200 US) by LAX custom for carrying porky from Taiwan without declaring.
Actually I do agree to what LA customs are practising. Considering if the ports are open with plants and anything which is easy for unknown things contaminated, that would be a big thing. So please observe your country rules, so will I not to let you bring them but eat them on the plane before touch down.
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