Strange Things You Eat or Want to Try

[Ilaine]

The most wonderful thing I ever ate was deer heart jambalaya.

Which I ate long enough ago (34 years) that I could not possibly remember what it tasted like, only that it was wonderful.

[synaesthesia]

Unfortunately these aren't my stories, but our sales guy did a lot of traveling in Asia and told us a ton of really crazy stories about his eating adventures. Because it was business he couldn't refuse and lose face. Naturally it's a measuring contest, and they'd push him as far as possible. These are pretty ridiculous.

Once they took him to a restaurant that served dogs, and he had to go and pick out which one he wanted. Alive dogs.

----

Another story was about how he was at a restaurant with a friend, who was telling him a story about eating monkey brains from a live monkey, while it screamed. The friend was talking about how cruel he thought it was. But the irony was that while he was telling the story, the chef wheeled out a big pot of boiling hot oil. He took a towel and rolled ice in it and then wrapped around the head of a live fish. Then he dipped the fish into the boiling hot oil. It was then served to the friend, and our sales guy could see the fish's eyes still moving as the friend ate it.

[JeffC]

... Finally he asked the sushi chef for something and the chef's eyes got large and he stared at me with a very odd look. The man, whose name I never found out, asked again and the sushi chef shook his head in a sorrowful way and bent down and took out a jar with what looked like very white linguine in a very brown sauce. I figured out (correctly and oh so not correctly all at once) that is was giant squid noodle cut and marinated in miso. Yet it was. But it was the marination process that I had not quite got right. It was packed in the jar and left on the roof of the building in downtown LA, smog capitol of the world, and left to ferment. For 6 months. Unrefrigerated. He told me that the long strands would make me "long too". I wasn't so desperate for the additional equipment package but I now realized that if I refused this one, I would lose all face at this restaurant and could never show up there again. So I followed his lead and took the "noodle" and dropped it into my mouth. He chewed his with obvious relish and swoon not seen since the last time I watched Graham Green, the Galloping Gourmet. I took one chew and began to figure out how to either projectile vomit it out of my mouth in a way that would kill everyone in the bar or swallow it whole. I finally chose the latter and, in one of the greatest feats of fortitude of my life, swallowed it.

How to describe the taste? First off imagine taking a tablespoon of Coleman's powdered mustard and sloshing it around your mouth. Then add some baby poop. From a baby with a very smelly and poorly functioning digestive track. Then add the aroma of a tire that has blown out on the freeway after driving on it for hours. Then add the essence added by LA's smog. Got it? Well it was worse than that. Infinitely worse. So much worse that my eyes tear up at the memory typing these word brings back. But I swallowed and everyone at the bar smiled at me with congratulatory looks on their faces. The best part? My friend picked up our entire tab which I later found out was about $500 for my specials alone! Who knew baby poop cost so much?!?!?

I was going to write about eating a plate of incendiary curried goat brains in a little canteen in rural India, but compared to this, I've got nothing.....

[Xochitl10]

The other meal was one of the culinary highlights of my life. We were seated next to two Japanese men, one very old and very drunk when we came in. The younger one saw what we were ordering and said we had made some good choices. He then ordered some things for us which were incredible: a plate of 5 kinds of toro, a special cut of yellow tail, a marinated fish that was incredible etc. He also explained that he was here with his boss from Japan and that good manners dictated that he say drinking with him until the elder man either called it a night or passed out, whereupon he would have to take him back to his room. He explained to us that he would rather be home "making babies" with his girlfriend.

That sounds like Japan.

The man, whose name I never found out, asked again and the sushi chef shook his head in a sorrowful way and bent down and took out a jar with what looked like very white linguine in a very brown sauce. I figured out (correctly and oh so not correctly all at once) that is was giant squid noodle cut and marinated in miso. Yet it was. But it was the marination process that I had not quite got right. It was packed in the jar and left on the roof of the building in downtown LA, smog capitol of the world, and left to ferment. For 6 months. Unrefrigerated.

Dean, do you remember if what you got was shiokara? Some of our friends here keep asking us if we've eaten/will eat it, and though I'm not quite ready to consign it to the "things you'll never eat" thread, it rather frightens me. Your story could seal the deal.

[deangold]

That sounds like Japan.

Dean, do you remember if what you got was shiokara? Some of our friends here keep asking us if we've eaten/will eat it, and though I'm not quite ready to consign it to the "things you'll never eat" thread, it rather frightens me. Your story could seal the deal.

