Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Delicious Animals

Ah, it’s a great time to be in China.  The snowy winter, the upcoming Olympic games, and the latest deadly virus to kill us all.

Scorpions scamper in bowls, water snakes coil in tanks and cats whine in cramped cages, waiting to be slaughtered, skinned and served for dinner.

Welcome to the Qingping market in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, where everything from turtles to insects are sold alongside fowl and freshly caught fish.

An outbreak of the SARS virus in 2002 resulted in a local gourmet favourite—the civet—being banished to the black market. The racoon-like animal was blamed for spreading SARS, which infected 8,000 people globally and killed 800.

But exotic wildlife and squalor have returned to the Qingping market, making health officials worried that another killer virus could emerge.

“We face similar threats from other viruses and such epidemics can happen because we continue to have very crowded markets in China,” said Lo Wing-lok, an infectious disease expert in Hong Kong.

“Even though official measures are in place, they are not faithfully followed. We are not talking about just civet cats, but all animals,” he added.

Having been to many legitimate markets here, I can assure you of two things.  The vegetables and fruit are delicious and safe to eat—you can buy Washington apples there—and the fish and fowl are as fresh as possible, because they’ll kill them right in front of you.  I am reminded, once again, of another classic line from The Simpsons.

Lisa: Uh, how is the Feast of 12 Delights with Triple Happiness Sauce?
Waiter: Very disappointing.
Lisa: Then, I’ll have the Sweet and Sour Rice.
Waiter: Oh, very good. Would you like that with the fragrant bee bellies or the cat noses?
Lisa: Neither, thank you.
Waiter: Is there any way we could enhance your dining experience here by hurting an animal?

Other than installing half-assed plumbing, there’s really nothing the Chinese love more than hurting an animal.  A delicious, delicious animal.