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Monday, February 18, 2013

Palm Wine and Sea Creatures in Kampot

As I was returning to Kampot town from a recent walk through the Cambodian countryside, I saw a place deserving further investigation.

palm wine shop in Kampot, Cambodia

What had caught my attention were the large bottles of "home-brewed" palm wine--a unique-tasting alcoholic drink a mototaxi driver introduced me to several years ago in Kampong Chhnang. Of course I ordered a glass.

jugs of palm wine

After the drink was poured, they encouraged me to have something to eat with it. After all, they had a delectable treat.

basket of edible sea creatures

What were they? At first I had no clue, and nobody knew the English word for its name. But I found out it was a sea creature of some sort. I think.

So I had one with my drink.

palm wine and cooked sea creature

Based on its texture and what I had previously seen at a local market, I wondered if it was a large sea mollusk that acquires a flower-like shape after being cooked. But I'm not sure, and a quick online search hasn't helped me out. I'd appreciate hearing from any readers who may recognize this culinary delight.

Whatever it was, I enjoyed it with a spicy dipping sauce. After finishing it and the palm wine, I met a few of the other people there.

Cambodians enjoying food and drinks

three young men enjoying palm wine

And was guided out to the back where they suggested photographing the view.

view of Cambodian countryside outside the town of Kampot

I am very glad I visited this provider of fine palm wine, and it was one of the highlights of a long walk. Maybe someday I'll know for sure what I ate. Later, I'll share something I ate in Cambodia that proved to be much more of a challenge because I knew exactly what it was.

2 comments:

  1. Your mollusc looks like Abalone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abalone)

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    1. The abalones I have tried were a different shape. They didn't have such a prominent protuberance. And I didn't see abalones for sale elsewhere in Cambodia. But I can't say for sure what I ate wasn't a type of abalone.

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