January 30, 2009

The Bolo Bao's Further Adventures in Potential Food Blog Names

Notes 'n stuff: Updates may suck for a while as I've been sickly all week, yet still as busy as I would be under optimal nasal, throat, and brain functions. All function are currently sub-optimal. I'll try to go to bed before midnight tonight; maybe that'll help.

Also, hello to anyone who comes from 1010wins.com—even though you are probably only looking at this page for five seconds before realizing that it is not actually "Downright hilarious!" But thank you to whoever deemed it worthy of linking to.

pineapple bun
There she is.

I feel ashamed to think that I spent all this time ("all this" = a bunch of years) exploring the vast world of Chinese bakeries and never knowing that the so called pineapple bun, or bolo bao, doesn't actually contain any pineapple—it derives its name from the pineapple-like appearance of its crackly domed surface. Oh. Ohh...kay. As I mentioned in today's Sugar Rush, I find that the pineapple comparison can sometimes be weaksauce (I'm not sure if "weaksauce" is a Serious Eats-approved term), but I guess it's more unique than "plain sweet bun," which may or may not look like a pineapple.

I've definitely eaten one before, unaware that there was a name for this fluffy, mildly chewilicious and sweet bun that would propel its outer crust bits all over your face, clothing, and maybe your hair. It's not my favorite kind of bun—I prefer the heavier red bean-filled and cream-filled varieties—but it's Michele's favorite, so for her last day as an in-office intern for Serious Eats, I got her some pineapple buns. (Actually, Lee Anne got them for me to give to Michele so I wouldn't have to wake up an hour earlier to get them before work, but...too much explaining. In conclusion, thank you, Lee Anne!)

I have a habit of picking out certain phrases I like and turning them into domain names. For fun. My life is non-stop excitement and debauchery. Yeah. Yesterday, for example, I lifted gentlysquish.com from the last step in Michelle's pork belly sandwich recipe. Here's a snippet of a conversation I had with Michele on AIM today regarding another domain name possibility, post-bolo bao comsumption.

Me: bolobaodandruff...dot com.

Michele: mmm
soft porn site
featuring pretty girls covered in bolo bao dandruff

Me: ..wow that was..so..not what I had in mind.
BUT OK!!@#!
..do I even wanna know what gentlysquish.com would have

Michele: it's the interwebs
same girls, but being gently squished

Me: ah. (nods slowly)

So someone out there should name their food blog bolobaodandruff.com and another should go with gentlysquish.com. Is all I'm saying.

Now I will go back to blowing my nose and shivering.

Posted by roboppy at 10:15 PM

Tags: buns, Chinese, Michele, pastries

Comments (9)

Oh I only found that out last year, so it's alright...hehehe

Posted by: (( K@Y )) at January 30, 2009 11:42 PM [#]

what! no pineapple? i feel slightly cheated now. bolo baos with charsiew (roast pork) filling's great though.

Posted by: louanne at February 1, 2009 11:23 AM [#]

I've never been a fan of pineapple buns. Char siu bao and egg tarts are clearly the best things out of a Chinese bakery. Cocktail buns aren't bad either. Yums :d

Posted by: SuperChomp at February 1, 2009 3:30 PM [#]

I was at someone's house and then a few people got hungry so two people went out to buy buns much like the ones mentioned in this entry. I believe my exact words were "Wow we are so Asian."

I like custard buns and the seafood buns with green onions.

Posted by: Angeline at February 1, 2009 9:17 PM [#]

(( K@Y )): Phew, I'm not the only one.

louanne: I haven't had one with roast pork in it...oo..

SuperChomp: EGG TARTS ARE MY FAVORIIIITE!!!

Angeline: That's one way to measure Asian-ness...if the first thing you get to placate rumbly tummies is a bunch of pineapple buns. ;)

Posted by: roboppy Author Profile Page at February 1, 2009 11:15 PM [#]

lol.. pineapple buns.. love them. there's also a japanese version(prob. the same thing) called "melon-pan" but it also has no melon.

i like the ones with the dry pork "sung"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rousong

how asian is that... hehe..

Posted by: grace at February 2, 2009 12:06 AM [#]

Grace: Oo I like melon pan! It's kinda melon flavored, isn't it? ...I obviously haven't eaten one in a loong time.

I LOVE PORK FLOSS! OH YEAH!!

Posted by: roboppy Author Profile Page at February 3, 2009 11:46 PM [#]

mmmmyumyumyum have you tried the lovely bao called gai-ying bao? it has a dandruffy crust kind of like the bolo, but it is stuffed full of creamy buttery goodness. technically this could fit into either of your soft porn sites.

Posted by: Lick My Spoon at February 5, 2009 2:47 AM [#]

Lick My Spoon: Yeah, I like it better when there's a belly of CREAAAM!

Posted by: roboppy Author Profile Page at February 6, 2009 1:13 AM [#]

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» 11/09/09: Burger-Loving Army, Send Me Your Reviews, Plz

» 11/06/09: My Favorite Sandwiches in New York City and Beyond

» 11/01/09: 'Satan's Diarrhea' and a Burger from Song 7.2

» 10/27/09: 27 Hours in Philly, Part 2: Veggie Burgers, Cake, and Burmese

» 10/24/09: 27 Hours in Philly, Part 1: Standard Tap and Franklin Fountain

» 10/21/09: Sort Of Budget-Priced Lobster Rolls from Luke's Lobster

» 10/21/09: Upgrading The Blog, Please Hold

» 10/15/09: Deep Fried Pork and Other Delicious Filipino Things from Engelines in Woodside, Queens

» 10/12/09: Garlic and Stuff from M&T Restaurant in Flushing

» 10/09/09: Last Day for the Big Gay Ice Cream Truck

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