yumseng to ginseng...

i never fancied Traditional Chinese Medicine. never liked it, the taste, the smell, the full works! i would much rather hobble around than to go to the sinseh and TCM brings back horrid memories of piggy-backing ning (not me, my then-boyfriend...) to her home at 4th level and accompanying her to 'tui' her ankles when she got injured in dance. what was horrid wasn't the journey but more of the her crying & yelping and wafts of the medicinal herb-y concoctions which made me hurl in the waiting room.. *eeks* sends chills down my back till this day.

in my younger days, my mummy dearest, in her very limited cantonese glory would make really weird black chicken soups with floating red dots and crocodile stuff for me. for betta complexion i guess. and lets not even get started on the frog eggs or pig stuffing. and it was NEVER fair. i was always on the receiving end while the boys got yummy apple and pear soups, i was stuck with the black soups that tasted crap. typically, it would discreetly go down the sink or into the doggy bowl (sorry mum...i really like your fried bee hoon tho!!)

last week, in lieu of my dental surgery, my darling E-ma who is the most amazing chef in the family bought me a tub of shaved ginseng and instructed mum that i was to drink it for 3 days before and after surgery.. apparantly to aid healing or to reduce the 'heatiness'.. i was super touched, almost in tears. and honestly very worried. its super bitter, no?but it hasn't been too bad. its no sparkling apple juice if i pinch my nose and drink it real quick, its ain't that bitter..

and just the thought that E-ma bought it for me makes it all the yummier..

so for what it's worth... cheers! *slurps my ginseng water..*