Taste from Afar: Canadian Jellyfish Salad

Recipes (or just a story this time)

I was 12. It was my family's first trip to Canada, and one of my first times out of the United States. I was amped up for the internationalism of our trip. So, when we arrived at our hotel, Toronto's Westin Harbour Castle, I was entranced by this oh-very-authentic Chinese restaurant on the second floor. It announced itself with Chinese characters, boldly and elegantly across the entire width of its entrance. (There were no Roman letters in sight).

I just had to eat there. And, I don't think I'd ever had actual Chinese food before. Remember this was the early 1990s, and I had lived my entire life in a small North Carolina mountain town. I was raging to get out of it, and this Chinese restaurant was my chance. I harassed my parents repeatedly until they finally acquiesced.

Inside, it was stunning. Royal purples, velvety red banquettes, fine china on the place settings, and golden screens divided the ornate space. But ordering wasn't for the faint of heart. Oddly, I don't think there was an English menu or an English-speaking server (strange for a hotel restaurant). I remember my family looking so perplexed at the assortment of Chinese characters, and we ultimately ended up pointing at things randomly, playing a sort of Russian Roulette. My brother, a mere 5 years old, pointed at an adjacent diner's plate of roast duck and announced, "I'll have that!" He was wise beyond his years - receiving the most familiar-looking and delicious dish that resonated with our country-fied palates.

I ended up with a plate of jellyfish salad. Admittedly, some 30 years later, this doesn't sound as far-flung as it felt back then. Staring me in the face was a big, colorful plate of slimy, vinegary jellyfish, garnished with delicately, julienned vegetables, akin to a 1970s jello mold. I didn't eat lunch that day, but I was relentlessly teased by my family for years to come. At least it made for a good story – and perhaps the most memorable lunch I ever refused.

Photo and Recipe Source: Nordic Food Lab

Syllogi’s ‘Musings’ is a series helping you paint a picture of a destination while traveling from your living room. From relevant books and articles, inspiring movies and tv shows, to songs and even treats and dishes, our goal is to curate a sensory experience that will prepare you for an upcoming trip, reminiscence on adventures past, or simply to envision a place that exists in your bucket list fantasies.