New tonic drink

Quintin Tarantino"s "The Protector" has a scene that highlighted the serving of exotic animals as medicinal food, from the King Elephant, which was the subject of the movie, to turtles (for their big cocks) and every imaginable rice toads (for tasty frog legs) to snakes -- which reportedly taste like free range chicken.

This gastronomic adventure is not about any exotic properties this unsual protein sources has but rather for the "spiritual properties" or power that these creatures are supposed to represent and wield.

In Northern Philippines, for instance, a black dog is slaughtered, and the blood drained and served as medicine for asthma and tuberculusis. In the same region, tribal folks had invented a chicken preparation which involves a technique of bursting or rapturing all the blood vessels and veins of the hapless chicken while it is still alive (pinikpikan) before it is roasted.

Other parts of Asia, notably Vietnam and China probably have their own spiritual culinary styles as well.

But Vietnam had made notable strides of its own.  In recent years, it had perfected a new tonic drink that reportedly can revitalize a bed-stricken individual -- transforming lethargy into new found energy.

The drink also acts as a cure for a host of disorders like rheumatism, lumbago and others.  The prescription: two small cups a day just before meals.

This new tonic drink is simply called Snake Wine.  I was given one as a gift from a recent visitor to Vietnam.  It has a baby cobra biting a huge black scorpion mixed with a secret preparation and Ginseng herbs (See pictures).

The visitor reported snake prices had gone up tremendously. He said a six footer can now command a price of up to $100 American dollars!  The snake is cooked like chicken and served accordinly.  His family had ordered one.

And for the snake wine, he said, take just a sip.  He said "you will feel hot all over!"

On the flip side of this story though is the question: is Vietnam now manufacturing a product that violates possible international rules on the traffic of wild animals?

Give me a reaction.