Uncle Hoe Shark fin.
September 16, 2007
Have you heard about the recent news about the shark fin’s ban from the menu? I really supported their move considering the shark population is dropping rapidly. But it brings me back to one question. What about the fake shark fins? Well you know, the Uncle Ho designed a fake one to taste exactly like shark fin and it’s not made of any body part of sharks.
Hmmm okay, fake is making it sound like it’s made from Petaling Street or something. Just call ‘alternative’ then. Going back to the dish, it’s sorta like vegetarian food where the chef made it taste exactly like meat. Instead of shark fins, they replaced it with some other ingredient that made it taste like one.
Well that’s how certain restaurants con people by charging the real shark fins soup rate for a bowl of alternative ones. So will the ministry ban the alternative shark fin soup from the menu as well? I mean I still want to enjoy my shark fin soup without any actual shark fins in it. Am I making any sense?
Technorati Tags: chinese cuisines, shark fin soup, sharks, environment conservation, Uncle Ho
Posted in Eating Out
September 16th, 2007 at 8:59 am
I still think that they should stop serving real shark’s fin. I am not a dining expert but shark’s fin doesn’t have a taste to me. It’s just a “texture” kind of bite to it. Might as well get an alternative and help save the sharks.
September 16th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Exactly, this is why i’m writing this post. It doesn’t matter to me if the fins are authentic or fake. I can have the fake one anytime since it doesn’t taste any different to me. Dining experts might argue its different but hey i’m no expert. I just like to makan! But it pisses me off when these shops start charging real shark fin rate for the fake ones.
September 16th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
I’m sorry to have to say this but I think you’ve missed the whole point.
It is the DEMAND for shark’s fin soup that encourages poachers to continue poaching sharks. Do you really think that you’re not contributed to the demands for it by “wanting synthetic shark’s fin soup”?
September 16th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
First of all, you have to understand that the majority of humans on this earth are very selfish beings and do you think people are going to stop eating shark fins soup altogether just because the environmentalists say sharks are facing extinction? Since they are capable of creating synthetic one, say made of Chicken, I am not eating the real thing. To me, I can’t differentiate between real and fake shark fins soup. lets say the fake one is so much cheaper, people started to abandon the real fins, in a way it is going to affect the demand. If that’s the case, I might as well get the fake one.
September 16th, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Hmm…i guess pelf have a point there abt the demands of shark fins..however, if everybody can take the substitutions of the real shark fins..then the poaching of the shark’s fin will get lesser n lesser. But from wat I see…is not abt the consumers wanting more..it is also abt the supplier wanting to make real gud money out of the real thing! some ppl juz dun see the cruelty of it..rather they see the big money coming in. so, cant actually blame on demands only..although i noe..some selfish ppl out there really want to eat the real thing..it is abt the suppliers as well…so i guess..we juz need 2 hands to clap rather than just one.
September 17th, 2007 at 8:44 am
Yes, you are right that “people are NOT going to stop eating shark’s fin soup altogether just because the environmentalists say sharks are facing extinction.” That’s why we NEED to educate people about it. We need to tell them how cruel it is to fin sharks and leave them to die. We need to tell them so that they can educate their children.
And I hope you understand that if you can’t differentiate synthetic from genuine shark’s fin soup, it doesn’t mean that other people can’t as well. And if you can’t afford genuine shark’s fin soup, it doesn’t mean that other people can’t afford it as well.
You’re thinking from your own perspective. But environmentalists think of the WHOLE BIG PICTURE. As long as there’s demand for it, people will continue poaching it.
September 17th, 2007 at 9:42 am
ooh..so is like telling everyone to eat vege and noting other than tat….not even other ‘fake food’ around..so we shud be a vegan so tat the environmentalists can see tat their goals are achieved..hmm..now i do see the picture.. interesting fact to know..:D
September 17th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Thanks for commenting. I understand where you are coming from. In case you didn’t notice, the purpose I wrote this post was never about the environment. I was basically talking about food, not an environmentalist, hence I’m discussing it from the consumerism point of view. I’m no environmentalist. This is a blog of my own personal views and of course I’ll be thinking from my own perspective. So I’m sorry for not thinking of the BIGGER picture