hungry in milwaukee

My man-crush on the island of Taiwan has only increased since their American born son Jeremy Lin started a Lin-ferno in the middle of the NBA.  But truth be told my crush was started in earnest when I laid eyes on this masterpiece of encased meat.  I was almost embarrassed that I hadn’t seen this idea first in Wisconsin (I mean really!) .

The night market vendor is literally called “Big Sausage Wrapping Little Sausage” (Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang – 大腸包小腸).  The “big sausage is actually glutinous rice stuffed in a casing and grilled, then split open like a hot dog bun.

The rice sausage can be topped in a number of styles.  Want wasabi mayo? The classic is covered with peanut powder, cucumbers, preserved vegetables (mustard greens), cilantro and finally a grilled fatty slightly sweet Taiwanese pork sausage.

What results is a tubular meat snack of epic proportions.  The rice is savory and matches well with the sweet sausage.  The rice has a tendency to be squished out a bit and can be heavy.

In the end the “Big Sausage Wrapping Little Sausage” is a great snack and a mind-blowing concept.  People of the Wisconsin State Fair take note, Taiwan has mastered the sausage stuffed inside another sausage – it’s time to step up your game.  Think of all the variation that could be possible.  A polenta filled sausage stuffed with a spicy Italian sausage topped with peppers and onions.  Heck that whole thing could be fried and put on a stick. Or even push it and stuff meat in meat.  It could be Lin-credible.