美國有線電視新聞網（ＣＮＮ）的「公民記者」專區iReport，選出全球「最噁心」（revolting）食物，皮蛋以外型怪異、味道嚇人等特色而上榜。造成「皮蛋風波」的公民記者郝瓦達（Danny Holwerda），四日投書給台北時報（Taipei Times）澄清，強調他並不知道ＣＮＮ會把他個人看法，列入「全球最噁心食物」專題，他的報導從頭到尾未批評台灣，也沒有批評台灣的食物或台灣人，如果造成困擾，他要向台灣民眾致歉。
郝瓦達今年四月在德州的亞洲市場買皮蛋試吃，發現口味實在不合。他說：「太恐怖了！吃起來就像魔鬼煮的蛋。這吃起來像是曾經是蛋，但是誤入歧途錯得離譜的東西！」
他在寄給ＣＮＮ的影片中，直接把切好的皮蛋送進嘴中，然後忍不住吐了出來，一旁的小孩子看了狂笑。ＣＮＮ後來把各地寄來的相關影片整理後，把皮蛋列為比菲律賓巴拉旺樹蟲、南韓狗肉、柬埔寨的炸狼蛛、菲律賓的炸青蛙還噁心的食物。
影片上網後，馬上有網友留言說，皮蛋就像起司一樣，風味獨特，是許多華人的最愛，單吃、沾醬油、加在稀飯裡，幾種吃法都很讚。
新聞刊出後，引來的謾罵聲更大。郝瓦達在投書中表示，惹出這麼大的風波，他始料未及。他被全球網友狂罵，收到很多email罵他是傲慢的種族主義者，其中一封罵美國人是「有可怕飲食習慣的肥胖仇視外國者」，但這還只是最客氣的；另外還有一位台灣美食部落客罵他「荒謬可笑」，而一位民進黨政治人物（立委田秋堇）也反擊稱「美國人太膽小」。
投書台灣媒體盼終止困擾
郝瓦達希望這封信能終止整件事造成的困擾，並表示他住在加州的教母，就是台灣人。他強調，他的影片只是要表達吃皮蛋的有趣經驗。雖然他個人不喜歡皮蛋，但並不意味他不尊敬台灣人或台灣文化；而且認識他的人都知道，他很愛吃傳統中國及台灣美食，他的夢想之一，就是能親自訪問台灣並享受當地的珍饈美食。
信中也提到，他可能沒有以正確方式食用皮蛋，或許要像美食評論家陶禮君所說的，要加點調味料才行。
新聞來源：YAHOO!奇摩新聞
[ LETTER ]
回覆刪除Thrown into the frying pan
In regards to an article that recently appeared in your newspaper about an American blogger — and as the actual blogger mentioned in the article — I would like to add my two cents about the backstory (“American blogger on CNN sparks ‘pi dan’ brouhaha,” July 1, page 4).
I need to explain that I originally posted my CNN iReport video about trying to eat a pi dan in April, after CNN asked readers to send in video stories about the most revolting foods they had ever eaten anywhere in the world. Since I had just tried to eat “century eggs” that I had purchased at a local Asian supermarket here in Texas, I sent in a brief iReport on the subject.
Fast forward to this month and I can report that my blog has received more traffic than ever. However, people in Taiwan should know that CNN, on its own initiative, added my April iReport to a special section about the world’s most disgusting foods and my report about century eggs was the first one on the list. It is important to note that I never once mentioned “Taiwan” in my video report, nor did I ever criticize Taiwanese foods or Taiwanese. In fact, my godmother who lives in California is Taiwanese.
So, imagine my surprise when I saw the Taipei Times article online, translated from the Liberty Times, calling me all sorts of names, with one Taiwanese food blogger calling me “ridiculous,” and a Democratic Progressive Party politician even going so far as to say that “Americans are chicken-hearted” and apparently lumping me into that bracket.
I also received many angry e-mails and comments from people calling Americans “fat xenophobes with terrible dietary habits.”
And that was one of the nicer comments.
So I want to apologize to the people of Taiwan if my video caused a brouhaha. That was never my intention. Although I did not enjoy the pi dan, I meant no disrespect to Taiwanese or their culture. If you knew me, you would know that I like to eat traditional Chinese and Taiwanese food very much and it is one of my dreams to visit Taiwan someday and see — and taste — your country’s culinary delights.
The response last week to my CNN video was like riding a roller coaster. I went from the initial excitement of having my blog mentioned on CNN to the experience of being vilified on international discussion boards, denounced by a Taiwanese legislator and receiving e-mails calling me “an ignorant racist” and worse.
All I was trying to do with my pi dan story was to present something that I felt was fun. To those critics in Taiwan who got so angry at me for not being able to stomach century eggs from my kitchen in Texas, I hope they can gain some perspective now. It is not like I committed an act of violence. My sin was trying some strange-tasting eggs and not enjoying them.
Okay, maybe I did not eat pi dan the correct way. Taiwanese food critic Tao Li-jun (陶禮君) said I probably had eaten the century egg without any condiments. Guilty as charged. Had I known what I know now, thanks to Tao, I would have prepared the pi dan with diced scallion, sesame oil or soy sauce. And to Taiwanese gastronomist Fei Chi (費奇), maybe she is right that the reason I did not enjoy my first experience with a century egg from an Asian supermarket was because I did not know how to appreciate its taste.
Now I know better and if I get a chance to visit Taiwan in the future, I will look forward to sampling some real pi dan dishes prepared by real Taiwanese chefs.