Shocking Revelation

Some of you know of my fondness for jog, the Thai rice porridge, and the machinations involved in getting my regular fix. Traditional recipes call for the (jasmin) rice to be boiled overnight before being lightly seasoned with anything from ginger to chicken stock. Happily, friends at a bakery and sandwich shop in Patong have long shared from their communal pot of lunchtime jog -- they might serve a pretty good meatball sub, but its appeal eludes them.

I never had any qualms about being a free rider until the day there was not enough to go around. I was just finishing my last two or three spoonfuls when the newest staff member (still don't know his name) found an empty pot when he broke for a late lunch. I was profusely apologetic, explaining that if I had known he hadn't eaten I certainly most likely would not have taken an extra serving (or two). He waved away my concern and proceeded to a nearby cupboard, where he retrieved a bilious green and yellow packet of instant jog! It's a Knorr product, for crying out loud!

My friends had never done anything to disabuse me of the notion that they slaved away to prepare each day's supply. Now that the truth was out, the joy of knowing I could finally make my own jog was overwhelmed by one friend's (Paula) fit of laughter. Red-faced and teary-eyed, she collapsed onto a couch clutching her stomach and struggling for breath until I thought a sedative was called for. Is my naivete really that funny?

On my way home that day I bought 20 packets at 30 cents each. Instant jog contains MSG, but reading up on the "flavor enhancer" has convinced me that concerns surrounding its use are overblown. At any rate, I will not be at risk of prolonged exposure as Knorr does not offer the product in the States, nor does it have plans to do so, according to the company's response to my online query.