Just like many Limburg restaurants, a pop-up restaurant in Los Angeles also serves sour meat fries to its guests during the carnival weekend.
†sour meat‘ may not sound very appetizing to some. “But it is a typical Dutch name: straight forward”, laughs the chef of Pearl River Deli from the United Kingdom, Kitty Lam.
Fusion
At first glance, a fries of sour meat does not necessarily suit the restaurant where the British-Cantonese Lamb works. The Pearl River Deli serves Cantonese food and is located in historic Chinatown. This weekend, however, Lam serves fusion dishes, such as typical British pies with a Chinese twist. Because of the carnival party, Lam saw the perfect opportunity to add another international delicacy to the list of dishes: sour meat fries. “I have a lot of different cultural connections in my life, and I want to share that.”
Lam, who used to work for an international company in Frankfurt, says that he goes to Maastricht every year for the main event. “A friend from Maastricht introduced me to the party. I’ve been going for at least ten to twelve years, it’s a unique experience.” Due to the corona virus, it was not possible for the British to come to Limburg in both 2021 and 2022. Too bad, because she calls it an ‘annual highlight on the calendar’.
‘Belongs to Carnival’
Why sour meat, and not another typical Limburg dish? For Lam, the stew is the dish that belongs to carnival. “It’s not really carnival until you’ve had a portion. Late at night on the street with the party atmosphere still in the air and the vapor coming off.” The recipe that the cook uses comes from the mother of the friend who introduced Lam to the folk festival years ago. †A shout out to Gemma Bollen“, laughs the British. “It was logical for me to choose as traditional a recipe as possible, and then I quickly came to her.”
Unique taste
In addition to the French fries topping, which is unique in the United States, the way in which the potatoes are prepared is also not ordinary, according to Lam. “Americans are used to the thin McDonalds fries, not the Belgian style.” Nevertheless, the cook expects positive reviews of the dish that is nostalgic for her. “The flavors are really Dutch, with the use of gingerbread. That’s very exciting to introduce! I don’t think anyone in LA has ever tasted this unique taste.”