泰国董里：一个被早餐唤醒的城市

2021-07-16陕西王朝东

疯狂英语·新悦读 2021年6期

陕西王朝东

董里人对早餐的“痴迷”几乎是病态的，这与当地橡胶采集工的工作时间、移民情况等息息相关。

题材地理体裁说明文文章词数难度建议用时312 ★★★ 6 分钟

There aren't many places in the world that are as serious about breakfast as Trang. Even in an utterly food-obsessed country like Thailand,the city's enthusiasm for the first meal of the day can seem almost pathological （不理智的）.It's fun, crazy, delicious and overwhelming. But why breakfast and why Trang?

“Restaurants in Trang accommodate the various types of workers here,” explained Khanaporn Janjirdsak, a Trang-based restaurateur and amateur food historian, when I asked her why Trang was so mad about breakfast.

“Rubber tappers （橡胶采集工）wake up at 2：00,so people who run restaurants go shopping for ingredients （原料） at 5：00; people here are eating all the time! ”

Another factor that has shaped the city's breakfast scene is immigration. Since the 15th century, trade, commerce and the prospect of work have drawn Chinese immigrants to various points along Thailand's Andaman Sea coast. As a result, it just might be the most Chinese place in Thailand: a virtual melting pot of Chinese culture. Yet, it's the Cantonese who have had the biggest impact on Trang's breakfast.

Thirakleela, a local told me, Trang's teahouses started to offer more food items, finally making the transition to restaurants. Today, the city is known for vast dim sum halls that offer dozens of steamed and deep-fried options, as well as noodles and rice dishes.

But Trang's breakfast scene isn't limited to Chinese dishes. Like much of southern Thailand, the city has a significant Muslim population, and from a string of open-air halal restaurants near Trang's train station, vendors sell crispy and fried flatbreads, pairing them with fragrant curries（咖喱菜） of dried spices that are more India than Thailand. Nearby, ethnic Thais, who, ironically, have probably had the least impact on Trang's breakfast scene, operate curry stalls and establishments that boast dozens of trays of pre-made curries, stir-frys,soups and other dishes. Although typically,lunch is elsewhere in Thailand, in Trang, these dishes are considered breakfast.