5.27.2013

自己醫自己

上篇提到大蕃薯病了,到底病得怎樣呢?

第一日:起床後見喉嚨痛,自己知道那不是熱氣/上火那種痛,應是感冒初起,心感不妙,幾天後要考試啊......大蕃薯決定先靠喝水來消炎排毒。大蕃薯幾乎每隔一兩小時就喝下五百毫升的清水,除了讓喉嚨舒服些之外,喝水有助身體排毒,多少可將身體裡的病菌沖走。只是飯前一小時和飯後兩小時不喝,不然會影響消化。

第二日:喉嚨痛稍退,但居然開始流鼻水!!大腦轉數開始慢下來,隔幾小時就想睡。另一方面食慾下降了,大蕃薯決定一一順應這些要求,一方面繼續喝水,疲倦就躺在床休息。每餐份量減半,並停食較難消化的食物如堅果,少食澱粉如飯麵,多吃蔬果。這些都是大蕃薯按照身體發出的警號而做的調整。

第三日:喉嚨痛和鼻水退了,卻換來看似更糟的發燒。大蕃薯開始掙扎:到底要不要吃退燒藥呢?或者至少吃些中成藥?其實心底裡知道發燒正代表身體抵抗系統運作了,體溫上升,新陳代謝加快,就能更快打低病菌。但大蕃薯躺在床上,感到體溫每小時上升一點,額頭由微溫變成燙手。兩天後就要考試,要是一直感冒會影響臨場表現的。到底靠自己來醫好自己可以嗎?畢竟大蕃薯從小到大未試過不靠任何藥物來康復,以前即使頭痛都要吃兩三次止痛藥,正如上篇所言,一年頭痛五六次;至於冬夏交替那兩次感冒,更必須靠一堆西藥,無一例外。

十點左右,體溫應該升得夠高了,大蕃薯感到頭重重,卻又睡不著。要麼吃藥,要麼......不吃藥還可以做什麼呢?大蕃薯已一直喝水休息了......接下來大蕃薯做了一件很不科學的事(當然,不吃藥來治感冒已不太科學):替自己的抵抗系統打氣。大蕃薯努力想像白血球吃掉細菌和趕走它們的情況,情況不科學到那些白血球和細胞的形狀都非教科書裡學到那些(枉大蕃薯是理科生呀),只是一堆白色球體在吞吃一些三尖八角的病菌之類的,重點是想像那種意境。

結果半小時之內體溫就開始下降了,第四日一早醒來只剩微溫。當然,退燒可以只是巧合地發生在那想像畫面之後,那種加油打氣根本與醫病無關。

要是很科學地描述,是次大蕃薯只是靠喝水、休息和少食來醫好這次小病(感恩不盡T.T)。

5.22.2013

大蕃薯和芝士蛋糕的緣份(三)

......續(二)

人人都說一個小決定足以影響一個人以後的遭遇,當日立志蔬食(Vegan)一年如是,在比利時忍下來更是。如果大蕃薯當日沒有用上強烈的意志力去壓下吃忌廉窩夫和朱古力的慾望,相信今日仍只是少吃蛋奶而已。大番薯居然忍了不長不短的十二日。那次之後,就開始沒忍得太辛苦,時日一久,到了某日,大番薯發覺自己不用再忍,而是與芝士蛋糕等和平分手了,那是蔬食已滿一年之時。

拒吃肉蛋奶蜜那種意識在心裡逐點逐點壯大,因為大番薯知道那些不是人類在正常情況之下的食物,這只是眾多素食理由之一。在物質富裕的社會,素食已足夠提供營養,這點就不詳述,前人比大蕃薯懂更多,隨便在網上找找就有。

吃蛋奶素後,身體好像有健康一點,以前大蕃薯很討厭運動,蕃薯嘛...手腳不協調,沒什麼運動細胞,覺得運動又熱又辛苦。想不到吃素之後身體主動拖自己出門去運動,到今日一個禮拜無做運動就渾身不自在,定要出去跑兩圈。大蕃薯仍然雞手鴨腳,談不上喜歡運動,但總要活動一下才舒暢,可說是非常享受流汗。

