Siamese Walrus
Restaurant / Cafe / Takeaway / Featured
The Siamese Walrus, like the ugly duckling, was initially a misunderstood soul. A sudden and accidental journey had taken place for the walrus at a young age, but just as most stories with happy endings go, the walrus brought joy to all of those he encountered.
This story starts many a blue moon ago, in the middle of the cold and deep blue sea. The walrus and his family were swimming to their favourite feeding spot when winds suddenly whipped up, waves towered like mountains and confusion set in. Amongst the noise and commotion, the freak weather blew and pushed the young amphibious mammal, too a frow, back and forth, and way, way off course from the frigid waters off North America.
The rough seas and howling wind battered our little walrus for what seemed like several days and several nights, when it felt like he could bear no more, finally the severe weather calmed down and the sun could be seen again. Our little friend was able to look across the vast seas, he could see none of his pod. Our little amphibious mammal was alone and lost.
Truth be known, our little walrus had never cared much for the frigid waters of his home seas. He had asked his mum on several occasions if he really was a Walrus, and not a seal from warmer waters. But his mother had assured him he was a Walrus. Just look at your Tusks she would say. Thus, there was some comfort that came from the sensation of the warmer waters that caressed him as he swam towards the direction of the sun.
As he swam in the warming water, our little walrus began to wonder what he would find in these new seas. A calmness from the pleasant water kept our walrus hopeful to find friends on this unexpected journey.
It may have been months, maybe weeks, but the coastline of southeast Asia was where the walrus found himself.
As he moved quietly though gentle crystal-clear swell, he noticed a creature of which he had never seen before, standing on the shoreline where soft white sand met the water. It was a grey-brown coloured animal, not to dissimilar to his own colours, who was washing his back by spraying water out of his long nose. He stood tall on four large flippers that didn’t look like flippers at all.
Hungry and tired the walrus swam closer to this amazing beast and called out to the creature at the water’s edge.
The elephant noticed our friend swimming towards, he focused on the animal that had appeared from the ocean with funny looking legs, with two healthy tusks that came out his mouth and no trunk for a nose. he thought to himself, this character was the most unusual elephant he had ever seen.
The Walrus swam to the shore and felt the soft warm coral sand on his flippers. “Coo coo cachou,” said our lost friend. “I am the walrus; I am hungry, and I am alone.”
The Elephant was amazed that an elephant with no legs could walk on the sand. he said, “my poor friend, you must eat so you can grow strong and grow the legs you will need to visit the jungle with me. I will fetch you some food and we can talk and play on the beach.”
The elephant left for the jungle and fetched foods of flavours and textures the walrus had never tasted before. They were both delightful, but also were feisty flavours, some so hot his mouth would burn, some so full of flavour he thought he was going to eat so much he wouldn’t be able to move for days and. Some that made him weep, some that made him squint and some that made him think he was in the heavens.
The two animals spent their days playing on the beach and eating delightful food together. Foods mixed with flavours from all the plants, seeds, and flowers of the jungle. All the time the elephant would wish his new friend would grow legs so they could explore the jungle together.
Every day the elephant brought new flavours of spices, hoping his friend would grow legs long enough to penetrate the deep jungle. But all that remained were the flippers.
After much time the elephant was concerned his friend needed to experience even more food and flavours in order to grow legs, as no matter how many delights he came up with and how many of the finest foods he could muster, this legless elephant would never grow legs to be able join him in the jungle.
The young elephant sought help from the elders, and after considerable consideration, they came up with an idea. The elephant brought a book to the sea mammal, a book which had a list of all the flavours the elders could think of that may help the walrus grow some legs.
You must swim to every shore and seek out foods to mix with the herbs and spices contained in this book. It is the journey to bring taste sensations to all the foods you encounter. This journey will help you grow legs and then you can join me in the jungle.
The walrus thanked the young elephant and swam off with his book of herbs, spices and recipes. His goal to bring flavours to all those that met with him on the shores of their lands. All bringing new foods helping him to add new flavours to his book that had been given to him by his friend of the jungle.
The Elephant and the walrus never did meet again, but the Walrus continued to travel the world bringing the magical flavours of southeast Asia to wherever he went.
All who met the walrus revelled in the recipes he taught them, and they mixed these flavours with their own local foods and flavours too. It was the fusion of these Asian flavours and delicious foods from other lands that had all who meet the travelling sea mammal believing he was from the land of Siam.
After teaching all the extent of his books recipes and leaving for other lands, to those he left behind wiser and fuller, he was to be remembered as the Siamese Walrus.