subject: Bird Spit Soup is Delicious [print this page] Most have heard of bird's nest soup, and it usually conjures up an image of an expensive gourmet delicacy, but what it is exactly most really don't know. There are only a few places in the world where the swallows nests (yes, it really is a bird's nest) are collected, and I was at one of them in Koh Pi Pi, Thailand.
There is a species of swallow that likes to build its nests on sheer sea cliffs, for protection I would imagine. However, since the cliffs are so sheer, it is unable to use twigs, mud, and other organic matter that normally goes into the making of bird's nest. Through evolution however, it has developed spittle that dries and hardens upon contact with air and breezes. And so it literally builds its nest entirely out of it's own saliva. Not only that, but the nests are sturdy and the young are raised to fledglings even amongst strong sea gusts.
When cooked in a broth, however, the spittle in the nest softens and the strands separate, leaving a substance much like spring rain noodles. Regrettably, the nests themselves are actually tasteless, and merely take on the flavor of the broth they are cooked in. It is the story behind the dish that makes it so fascinating on the one hand, and just the fame of it on the other that makes it exotic with an appropriate high price to match. Still, there are grades to the nests, the top grade being nearly ten times more expensive than the low. I don't know the reason for this, but invite the curious to investigate.
