手播笋 Sweet Pickled Bamboo

Pinyin: Shǒu Buō Suǎn

China is known for their bamboo, it really does permeate all aspects of life and as pictured it permeates into food as well.

You are looking at pieces of bamboo that have been sweet pickled, or something pretty close to that. I ate this at a Shanghainese restaurant and I have reason to believe it is in fact a Shanghai food. As most Shanghai food goes, it is a little sweet. This isn't like an American sweet pickle though, it's not as sweet and of course the flavor is a bit different, better, honestly.

Served cold as an appetizer, you only eat the insides, the hearts, so to speak. Everything that you see in this picture, you don't eat. The stuff you are looking at is tough, and as soon as it is in your mouth you know it isn't for eating.

Oddly enough I went to the grocery store last night and found this same stuff for sale in the refrigerated section.