by Cygne Sauvage
In the most recent tally of infected cases for the novel coronavirus my country tops its 12 neighbors in the region of the continent at the other side of the western hemisphere. It leads in areas any government would never aspire to be ahead: number of fatalities and actively sick of the disease. This implies that recovery rate even lags behind independent territories of much lower gross national products.
Discrepancy in the expanse of mass testing for the virus can’t be cited as the reason for the greater statistical prevalence of infections in my country. Demographic behavioral trends do not reflect substantial unrecorded cases, as can be gleaned from congested hospitals or high rates of funeral services.
One reason could only be that my countrypeople are much unhealthier. Come to think of it, my native land, compared to its regional co-members, hosts the most number of western-based fastfoods chains, coffee shops, and convenience stores whose profitability is sustained by steady patronage of huge low-salaried working class population who spend a third of their workday in at least three-hour humongous traffic. What should have been earmarked to preparing delectable nutritious comestible are lost due to defective urban development and misplaced priorities. The fastfood fares offer the solution to affordability both in time and financial resources.
Thus, the percentage of the population with unhealthy waistlines, blood sugar and cholesterol levels almost approximates that of its former colonizer. Much unlike the situation in the neighboring countries as far as the rare spectacle of people bulky on the wrong parts of their anatomy is concerned. I had visited four of these countries with the highest tourist arrivals.
Though my adventures were limited only to the capital metropolis, nevertheless, my observations on their consumption patterns could be sufficiently reflective of the general demographic trend. Local nature-based produce are abundant and hold captive their citizen’s palates which don’t seem to have inclination to hamburgers, hotdogs, bacons, potato fries or any processed food not manufactured in their backyards. They have not been lured by Big Mac and lattes formulated in Seattle as evidenced by the very limited outlets of these international food chains. Whereas in my country they dot every nook and cranny of hubs and growth centers.
Street foods are served in a jiffy, steaming hot covered in overwhelming abundance of raw leafy greens as if newly harvested from a nearby garden. For them this is “fastfood.” Quickly assembled out of ingredients pre-cooked on slow fire never losing their original taste and constitution. Herbs are ubiquitous garnishes emitting soothing aromas. Bottled water is cheap, oftentimes given as free in various fruit mixtures in hotels, hence, one would never pine for a soda.
Their contextual definition of “fastfood” is quite divergent from the West. It is a pragmatic method of serving food in reduced hours of preparation as basic ingredients of the cuisine have been slow cooked beforehand but preserving their nutritious and natural qualities. Noodles require hard labor of manually mixing flour and eggs and cutting them in strips in the artful way demonstrated even to the diners as part of the entertainment.
Cheap, delicious hearty edibles are peddled along wide sidewalks far from potential contamination from street vehicles. There’s ample space for adventurous gourmets to trod on while leisurely going around to select tasty concoctions.
When I walked around these food hubs I was able to count only with the fingers of my one hand the number of people whose dimensions exceed the average svelte trimmed warm bodies enjoying the food treats.
The Well-Read Company 