{"id":102,"date":"2024-05-01T14:07:56","date_gmt":"2024-05-01T14:07:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ggalante\/?p=102"},"modified":"2024-05-03T06:19:06","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T06:19:06","slug":"moom-maam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ascjcapstone.com\/spring-2024\/ggalante\/index.php\/2024\/05\/01\/moom-maam\/","title":{"rendered":"Moom Maam"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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While Softies argues that hamburgers are the perfect medium for food fusion, Darwin Wai, owner of Moom Maam Artisanal Thai Gelato, argued it’s actually ice cream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can draw anything you want or imagine,\u201d Wai said. \u201cI can manipulate anything about the texture, flavor expression and how I want the flavor to export on my tongue after the first spoon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moom Maam, California\u2019s first Thai gelato vendor, fuses Asian flavors with local Los Angeles cuisine using gourmet Italian gelato as the base. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of the Asian flavors include Thai tea and Japanese Uji Matcha. Wai also incorporates Italian-inspired gelato flavors, such as Espresso, Strawberry Balsamic and Cacio e Pepe. In a blend of the two, Moom Maam recently launched Pesto alla Thailandese, a fusion of Thai sweet basil, buttery cashews and olive oil that tastes similar to pesto sauce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A favorite flavor of Wai\u2019s is the Riceberry Horchata, which combines the Mexican rice drink with a rice variety native to Thailand. The melting pot of cuisines present in this scoop is representative of the culinary experiments that make Moom Maam, Moom Maam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe best thing about L.A. is that you can find ingredients from all over the world to play around with,\u201d Wai said. \u201cThe origin of my ideas starts from when I walk to the markets to buy stuff and I mix-and-match the flavors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expanding his food fusion empire, Wai opened a new pop-up with a savory concept, Rice Gang by Moom Maam, which uses Japanese curry rice as a base for stews inspired by global cuisines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of Rice Gang\u2019s most popular menu items is the Meat Ball, a dish serving Italian-style meatballs in Northern Thai spicy tomato sauce. The meatballs are made from Thai pork and served over sticky rice, a staple in many Asian households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though Wai\u2019s two pop-ups merge flavors from across the world, he also recognizes that with food fusion, cultural appreciation can quickly turn into cultural appropriation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are not limited to any kind of proper cuisine. But with food fusion like this, I have to be sure that I’m doing everything correctly and asking about cultural appropriation. I did some research to make sure I\u2019m getting the flavor right.\u201d  Wai said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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