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03-09-2008, 06:48 PM
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Strange culinary experiences
I’m sure a lot of you have had some rather strange food experiences during your travels. One in particular sticks out in my memory and makes me shudder every time I think about it. I would love to hear about yours and thought I’d share mine.
It was the mid-seventies and I was driving along a country road in Sifnos, an island in Greece, when I happen upon an older Greek woman with a small bag of groceries waving her cane at me to stop. With my limited Greek and many hand gestures, I understood that she would like me to drive her to her home as her legs were tired and it was hot, well of course I will. We arrive to her home, a small typical cycladic white cube house, and she graciously invites me in for a bite to eat and coffee. She explains to me that her husband had passed away several years ago and things are tough for her financially. She prepares me a coffee, a very strong cuppa at that, brewed on the stovetop. Then proceeds to serve me “spaghetti a la cucaracha”, yes, the biggest cockroaches you could image served on a bed of spaghetti noodles! When I looked over at her plate it was obvious she had made sure that I got the biggest and juiciest ones, bless her heart  What could I do, I couldn’t offend her, she was sharing her food with me, oh and yes, I swallowed 
    
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03-09-2008, 07:59 PM
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In 2001-03 i was making frequent business trips to China....primarily the outskirts of Shanghai. These were non-tourists areas so I ate where the locals ate.
I am very adventurous in my eating so i allowed my hosts to order for me without question. At one particular meal i had what appeared to be tasty marinated dark noodle. Well...i had learned to normally not ask what i was eating, but I did. Sauteed leeches...mmmm I didn't go back for seconds  Also fairly typical on a menu would be duck tongue - tasted like...chicken Last edited by Babaloo; 03-09-2008 at 09:13 PM.
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03-09-2008, 08:19 PM
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We took a trip to Amarillo about 8 years ago with the kids (daughter and her friend age 14 and daughter 10 son 8). We went to th Big Texan. My friend from there said he would order the appetizer which turned out to be calf fries. The kids downed the first order and wanted a second. I knew what they were and was going to mention it to the kids, my friend said no we will tell them later. A couple of hours later we called the kids into the family room and asked if they liked the calf fries and got a resounding yes but a strange look from the older girls. They asked were they beef we answered yes its the last part of the bull over the fence. The look on the girls face was priceless. All my son wanted to do was call home and tell his buddy he had bull balls.
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03-09-2008, 08:24 PM
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I am notoriously known as a person who will eat almost anything. (I draw the line at anything that is still breathing or beating) I am a huge fan of organ meat, raw fish and most things that would be customarily considered....yucky. Fortunately, here in Mexico, I am presented with plenty of opportunities to enjoy such yummies as liver, tongue, sweatbreads etc. One of my favorites is a locally made blood sausage that occassionally turns up at my favorite source for carnitas. Unfortunately, this Sunday they were sold out but I wrote about our Sunday culinary routine in my blog just today. Nothing too weird on our menu today. The mix of meats is unsually whatever is left over, pulled from the back, stomach, rib cage and head of the pig. I haven't quite developed a taste for the buche (stomach). It's got a weird crunch to it, like ear cartilage. The rest of it is juicy and wonderful.
 
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03-09-2008, 09:37 PM
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I've got nothing.
Except admiration, that is. You're an adventurous lot. (Is anyone else envisioning Stewart making a "to do" list? Love ya, Stew!)
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03-09-2008, 10:00 PM
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In the Bordeaux region of france, I had a dish that was pork intestine, prepared in a butter and garlic sauce.
It was actually pretty good, but I have never been so grateful for so much wine!
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03-10-2008, 11:18 AM
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Wow. I don't know if I could do that, but I give you guys a lot of credit for trying these foods.
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03-10-2008, 11:38 AM
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I went to Sonics once!
The strangest I had was stewed Honey Bees in Jordan! Living in Japan, there was always an eyebrow raised when the meal came...we were at a festival in Nagoya once and there were a bunhc of vendor booths set up...we saw a booth with all of these fluffy little chicks peeping and hopping...the next booth over, they were flayed on a stick, roasted and laying on a bed of raw egg & lettuce...wings and all!
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Mike & Sandy "Procrastinate Tomorrow!"
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03-10-2008, 11:38 AM
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Kirbyfan...ha!
Ok, I got nothing, and not even the admiration that others have!  I am very squeamish with food, not adventuresome at all. I have a strong palate, and for me it's all about the texture as well. There's no way in God's green acre I'd be trying any of the things mentioned here.  I simply would not be able to get them down! I just don't see the charm in "exotic" foods. I understand that in other cultures/countries what they eat as a normal diet is very different that what I eat, and they may very well look at MY food with the same level of disdain. But I just don't have the urge to try these types of foods just for the sake of it. I'll stick to my steak and vegies!
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[i]The way to gain a good reputation, is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear. - Socrates [i]..  My Blog Where I Write Stuff .
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03-10-2008, 01:20 PM
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I had no idea that this was a common practice in Greece. Thank god I did not come across this dish when I was there (admittedly have never been to Sifnos, so maybe it's just a regional treat?) What was the dish called there (obviously not "spaghetti a la cucaracha"  ) ?Edited to add: I'll stick with the roasted goat meat and moussaka
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"You'd find it easier to be bad than good if you had red hair," said Anne reproachfully. "People who haven't red hair don't know what trouble is." - Anne of Green Gables 
Last edited by gingele; 03-10-2008 at 02:54 PM.
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03-10-2008, 02:30 PM
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03-10-2008, 04:03 PM
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She was very financially strapped and and I guess it was just my lucky day Wow, there sure are some adventurous people, Michelle you amaze me!
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03-10-2008, 04:12 PM
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Financially strapped and a little insane. They were tossed in to the pasta whole? Did you eat them that way or cut them up first? Wonder if she kept a stash on hand just in case a guest happened by or if she had to scramble around and catch them fresh just for you?
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"You'd find it easier to be bad than good if you had red hair," said Anne reproachfully. "People who haven't red hair don't know what trouble is." - Anne of Green Gables
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03-10-2008, 04:14 PM
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Don't be amazed. I'm a weirdo for sure! My mother had very (for lack of a better term) pedestrian taste in food, so I was never exposed to anything at all challenging as a child. When I got into the restaurant/wine business, my eyes were opened to a whole new world of food. The fun thing is, my daughter is following right along in my footsteps. Some of her favorite foods are octopus, conch and fish roe. I have to fight her off of my sushi every time. The two boys tend to play it a bit safer. It's interesting how people's tastes develop differently in the same housesold.
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