真正明顯改變在於蔬食之後。以前大蕃薯一年至少傷風感冒兩次,轉冷天時一次,轉熱天時一次,外加每兩、三個月一次頭痛。遇上壓力大之時,幾近每月頭痛一次,一年下來吃藥(尤其止痛藥)不少。自大蕃薯蔬食之後,只頭痛過一次,那是頭三個月的過渡期(由蛋奶素vegetarian轉蔬食vegan),之後到今日超過一年,大蕃薯都沒有頭痛,上週才傷風感冒一次,這亦是大蕃薯頭一次不靠任何藥物退燒病癒,在此誠心感謝老天爺極力眷顧。

有時大蕃薯會羨慕那些胎裡素的人,從未接觸過葷食的人,就不用經過忍耐那過程。不過,正因大蕃薯算是學而知之然後勉強而行之的,所以大蕃薯很珍惜那種已茁壯成長的意識,很珍惜今日已是安而行之的心態。大蕃薯無法預計蔬食會帶自己到哪個世界,蔬食也不是完美,不能解決所有問題,但這是自己盡力的方法。

完。



喔,
答案是:大蕃薯不想吃禽鳥月經的一部份。

5.20.2013

大蕃著和芝士蛋糕的緣份(二)

......續(一)

蘋果是蘋果。白菜是白菜。桂圓是乾龍眼肉。肉是動物的肌肉、內臟、脂肪、皮膚等。奶呢?蛋呢?蜜糖呢?

奶是某種哺乳類動物的乳汁,如果人類沒有發明容器的話,我們要喝奶就只能像其餘所有動物一樣,直接去啜乳牛或奶羊的乳房,就像初生嬰兒啜母乳一樣,不同的是,只有人類才會去啜另一物種的乳汁,而且過了戒奶期十年、廿年、三十年之後仍這樣做。除了人類,沒有一種動物會在斷奶之後仍樂此不疲地喝奶,即使是被人類馴養已久的寵物貓狗,我們都不會在牠們成年後繼續喂他們喝奶。大部份人對乳製品或多或少敏感,是因為過了斷奶期後,身體自然不會繼續製造消化乳糖的酵素,換言而之,我們的身體沒預計我們要繼續喝奶。人類大量喝奶是近兩三世紀的習慣(有少數例外如遊牧民族),在工業革命之前,我們沒有雪櫃,根本不可能生產和儲存大量牛奶。至於為什麼是牛的奶?為什麼不是獅子奶?不是犀牛奶?因為人類選擇了牛來養(感性地推測下去,是因為牛羊等好欺負--養獅子犀牛太難太危險了)。蜜糖是蜜蜂的嘔吐物,跟燕窩是燕子的口水同出一轍。至於蛋,答案留待最後揭曉。

大蕃薯沒有能耐去想到這些,這都是經人提點再稍加思考的答案。知道這些噁心的事實之後,大蕃薯開始少食蛋奶,但間中仍會食一兩片朱古力、吃一兩口蛋糕,也沒有避開菠蘿包,因為忍不住--那時只是用忍的,大蕃薯無法放棄芝士蛋糕在口中慢慢融化的觸覺。終於吃素快一年之際,家中寵物快要壽終正寢,大蕃薯只希望牠能毫無痛苦地離開,於是立願蔬食一年。

立願之後,太陽繼續由東方升起,地球仍舊公轉,人甚少在一夜間改變的,大蕃薯仍然很想吃蛋糕、朱古力和包點。吃素頭三個月是關鏈,要是過了這段時間,以後多數能繼續。在家煮食當然可以完全避開蛋奶,但當同事遞上一排朱古力時,大蕃薯就只能深吸一口氣--不,謝謝了。立志蔬食之後一個多月,大番薯仍在忍呀忍呀,在這種關鏈時間,考驗居然來了--大番薯去了比利時。

大蕃薯看著朋友吃掉一個又一個鋪上忌廉和鮮果的窩夫,買了一盒又一盒手工朱古力當早餐吃,大蕃薯分分秒秒都在掙扎:吃一個吧?吃一粒吧?你十六歲那年立志要來比利時大吃特吃啊!錯過了今次,下次不知何年何日才再來比利時了!大不了在一年結束後補上吃兩三日純素!

