Oompa-Loompa: Cendol by venitha

Cendol's redeeming quality: A sweet and creamy bed of ice, tasting not unlike a rootbeer float.

Cendol's not-so-redeeming qualities: Not-in-the-least-sweet toppings of green worms (tapioca flour with green food coloring), black jell-o cubes (herbal grass jelly), and red beans. No kidding.In spite of his father's insistence that the cendol's toppings are far more innocuously tasteless than they look, Matthew, for the one and only time during his more-than-two-week visit, extorted cold hard cash from Jim before he would try something. I don't blame him.

*****

Jim and I enjoyed cendols at the famous dueling alley cendol stalls in Penang with some KL natives we befriended.

Cendol-loving Malaysians: Request extra toppings, let the ice melt, and then stir.
Our reaction: Exchange amazed looks and stifle revulsion.

Once-bitten-twice-shy Americans: Insist firmly on no tasty toppings.
Their reaction: What's the point?

Indeed.


venitha