My dumpling order in Chengdu turned into a 40 minute lecture on vinegar

Asked for extra black vinegar at a spot near Kuanzhai Alley and the owner pulled out 12 bottles, made me taste each one, then refused to let me pay for the ones I liked. Has anyone else got an accidental food education from a stranger in China that you still think about?

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the_ruby19d ago

My nonna once gatekept me out of a family recipe for three years because I used the wrong kind of tomato. When I finally got it right she made me sit down and taste six different canned brands with my eyes closed, then informed me my palate was "still a baby" and made me redo it all with fresh ones from the market. A random noodle shop owner in Xi'an did the same thing with chili oil, except he let me keep the jar he'd been using since 2008. I still think about that oil more than some people I've dated. Did you end up using those vinegars on anything specific or just ate them straight like a weirdo?