Saturday, April 05, 2008

How to differentiate real and fake bird's nest?








Real bird’s nest will allow light to penetrate it. Some fake bird’s nest is made of either rubber or pig’s skin, which will taste acidic and releases oil when soaked in water respectively. One obvious indication of a fake bird's nest is that its threads will look uniform and unnatural. Egg white or agar agar will also be added to increase the weight, as prices are determined based on weight.

Tip: Singapore laws on doing business are strict. Therefore, it is generally safe to buy bird’s nest in Singapore, especially from established merchants


Can price be a good indicator for quality?
There is a saying in Chinese, which goes “A cent spent will give you a cent worth of quality”. This can never be less true.

The price is a fair guideline in determining the quality of bird's nest. The pricier the bird’s nest, the better the quality, its nutritional values and the length of time it can withstand double-boiling. This is important as bird's nest of a lower grade will evaporate after a short time during the double-boiling process, which will result in poorer aroma and lesser amount of bird's nest for consumption. This will not justify the amount of money spent on this prized imperial cuisine.

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