5.18.2013

How can I leave Gelati!

Yaaaaa, how could I spend my nice time in Italy without Gelati! Emmmm, VEGAN Gelati? Ya, VEGAN Gelati. It's not a news anymore. Nowadays, vegan ice-cream and gelati are everywhere. It's so much easier to be a vegan now.

I had gelati 3 times in Italy - I could have more, just I was too full from the other good food. One gelati store actually provides around 10 flavours of soy gelati. The most popular and typical flavour in Italy were pistachio and hazelnut. I tried them both, and also dark chocolate, banana and vanilla. I liked pistachio and dark chocolate most. The dark chocolate was exactly how I prefer it taste like - slightly bitter and not over sweet, not over creamy... complicated. I bought it from Perché No!, Florence, one of the oldest gelati store in Italy.



5.17.2013

大蕃薯和芝士蛋糕的緣份(一)

未改為蔬食(Vegan)之前,大蕃薯是乳製品狂迷,名列三甲之內的有各式蛋糕、朱古力和港式包點,尤其愛意大利芝士餅、紐約芝士餅、黑森林、芒果蛋糕、菠蘿包和蛋撻。

小蕃薯(大番薯兒童版)也喜歡吃朱古力等甜食,但未至於為甜品而狂。我與乳製品糾纏不清,緣起於十三歲那年暑假。那年小蕃薯央求父母讓我參加海外的英語夏令營不果,於是退一步參加了由香港某大學與我校合辦的英語夏令營,為期一個月,住在大學宿舍。夏令營費用包學、包住、還包食。我仍記得早餐上限約是港幣二十元,但曾在大學飯堂用膳的人都知道,舍堂膳食比街上價錢要便宜,以當時的物價,花二十元已經可以在飯堂裡買兩份細早餐。小蕃薯抱住無蝕底的心態,餐餐都點多於自己食量的飯餸,於是把胃撐大了。

接下來芝士蛋糕要出場啦。夏令營來到第二週,某日午餐時間,我和同學改到三文治店那邊吃午餐,一位師姐點了一件紐約芝士餅做午餐,小蕃薯嚐了一口,頓時驚為天人,那種又香又滑的口感一試難忘,餅底更是小蕃薯的最愛,自那天開始,我日日午餐時段都買一件紐約芝士餅。而我仗著膳食限額那麼多,便先點一份正餐再加芝士餅做甜品。

離營時,小蕃薯長成肥番薯,還長出雙下巴。至於英文則沒有丁點兒進步。

從那年夏天開始,肥番薯就離不開乳製品了。最瘋狂那時期,光是一個下午茶就可以吃兩件蛋撻加一杯意大利芝士餅,前後照吃午餐晚餐無誤,也常常邊聊天邊吃掉一大盒朱古力。十六歲那年,電視旅遊節目介紹比利時,那時大番薯立志長大後某天要去比利時狂吃朱古力。

大蕃薯仍是小小蕃薯之時,就知道自己對乳製品敏感,正如大部份亞洲人一樣,體內缺少分解乳糖(lactose)的酵素(lactase),但不算很嚴重,只是喝奶後會腹瀉。另一方面,那時覺得蛋糕和朱古力帶來的味覺享受完全蓋過了輕度腹瀉之苦,所以就沒多理會。當身體吸收愈來愈多乳製品之際,敏感程度隨之而降低,但並未完全消除敏感,喝太多奶或吃太多芝士的話,仍會不時會腹瀉。

