Sister Erin twigged me to this amazing website/blog saying it complements beautifully the greater message behind my recent posts involving Asian foods. I say, you have to see these Indian Street Food Master Chefs work-ing to fully appreciate their art…
This vlog is a bit (a lot, really) longer than the usual video snippets we post here at the Fab Food Blog. But it’s worth every second!
Masters of their art
The street food vendors of Varanasi, India, are, without exception, masters of their art. They work at lightening speed, all day long, and turn out some of the most tantalizing dishes you’ll ever see. And, if you’re lucky, taste!
Varanasi is the birthplace of Buddism and, as such, a pilgrimage destination for millions. And the city’s street food community is (unofficially, at leas) in charge of making sure all comers are culinarily sustained…
David’s been here
Davidsbeenhere.com is a long-running vlog of the travels of wanderer and grassroots foodie David Hoffman. As you’ll see, he loves his work!
And he’s not afraid to try new and unknown foods.
One hallmark of Hoffman’s video tours of the world’s street food venues is his ‘rule’ of consulting local, ‘native’ guides. These folks know what all the local specialties are, and where to find the best examples. They’re also great storytellers and interpreters, explaining what Davis is eating, and pro-viding histories of the featured dishes.
My take
I tell folks that, whenever I’m working in the kitchen, I monitor my invisible (internal?) ‘satisfaction meter’ continuously. If things are going well, my SM is bouncing high, with bursts of enthusiasm at irregular but frequent intervals. If it’s just wobbling along low and flat, that’s not so good. David Hoffman’s videos of exotic street food venues really get my satisfaction meter going, in a good way!
I’m reminded of the slogan the phone companies used to use to promote their long distance servi-ces. Hoffman’s vids, with his choice asides, atmospheric camera angles and descriptions, truly, “the next best thing to being there!”
~ Maggie J.