1.  Asian shoppers insist on freshness and healthy ingredients.  There are tell-tale signs of disease in the head that may appear no where else in the animal.  The eyes for example are windows into the health of the animal and you should always look for clear eyes and general health.

2.  There are powerful metaphors about the nature of food in Asian cultures, and the head represents a beginning.  You must always start at the beginning in every effort.  Cutting corners is not considered wise.

Chef Yang of the Landis Hotel in Taipei says that black haired pigs are far superior to the white haired ones.  When freshness counts as much as it does in Asian cultures, you can expect the chef to be up close and personal with the ingredients.  Chef Yang personally handles, inspects, and smells each of the key elements of a meal.  In this clip, you will see that there is a real difference in the product - using your senses of touch, sight and smell, you too can get the best pork - but you better be ready to go one-on-one with your food.

 

LINK TO SHORT CLIP