eating food #1 - egg custard tarts

egg custard tarts are bright yellow and have a base of flaky pastry. they don't have a solid base. if you buy one with a solid base, then take it back or never go back to that store again. the egg tart should also be in a paper holder. again, if it's in a foil holder then it is wrong and the base is probably also solid. again, never go back to this store.

the egg custard tarts i'm talking about cannot be bought in supermarkets but from chinese restaurants or chineses bakeries. (again, be careful as sometimes the chinese bakeries sell egg custard tarts with solid bases). the soft middle part should be yellow. i prefer a slightly darker yellow, the colour of a dandelion. if it's too pale then it looks undercooked. if it's too dark, then it looks chemical and fake. the surface of the egg custard tart should be shiny and may even be a little oily to the touch.

the base should have a soft crunch when you bite into it. as you pull your mouth away and see where you have bitten, the flaky base should become apparent. it will look like many thin layers of pastry, paper thin. this makes up the base. the paper holder should be dry. a little grease is ok, but too much is not good.

you should always aim to eat more than one because they taste so damn good. enjoy it as a starter when eating dim sum (yes, it's sweet, but it's also something you have at the beginning) or with a cup of tea whilst talking to friends. enjoy it for breakfast in the morning sun. enjoy it after work as a treat. enjoy it when watching the tv and give one to your kids; for they will enjoy it too.