I htink it sounded more like "letsseeifthisstupidguywilleatanythingjusttoseemlikeheisagourmet" but I may have misheard the name of the dish!

[ctay122]

I inadvertently ate horse meat when I was in Belgium. I was in the Army at the time in 1977 and my platoon did a 3 day volksmarche. I was in a NATO unit with other Belgium solders participating. We got bag lunches everyday from the Belgiums. I thought I was eating a sandwich of rare roast beef, though it tasted a bit off. Later I was told that it was horse meat. They all thought it was a joke, but I was rather upset about it because I had a horse when I was in high school and would never consider eating one!

[Meaghan]

I once ate a human index finger because there was maple butter on it.

I was drunk.

[Baccala]

Has anyone had or attempted to make one ?

[brettashley01]

I think I just threw up a little bit in my mouth

[TinDC]

I had the same response. It triggered my gag reflex.

[silentbob]

Has anyone here ever eaten scorpions, sea horses, or cicadas?

I'm headed to the Olympics later this week, and may be ready to try one of the "exotic" kebabs offered by the Wangfujing street vendors. During my trip to Beijing two years ago, I chickened out at the last second. My primary concern isn't how the kebabs look, but is rather a fear of eating something that will wreak unpredictable harm on my body (i.e., beyond mere indigestion or even the stomach flu). So if any of these items can be considered "low risk" I might be willing to take the plunge...

[cheezepowder]

You may have problems if you're allergic to shellfish.

[laniloa]

You may have problems if you're allergic to shellfish.

Seahorses aren't shellfish, they are finsfish, so I wouldn't expect this to be a problem. Unless for some reason people with shellfish allergies are more prone to seahorse allergies.

I've eaten one. I remember it was crunchy and that was about it.

[hillvalley]

YOU ate a seahorse? I don't know whether to be disgusted or proud.

[laniloa]

YOU ate a seahorse? I don't know whether to be disgusted or proud.

I'm not sure myself. It was better then ants, but that isn't saying much.

[cheezepowder]

Seahorses aren't shellfish, they are finsfish, so I wouldn't expect this to be a problem. Unless for some reason people with shellfish allergies are more prone to seahorse allergies.

Oh, I was thinking of the cicadas and scorpions.

[dinwiddie]

I think the wierdest thing I ever ate (at least which I knew what it was, since I'm not sure what some of the things we ate as kids were when we were stationed in Okinawa) has to bee sheep eyeballs. I was in college and was taking a month traveling between returning from Denmark where I had spent the semester to return to school in CA. We were in Marrakesh and were visiting a friend from school. He took me to his grandfather's home where his grandmother fixed us a huge dinner. They brought out a huge platter of rice with spices and studded with eyeballs. His grandfather grinned at me, popped one into his mouth and said something to his grandson, who turned to me and said "you don't have to eat those, I certainly won't." Being young, stupid, and wanting to appear more worldly than I was, I took one in my left hand and popped it into my mouth. Somehow I managed to swollow it whole without choking to death. His grandfather was impressed and I am told that he bragged about it for months to his friends who said Americans were weak. I can't say I ever want to have another one.

[deangold]

Oh, I was thinking of the cicadas and scorpions.

One year at the Natural Products Expo the South American display had a stand trying to sell insects. I was dared by fellow food buyers to try everything and I did. They all were crunchy, greasy and earthy in varying degrees. Plus there was a tendancy of little bits getting stuck in your teeth. While not as bad as a vertaical tasting of all bottlings of Yellowtail chardonnay would be, it was a taste experience that I would have to describe as once was enough.

Then again, I think that the insect sellers may have the same reaction at Bubbe Mimi's Kishke served at Rosh Hashanah feasts of my childhood.

[Xochitl10]

Scene: Last night, a yakiniku joint with some local friends who know the owner. Handwritten sign on the wall: gyu yan. Gyu is beef, none of us know what yan is. Our friends ask, a discussion with much gesturing to the midsection and use of the word aida (between or middle) ensues. Yan, first offered today, is the tissue connecting the various stomachs of the cow. We are exhorted not to leave it on the grill too long, lest it become chewy.

Azami and I give our friends carte blanche to order for the table. Tongue, skirt steak, the yan, and some tubelike things we don't recognize appear. We ask what the tubes are. Our friend tries to explain in Japanese, but we don't understand. "You know, the part where the baby grows." Ah. Uterus. Possibly from a pig. It tastes like pork, is better with soy sauce-based sauce than salt-based, and has a texture much like a cocktail weiner. The yan, when cooked just right, is also quite good, tasting more like its slightly spicy marinade than anything else. Both get rated higher than either the tongue or the liver that we later ordered.

