Alright so when I found this up at China World in Richmond, BC, I was curious. ‘What’s this torpid all about, anyway?’ Well, Thanks to my friend Kyle, that’s been cleared up. It’s a really bad translation. This really should be Sichuan Spicy Flavor. As far as torpid goes, here’s the definition –
tor·pid
tôrpəd/
adjective
mentally or physically inactive; lethargic.
“we sat around in a torpid state”
Spicy and lethargic beef flavor? Yummy! Translation is a seriously tough thing. It’s definitely an uphill battle for me – Google is of very little help. I’ve been asked in the past by companies what I would call a product and helped them with translating and making it sound like a good name for something sold in the west. I think that would be a neat job – helping companies with western translations. So I guess if you need help with someone proofreading a packaging bound to be on products for the west, contact me maybe I can help. Alright – let’s do up some spicy beef vermicelli!
Chencun The Flavours Of Yunnan China Torpid & Peppery Beef – China
Detail of the side panels (click to enlarge). Looks to be meat free but check for yourself. To prepare, add boiling water to fill line and sachet contents as well. Cover for 508 minutes. Finally, stir and enjoy!
Detail of the lid (click to enlarge).
An included fork!
Rice vermicelli in its own separate bag.
A dry base sachet.
A tan powder.
A paste sachet.
Thick and oily.
A vegetables sachet.
A nice little mix.
Finished (click to enlarge). Added spring onion. The rice noodle hydrated really well and ended up the perfect chew – just the way I like it. The noodles and broth worked together in harmony. The broth, with it’s deep red color and Sichuan peppercorn and beef taste has a nice oiliness and richness to it. 4.5 out of 5.0 stars. EAN bar code 6911754102589.
Oxford English Dictionary: 20 vol. print set & CD ROM
My father had a full set of the Oxford English Dictionary. I remember looking in one of the volumes and just flipping to a random page, looking at the ceiling and dropping my finger on a spot. One time, I found the word nothing – which refereed to something called a nithing post. A nothing post would be erected in someone’s yard – someone who wouldn’t share their meat.
