Fresh Bamboo Shoots - How to Prepare 準備新鮮冬筍

I grew up thinking food only came from supermarkets and so am forever grateful that I have had the chance to discover and experience the wet markets of Hong Kong where anything and everything culinary can be found for your eating pleasure.  

There's nothing quite like the subtle thrill inside as you wander through the bustling real food markets on your daily round, keeping the corner of your eye on the lookout for whatever food treasures that day will bring.  

I was so excited with my latest discovery that we found in a humble dirt sprinkled box, these strange horn shaped plants? vegetables? that turned out to be Fresh Bamboo Shoots!  Woo-hoo!  I've always wanted to try fresh bamboo shoots!  It turns out that these fresh bamboo shoots are not only easy to prepare but much more delicious than the canned bamboo shoots that we usually use.  (But of course it is!)

Boiled Fresh Octopus 白灼新鮮八爪魚

Have you ever seen a live octopus up close?  Beautifully sinuous creatures in constant fascinating motion, their suction cups giving off a rapid fire pop, pop, pop as they propel themselves all over the place with ease.  

At the wet market seafood section the other day one of the fish vendors had a basketful of live octopus.  We stopped to watch the feisty boneless creatures writhe this way and that for a long while, my little girl was just fascinated!  In the end, of course, we ended up taking one of the octopus home!  

We made the simplest and best dish one can make with super duper fresh octopus: Boiled Fresh Octopus 白灼新鮮八爪魚 served simply with a soy sauce and wasabi dip.  So fresh and yummilicious!