初時轉食蛋奶素(vegetarian),只是本著健康素食。大蕃薯曾以為自己永不可能蔬食(Vegan),因為大蕃薯太愛太愛那些包點了,又覺外出點餐時會諸多不便,因為大部份餐廳只提供蛋奶素食,很多餐廳甚至不知什麼是蔬食,而且我並未體會到動物何以因我所選擇的食物而受苦。轉食蛋奶素之後,自然而言地開始讀到蛋奶業如何肆意地虐待動物的資料,消費者如何被廣告洗腦,汲收偏頗的健康資訊。而最重要的,是大蕃薯開始有意識地去想自己放入口的是什麼,知道是自己的選擇去助長這些失實的訊息和殘忍的工業。意識一旦開始萌芽,就一發不可收拾。

待續......

5.16.2013

Best spaghetti @ Venezia, Italy

I was so lucky to tried some really good representation of the typical Italian food in the two-week journey. First was the pizza in Rome, then came the risotto in Siena, and at last the spaghetti in Venice.

We reached that restaurant by coincidence. We jumped off the water bus a few stops earlier, then we followed other passages to walk into the maze like city. After a few turns we saw this restaurant. My friend was really craving for the squid spaghetti (Not veggie!) and we asked the chef if they had it. It was still early and there were no other customers.

Sometimes we need to rely on our intuition to seek for good food. We succeed most of the time in the trip and this had no exception! The spaghetti was the best for 3 main reasons: 1. It's al dente. 2. Every single spaghetti on the plate were having the same tenderness and chewiness. 3. Ingredients as simple as spaghetti (and spices) only!! The last reason is always one of my measurement of the food. The simplier the dish, the more difficult to make it impressive.


It's just basic spaghetti with garlic and basil. Unlike what happened quite often with a plate of normal quality spaghetti, not even one spaghetti of this one was softer or harder than the rest on the plate. There was no sudden and abrasive sand/ rock-like texture pumped up when I was enjoying the whole plate. And no two spaghetti stuck together. Of course the spices were just enough to taste didn't make me drank bottles of water afterwards.


I also ordered another veggie dish - butter bean! I like butter bean a lot because of its creamy taste.

Unfortunately, I could not find the name of the restaurant. I still wanna recommend to it even I don't have the name. Here is the front door of the restaurant. It's own by a couple.

5.15.2013

Best risotto @ Malborghetto, Siena

Siena is one of the cities famous for Tuscan wine and cuisine - The "cock wine" is one of the good example. Well... it's called Chianti classico, with the eye-catching cock logo. It was just me and my friend, and both of us can't drink much. Most restaurant/ wine bar don't offer the wine in glass. Therefore I didn't have the chance to take a sip ='[

However, I did tried something really good. The B-E-S-T-! The risotto I had in Siena ranked number 1 among all the food I had in Italy! It is a zucchini and saffron risotto. Three (main) ingredients, as simple as that. All fragments of the spices and freshness of the ingredients were absolutely balanced. Nothing too outstanding, nothing hiding from my taste bud. It's harmonised like floating peacefully on the water.



And look at the beautiful scenic behind! Yaaaaaa, I was eating outdoor, under the sun with mild wind. The weather was as perfect as the food! The restaurant was Malborghetto, which locates below the Piazza del Campo, at the end of the car park. The food are all in reasonable price.

The scene behind the restaurant is breath-taking. The car park is a balcony, which we can view a 270-degree down hill. The colourful, irregular, fair-tale houses are packed on both sides, and a green woodland/ farmland with streams and churches in front.

Siena is definitely worth for a visit.

Story after-------------------------------------

I attempted once to make the same risotto at home, but it was a failure O.o It tasted nothing like the one I had in Siena. Before I can make it again, the beautiful risotto stays in my memory only.
It looks not bad though.