[zoramargolis]

Scene: Last night, a yakiniku joint with some local friends who know the owner. Handwritten sign on the wall: gyu yan. Gyu is beef, none of us know what yan is. Our friends ask, a discussion with much gesturing to the midsection and use of the word aida (between or middle) ensues. Yan, first offered today, is the tissue connecting the various stomachs of the cow. We are exhorted not to leave it on the grill too long, lest it become chewy.

Azami and I give our friends carte blanche to order for the table. Tongue, skirt steak, the yan, and some tubelike things we don't recognize appear. We ask what the tubes are. Our friend tries to explain in Japanese, but we don't understand. "You know, the part where the baby grows." Ah. Uterus. Possibly from a pig. It tastes like pork, is better with soy sauce-based sauce than salt-based, and has a texture much like a cocktail weiner. The yan, when cooked just right, is also quite good, tasting more like its slightly spicy marinade than anything else. Both get rated higher than either the tongue or the liver that we later ordered.

The Korean markets sell packages of "pork uteri"--they look very small, so certainly not from sows who have been bred.

[Xochitl10]

The Korean markets sell packages of "pork uteri"--they look very small, so certainly not from sows who have been bred.

Yeah, these were pretty small too, about the size of a breakfast link. We wondered if they might be fallopian tubes rather than uteri, but I verified that they were uteri. Damn tasty ones, too.

[Night Owl]

Fried grasshoppers as a filling in tortilla with guacamole... and braised cow brains... all compliments of a client hosting us for dinner in Mexico City.

The image of a lone charred little grasshopper leg dangling from her mouth is still burned on my brain. my brain, not the cow brain I had to eat.

[Robert Rymarz]

Would love to try Angulas at Etxebarri. But then it is a restaurant at the top of my must try list.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mobyp/2239787551/

[FunnyJohn]

Tree Brains

[dcs]

I am not sure this is on topic, but my son just swallowed the pop-top from a Coke can. Most unusual. They're off to get an X-Ray to make sure it is not stuck in his esophagus. Ah, the joys of parenthood.............

[Treva]

Amusing threads. Giggles here.

Our father coaxed my brothers and me into eating raw oysters when we were kids by telling us we weren't old enough to have them, that we must wait until we were 21. I defied him, took a deep breath, exhaled and swallowed one sans chewing. I swear it was still alive and pulsing on the way down. That was the first of pop's tricks.

As the only girl and firstborn I wasn't about to let the boys outdo me. I was still sore about losing my spot on the fishing trips when number one son was old enough to bump me from the mix.

During my teen years I had beef tongue from the Lexington Market in Baltimore. Thanks dad. I told him I didn't like french kissing (inexperienced me), so why would I put a cow's tongue in my mouth. He gave me that look.

Turtle and muskrat somehow landed on my plate. I'll never forget the rabbit dad ordered me to cook when I was 15. He sent me to the A&P to find rabbit shake n bake. I was skeptical but did what I was told. Rather than dicker with dad I did it with chicken shake n bake. It was the toughest and saddest thing I ever tried to eat. Poor bunny.

The most daring thing was a scorpion, slowly. Upon review of the photograph and video evidence it was obvious I was in some sort of trance induced by mezcal añejo. The scorpion was like tough straw and without any flavor whatsoever. My tastebuds might have been astral and not present for the moment.

I've had the mezcal worms which are really caterpillars (chinicuil and gusano de oro), grasshoppers (chapulines) and huitlacoche (so called Mexican Truffles).

Also herring roe on kelp harvested by Haida in The Queen Charlottes. Salty. And some disgusting salmon roe which I tried to prepare without having a clue of what to do with it.

Fresh and raw Geoduck clams (monster yuck).

Offal. I love tripe in Pho. Blood Sausage. Sea Urchin. Frog. Alligator (caught with marshmallows). Kangaroo. Ostrich. Goat. Mutton. Buffalo. Bison. Boar (heavenly pata negra - jamon iberico). Rocky Mountain Oysters and some things I believe were misrepresented to me.

I've taken some stupid or uneducated risks. Fresh Baracuda sashimi in St. Lucia. Jamaican Akee. Certain brownies which made me ill.

Hooch and homemade things people proudly pass off as 'fantastic' and should have killed me dead, but didn't.

And some of my mother's cooking.

[wineitup]

I had Ant Eggs in Mexico. They were very good.

I had jelly fish in China. tasted good, but was like chewing rubber bands.