Bird Brain

The Asian fascination with birds doesn't end with eating their nests for dessert. After spotting "Essence of Chicken" countless times in the locked cabinet behind the grocery store cash register, my husband decided it was time to experiment with the premium-priced product. Six small bottles of caramel-colored liquid range in cost from S$20 - 40, depending on what additives like ginseng you desire.

So what will Essence of Chicken do for you? Here's the sales pitch (I didn't correct the English grammatical errors to keep it authentic):

"You can enjoy the goodness of Essence of Chicken anytime anywhere you like, as part of your balanced diet. You can do so just before exams, meetings or sports. Take Essence of Chicken daily to help you be at your best to face the daily demands of life, and to live life to the fullest. Essence Of Chicken has been scientifically proven to stimulates the restoration of blood, enhance iron absorption and utilization. It also help to increase energy and relieve fatigue.

"It is 100% natural made from wholesome chicken and contains no fat, no cholesterol, no preservatives, no added msg, no stimulants, no artificial colouring and flavouring. It is also sugar free and low in sodium."

When Brian popped open the first bottle, we agreed that the liquid smelled like wet dog. However, he didn't find the taste bad at all and commented that it wasn't salty like chicken broth. The question is: did Brian discover the powerful benefits of Essence of Chicken? Well, he must have thought that 5 bottles did enough for his mental stamina because the final serving has been collecting dust on the pantry shelf. More likely, he opted to allocate the money toward a six-pack of beer instead.