Edible bird's nest

Bird's nest soup (Chinese燕窝, Pinyin Yan Wo) is one of the most expensive Chinese specialties. Your worth it owes less to their taste than their elaborate preparation and her rumored in traditional Chinese medicine invigorating medicinal effect.

In the " swallows' nests ' in German so-called, is actually about the birds' nests, which are like the Swifts to the sailors. They consist mainly of protein-rich, viscous saliva, the nest cement which forms a bright translucent and gelatinous mass. The most coveted 'white' swallows' nests come from the spread in almost all of Southeast Asia Weißnestsalangane ( Aerodramus fuciphagus ). The nests of Schwarznestsalangane ( Aerodramus maximus) are referred because of the incorporated into the nest cement dark feathers as "black".

In China - with the possible exception of Hainan - there are none of the sailors species that produce usable as an edible nests, so that one is dependent on imports mainly from Thailand, Indonesia, Borneo and India. Collecting located in caves in cliffs nests is a difficult undertaking. Sometimes whole groups of collectors climb up to 90 meters high on poles or ladders to get to the nests. In large caves climb professional collectors with ropes and lanterns.

Preparation

For the preparation of bird's nest soup, the previously swollen in water and thoroughly cleaned nests are cooked ( one to two per serving) with veal in chicken broth, where they dissolve and give the soup a slightly gelatinous binding. Your taste is rather mild.

Monopoly in the 18th century

A Chinese entrepreneur of the 18th century in Siam became rich by letting himself give the monopoly of swallows' nests by the king. When the amount thereof was aware he withdrew his concession again.

Bird's nest soup as an imperial wedding feast

On January 13, 1765 open house was held at the Munich Residence after the wedding fair of Emperor Joseph II with the Bavarian Princess Maria Josepha Antonia, " where one of Indian birds ( swallows ) - verfertigte nests soup, as a rarity in Europe dished up has been who has 6,000 guilders cost, has been discharged from the well in the courtyard kitchen at court and state officials, then to dignitaries and citizens of Munich to half and whole masses to try those precious soup, therefore thereof in Bavaria still talking about. "

Luxury prices

The price of the nests is high: 1987 in Hong Kong cost a pound about 375 U.S. $, nests of top quality more than U.S. $ 1000. In the early 1980s, the best nests are almost $ 300 to have cost an ounce, compared with $ 400 for an ounce of gold. From the perspective of a collector selling a single nest brought three times as much as a full day work. For this reason, it quickly came to poaching and smuggling.